Approved by the Committee on Licensure on February 17, 2021
Approved by the Public Policy and Practice Committee on May 4, 2021
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 16, 2021
Policy
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) defines engineering surveying as those activities involved in the planning and execution of surveys for the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of engineered projects. In the Model Law promulgated by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), “surveying that is incidental to the practice of engineering” is included within the recommended definition of the practice of engineering. ASCE considers this NCEES Model Law provision to be equivalent to engineering surveying as defined above. ASCE also agrees with the stipulation within this NCEES Model Law provision which states that surveying incidental to the practice of engineering excludes the surveying of real property for the establishment of land boundaries, rights of way, easements, and the dependent or independent surveys or resurveys of the public land survey system, which exclusion also applies to engineering surveying as defined herein. ASCE advocates that this provision for engineering surveying within the practice of engineering should be adopted by engineering licensing jurisdictions.
Traditionally, some civil engineers who have become licensed as professional engineers have included engineering surveying within their practice of engineering. ASCE advocates that licensing jurisdictions should not require civil engineers to obtain a separate license as a professional surveyor to practice engineering surveying in accordance with the definition and exclusions described above.
Issue
Differences have arisen between some engineering and surveying licensing boards concerning the right of civil engineers to practice engineering surveying in consideration that separate licensure for the practice of surveying exists and that there is some overlap between the definition of engineering surveying and the definition of the practice of surveying as a professional surveyor.
Rationale
Engineering surveying as defined herein is a skill of civil engineers who are competent to perform it as part of their engineering practice as a licensed professional engineer and the licensing jurisdictions should also recognize and authorize same.
ASCE Policy Statement 333
First Approved in 1987