The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Rules
BILL: SB 1786
INTRODUCER: Senator DiCeglie
SUBJECT: Professional Licensure and Certification
DATE: February 20, 2024 REVISED:
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Renner McKay CM Favorable
2. Blizzard Betta AEG Favorable
3. Renner Twogood RC Favorable
I. Summary:
SB 1786 revises the educational and experience requirements to be eligible to take the
examination for a surveyor and mapper license issued by the Board of Professional Surveyors
and Mappers (board) within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The bill:
Allows exiled foreign-trained professionals who have lawfully practiced the profession for
three years to substitute their experience for the professional or occupational college degree
that is required under current law;
Specifies that the applicant’s degree must be from a college or university accredited by an
accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education; and
Removes the requirement that any of the additional 25 semester hours of study completed not
as a part of the bachelor’s degree be approved at the discretion of the board for applicants
who have a bachelor’s degree in a course study other than surveying and mapping.
The bill provides additional pathways to qualify to take the licensure examination as follows:
Allows applicants with a high school diploma or an associate’s degree, who complete 25
semester hours of coursework in surveying and mapping or a related field from an accredited
college/university, and have six years of experience (five in responsible charge) as a
subordinate to a professional surveyor and mapper, to be able to take the licensure
examination.
Allows applicants who have a valid surveyor and mapper license in another jurisdiction and
have two years of experience in the active practice of surveying and mapping in responsible
charge to be able to take the licensure examination.
Allows applicants who have a registered apprenticeship certificate in surveying and mapping
from a registered apprenticeship program approved by the United States Department of
Education and have two years of experience in responsible charge as a subordinate to a
professional surveyor and mapper, to be able to take the licensure examination.
BILL: SB 1786 Page 2
The fiscal impact is indeterminate, yet likely positive. There may be increased applicants due to
changes in the requirements allowed by the bill for surveyor and mapper licenses. See Section
V., Fiscal Impact Statement.
The bill takes effect July 1, 2024.
II. Present Situation:
Land Surveying and Mapping
Chapter 472, F.S., governs the practice of land surveying and mapping in Florida. The
Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS)1 appoints the
nine members of the Board of Professional Surveyors and Mappers (board), subject to
confirmation by the Florida Senate.2 The DACS approves registrations, certificates, and licenses
to those persons and businesses that meet all statutory and administrative requirements for
licensure.3 The board is authorized to adopt administrative rules to implement the act, subject to
the prior approval of the DACS.4
Licensed professional surveyors and mappers determine and display the facts of size, shape,
topography, tidal datum planes, legal or geodetic location or relation, and orientation of
improved or unimproved real property through direct measurement or from certifiable
measurement through accepted photogrammetric procedures.5 Currently, there are 2,457 licensed
surveyors and mappers in Florida.6
Licensing Examinations
All applicants for licensure must be approved by the board to be eligible to take the licensure
examination.7 An applicant must be of good moral character8 and satisfy the following
educational and experience requirements to be eligible to take the licensure examination:
A bachelor’s degree in surveying and mapping or in a similarly titled program, with four or
more years of work experience under a professional surveyor, with the applicant having been
in responsible charge of the accuracy and correctness of the surveying work performed; or
A bachelor’s degree in a course of study other than surveying and mapping, with six or more
years of work experience under a professional surveyor, and for five of those years, the
applicant must have been in responsible charge of the accuracy and correctness of the
surveying work performed.9
1
The regulation of professional surveyors and mappers was transferred in 2009 from the Department of Business and
Professional Regulation to the DACS. See Ch. 2009-66, ss. 1-30, Laws of Fla. (effective October 1, 2009).
2
Section 472.007, F.S.
3
Sections 472.006(10) and 472.015, F.S.
4
Section 472.008, and Fla. Admin. Code R. 5J-17.001 to 17.210
5
Section 472.005(3), F.S.
6
Email from DACS (Jan. 29, 2024). On file with the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee.
7
Section 472.013, F.S.
8
The term “good moral character means “a personal history of honesty, fairness, and respect for the rights of others and for
the laws of this state and nation.” See s. 472.013(5)(a), F.S.
9
Section 472.013(2), F.S.
BILL: SB 1786 Page 3
Applicants whose course of study was other than surveying and mapping, must meet an
additional educational requirement of a minimum of 25 semester hours from a college or
university approved by the board in surveying and mapping subjects, or in any combination of
courses in civil engineering, surveying, mapping, mathematics, photogrammetry, forestry, or
land law and the physical sciences.10
The board, by rule, is authorized to establish fees for examination.11 The initial application and
examination fee must not exceed $125 plus the actual per applicant cost to the DACS to purchase
the examination from the National Council of Engineering Examiners or a similar national
organization.12 The examination fee must be sufficient to cover the cost of obtaining and
administering the examination and is refundable if the applicant is found ineligible to sit for the
examination; the application fee is nonrefundable.13
An exiled foreign-trained professional seeking to become a licensed surveyor and mapper is
eligible to take the required examination if the exiled professional:
Immigrated to the United States after leaving their home country because of political reasons,
when the home country is located in the Western Hemisphere and does not have diplomatic
relations with the United States;
Applies to the DACS and submits a fee;
Was a resident of Florida immediately preceding the application;
Demonstrates through submission of documentation to DACS that is verified by the
applicant’s respective professional association in exile, that the applicant graduated with an
appropriate professional or occupational degree from a college or university, but the DACS
may not require documentation from the Republic of Cuba;
Lawfully practiced land surveying and mapping for at least three years;
Prior to 1980, successfully completed an approved course of study pursuant to chs. 74-105
and 75-177, Laws of Florida, relating to continuing education; and
Presents a certificate demonstrating the successful completion of a board-approved
continuing education program, which offers a course of study that will prepare the applicant
for the examination.14
Upon request of a person who meets the requirements for foreign-trained professionals and
submits an examination fee, the DACS must conduct a written practical examination, on behalf
of the board, that tests the person’s current ability to competently practice the profession in
accordance with the actual practice of the profession.15 The fees charged for the examinations
must be established by the DACS by rule for the board,16 and must be sufficient to develop or to
10
Section 472.013(2)(b), F.S.
11
See s. 472.011, F.S. and Fla. Admin. Code R. 5J-17.070.
12
Id.
13
Id.
14
Section 472.0101(1), F.S.
15
Section 472.0101(2), F.S. The DACS must treat documentary evidence submitted by an exiled professional who is eligible
to take the examination as evidence of the applicant’s preparation in the academic and pre-professional fundamentals, and the
DACS may not examine the applicant on such fundamentals. Id.
16
See Fla. Admin. Code R. 5J-17.210.
BILL: SB 1786 Page 4
contract for the development of the examination and its administration, grading, and grade
reviews.17
Licensure by Endorsement
The board is required to certify an applicant as qualified for a license by endorsement if the
applicant currently holds a valid license to practice surveying and mapping issued by another
state or territory of the United States before July 1, 1999, and the applicant:
Has passed a national, regional, state, or territorial licensing examination that is substantially
equivalent to the examination required by s. 472.013, F.S.; and has a specific experience
record of at least eight years as a subordinate to a registered surveyor and mapper in the
active practice of surveying and mapping, six years of which must be of a nature indicating
that the applicant was in responsible charge of the accuracy and correctness of the surveying
and mapping work performed; or
Holds a valid license to practice surveying and mapping issued by another state or territory of
the United States, if the criteria for issuance were substantially the same as the licensure
criteria that existed in Florida at the time the license was issued.18
All applicants for licensure by endorsement must pass the Florida law and rules portion of the
examination prior to licensure.19
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
Section 1 amends s. 472.0101, F.S., to authorize exiled foreign-trained professionals who have
lawfully practiced the profession for three years to substitute their experience for the professional
or occupational college degree that is required under current law.
Section 2 amends s. 472.013, F.S., to revise the educational and experience requirements for an
applicant to be eligible to take the surveyor and mapper licensure examination. The bill specifies
that the applicant’s degree must be from a college or university accredited by an accrediting
body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The bill also removes the
requirement that any of the additional 25 semester hours of study completed, not as a part of the
bachelor’s degree, be approved at the discretion of the board for applicants who have a
bachelor’s degree in a course study other than surveying and mapping.
The bill creates additional pathways for becoming eligible to take the surveying and mapping
licensure exam for applicants who have received:
An associate degree, completed 25 semester hours of coursework in surveying and mapping
or in any combination of courses in civil engineering, surveying, mapping, mathematics,
photogrammetry, forestry, or land law and the physical sciences from an accredited college
or university, and have six years of experience (five in responsible charge) as a subordinate
to a professional surveyor and mapper;
A high school diploma or its equivalent, completed 25 semester hours in surveying and
mapping subjects or in any combination of courses in civil engineering, surveying, mapping,
17
Section 472.0101(3), F.S.
18
Section 472.015(5)(a), F.S.
19
Section 472.015(5)(b), F.S.
BILL: SB 1786 Page 5
mathematics, photogrammetry, forestry, or land law, and the physical sciences from an
accredited college or university, and have six years of experience (five in responsible charge)
as a subordinate to a professional surveyor and mapper;
A valid license to practice surveying and mapping in another state, jurisdiction, or territory,
and have at least two years of experience in the active practice of surveying and mapping in
responsible charge; and
A registered apprenticeship certificate in surveying and mapping from a registered
apprenticeship program approved by the Department of Education and have two years of
experience in responsible charge as a subordinate to a professional surveyor and mapper.
Section 3 provides an effective date of July 1, 2024.
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
None.
C. Government Sector Impact:
The fiscal impact to the DACS is indeterminate, yet positive. The DACS could see a
positive fiscal impact due to new surveyor and mapper licensure application fees.
BILL: SB 1786 Page 6
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill substantially amends the following sections of the Florida Statutes: 472.0101 and
472.013.
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
None.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.
Statutes affected: S 1786 Filed: 472.0101, 472.013