| In order to become licensed as a professional land | | | | same information. |
| surveyor in the state of Maryland, one must | | | | Prior to beginning any surveying project, a |
| meet both experiential and educational | | | | surveyor in Maryland is legally required to discuss |
| requirements and pass a comprehensive | | | | the following with the party requesting the |
| examination. There are several options depending | | | | survey: the type of survey required, the limits to |
| on the applicant's background; all have been | | | | be surveyed, the specific survey services to be |
| designed to ensure that the applicant has a | | | | provided, an approximate completion time |
| diverse background in different aspects of land | | | | schedule, and an agreement for payment. |
| surveying and is fully qualified to conduct surveys. | | | | Minimum standards of practice for surveyors in |
| All applicants must have at least two years of | | | | Maryland include requirements of specific levels of |
| experience prior to becoming licensed; up to | | | | accuracy and care. The level of accuracy required |
| twelve years may be required of surveyors who | | | | ensures that surveys completed by one surveyor |
| have not graduated from an approved 4-year | | | | should look comparable to those completed by |
| college with a curriculum in land surveying. The | | | | another, and that they contain the most detailed |
| examinations required of all Maryland land | | | | information possible with current technology. A |
| surveyors include Principles and Practice of Land | | | | surveyor must make a reasonable effort to |
| Surveying, Maryland Law & Ethics, and Road | | | | locate and review previous survey records when |
| Grade & Storm Drain Design. | | | | conducting a boundary survey. Following the |
| Maryland has several licensing categories for | | | | survey, the surveyor must mark the boundary |
| surveyors, including control surveys, boundary | | | | with acceptable survey markers of the type that |
| surveys, topographic surveys, minor engineering, | | | | has been approved by the Board. |
| subdivision planning, construction surveys, and | | | | There are also minimum standards for the format |
| location drawings. A surveyor must have additional | | | | and information contained in the plat, a scale |
| education and experience in the specific area(s) in | | | | drawing of the property indicating the results of |
| which they wish to become licensed. Each | | | | the survey. A licensed surveyor may not sign |
| category also has a specific set of skills which | | | | plats or other professional documents unless they |
| must be demonstrated by the applicant prior to | | | | were personally overseen or prepared by the |
| licensure. | | | | surveyor. These regulations are expected of |
| Once licensed, professional land surveyors in the | | | | every professional land surveyor and property line |
| state of Maryland are held to high ethical | | | | surveyor in Maryland. |
| standards governed by the State Board for | | | | Many licensed land surveyors in Maryland opt to |
| Professional Land Surveyors. The Board | | | | join the Maryland Society of Surveyors, a |
| determines the types of markers or monuments | | | | professional organization founded in 1948 for the |
| which must be used when conducting property | | | | support of the land surveying profession, |
| line surveys, in addition to governing other land | | | | education about survey regulations in the state, |
| surveying activities with a goal of ensuring that a | | | | and advocacy of legal issues affecting surveyors. |
| survey conducted by one surveyor will be | | | | The Maryland Society of Surveyors offers |
| readable by another surveyor, and that surveys | | | | up-to-date information on regulations and laws |
| conducted by two different surveyors contain the | | | | affecting land surveyors throughout the state. |