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About the FS Exam

Last Updated: September 25, 2025

Fundamentals of Surveying Exam

The Fundamentals of Surveying Exam is governed by NCEES and generally administered as the first step to becoming a Professional Land Surveyor.

Whether you a soon-to-be graduating college undergraduate or a technician for several decades, it’s important to understand the FS exam requirements before attempting any exam.

The education and experience requirements to take the Fundamentals of Surveying Exam vary so be sure to check-out our page for your home state.

The FS Exam covers a wide range of knowledge-based topics. Examinees are expected to have a deep understanding of surveying mathematics, theory, and application. All mathematics on the FS Exam uses the US Customary System of Units (USCS).

You can take this exam at anytime throughout the year at an NCEES-approved Pearson Vue Testing Center.

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Wondering if a career as a professional surveyor is right for you? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call with Dr. Tony Nettleman, he is more than happy to discuss the FS Exam and what a career is like as a professionally licensed surveyor.
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Exam Facts

The two sections – morning and afternoon – of the Fundamentals of Surveying exam are not created equal!

The Fundamentals of Surveying exam is the shortest of the NCEES surveying exams.

The FS is listed on the NCEES website as 6 hours, but that number is deceiving.

The FS Exam consists of 110 questions. The entire examination time takes 6 hours, with 40 minutes dedicated to breaks and completing other testing requirements.

Factoring in the 40 minutes of breaks and tutorials, the student only has 5 hours and 20 minutes (320 minutes) to answer both the morning and afternoon section of the exam.

320 minutes divided by 110 questions yields 2.90 minutes per person. That may seem like a long time, but try computing a traverse is under three minutes!

The morning section contains many math questions, and the afternoon section typically is weighted more towards definitions and legal, you may choose to spend more time on the morning section and less time on the afternoon section.

Morning Session VS Afternoon Session

Morning Session

Typically, the morning section of the FS exam contains many computations-style questions including pure math, pure statistics, and survey math/computations. This is the toughest part of the exam for the majority of the applicants.

Afternoon Session

Alternatively, the afternoon section of the Fundamentals of Surveying exam contains a few computational questions, but is typically heavily laden with survey definitions, legal aspects, and water boundary questions.

FS Exam Categories (Taken From the CBT Exam Specifications Effective July 1st, 2020)

About our FS Exam Prep Materials

Are you interested in becoming a professionally licensed surveyor? Your career path begins with the Fundamentals of Surveying Exam, and your first step is to pass this difficult exam. Wouldn’t it be great to pass the FS Exam on the first try and get licensed as quickly as possible? Our FS Exam prep material is designed to do just that. Most of our past students have passed on their first try using our Fundamentals of Surveying Exam prep material and online courses.

Full Length Practice Exam

Our Full-Length Practice Exam workbook was designed based on NCEES specifications and also Dr. Tony Nettleman’s 20 years of experience as a PLS. This full-length practice exam will give you ample practice for what to expect on the day of the exam.

Full Length Exam

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NLC Prep Online Land Surveyor Exam Course Practice Exam
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Fundamentals of Surveying Full-Length Practice Exam

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Pre-Programmed HP35 Calculators

We offer Pre-Programmed HP-35 Calculators loaded with 15+ land surveying programs that make the FS Exam math sections a breeze. These calculators are approved for use during the exam and they seriously cut down on time needed to perform calculations. We also provide a user manual as well as plenty of videos on how to use your calculator efficiently and effectively.

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HP35 Online Course

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FS Exam Online Course

NLC Prep’s Online FS Prep Course Bundle was designed by Dr. Nettleman to best present and explain each FS Exam section material for the student. It includes quizzes, videos, explanations, and other FS Exam tips and tricks to ensure you make a passing score on your first try. Dr. Nettleman is so sure of NLC Prep’s FS Online Course Bundle, he guarantees it with the NLC Pass Guarantee.
Students who do not pass their land survey exam on the first try will be able to access the online course for an additional year, receive coaching from Dr. Nettleman, and receive 24 credit hours of additional lessons in the area of needed improvement. The FS Exam Online Course Bundle is updated for the new Fundamentals of Surveying Exam this June.

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Land Surveyor Exam Review Online Course
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Fundamentals of Surveying Online Prep Course

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FS Exam Course Combo

You can also maximize your test day potential with the FS Exam Combo. Our FS Exam Combo includes the Pre-Programmed HP-35 calculator, FS Exam Practice Book, the FS Exam Online Course Bundle, Boundaries and Landmarks: A Practical Manual by A.C. Mulford (1912), and the ACSM/NSPS Definitions of Surveying and Associated Terms (2005). The FS Exam Combo is, without-a-doubt, the best tool for passing your exam; not to mention it is also the best value, combining all three of our most popular FS Exam test products into one bundle.

FS Exam Online Course

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HP35 Online Course

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Land Surveyor Exam Review Materials
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Fundamentals of Surveying Exam Combo

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The Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) is a critical step for aspiring professional surveyors. It marks the transition from foundational knowledge to applied expertise in the field. Passing this exam demonstrates your competency in surveying principles, legal considerations, and practical applications.

Our program helps pave the way to licensure and career growth. As you prepare, familiarize yourself with the exam format, study effectively, and practice. Passing your FS exam will establish you as a trusted professional in the surveying field. For more details, contact the NLC Prep team today.

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WOOOO. Thank you for everything, I passed the PS. This course seriously sets you up to pass. Now time to study for the California State exam.

MARCELO R.

PASSED! 1st attempt no less. Thank you for taking the time to put together the review material. It really helped me get back into the groove and turned me on to a few areas I wouldn’t have focused on otherwise.

GARY O.

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