The Florida Senate

472.013  Examinations, prerequisites.--

(1)  A person desiring to be licensed as a surveyor and mapper shall apply to the department for licensure.

(2)  An applicant shall be entitled to take the licensure examination to practice in this state as a surveyor and mapper if the applicant is of good moral character and has satisfied one of the following requirements:

(a)  The applicant received a degree in surveying and mapping of 4 years or more in a surveying and mapping degree program from a college or university recognized by the board and has a specific experience record of 4 or more years as a subordinate to a professional surveyor and mapper in the active practice of surveying and mapping, which experience is of a nature indicating that the applicant was in responsible charge of the accuracy and correctness of the surveying and mapping work performed. The completed surveying and mapping degree of 4 years or more in a surveying and mapping degree program must have included not fewer than 32 semester hours of study, or its academic equivalent, in the science of surveying and mapping or in board-approved surveying-and-mapping-related courses. Work experience acquired as a part of the education requirement shall not be construed as experience in responsible charge.

(b)  The applicant is a graduate of a 4-year course of study, other than in surveying and mapping, at an accredited college or university and has a specific experience record of 6 or more years as a subordinate to a registered surveyor and mapper in the active practice of surveying and mapping, 5 years of which shall be of a nature indicating that the applicant was in responsible charge of the accuracy and correctness of the surveying and mapping work performed. The course of study in disciplines other than surveying and mapping must have included not fewer than 32 semester hours of study or its academic equivalent. The applicant must have completed 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. Any of the required 25 semester hours of study completed not as a part of the 4-year course of study shall be approved at the discretion of the board. Work experience acquired as a part of the education requirement shall not be construed as experience in responsible charge.

(3)  A person shall be entitled to take an examination for the purpose of determining whether he or she is qualified to practice in this state as a surveyor and mapper intern if the person is in the final year, or is a graduate, of an approved surveying and mapping curriculum in a school that has been approved by the board.

(4)  The board shall adopt rules providing for the review and approval of schools and colleges and the courses of study in surveying and mapping in such schools and colleges. The rules shall be based on the educational requirements for surveying and mapping as defined in s. 472.005 The board may adopt rules providing for the acceptance of the approval and accreditation of schools and courses of study by a nationally accepted accreditation organization.

(5)(a)  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.

(b)  The board may refuse to certify an applicant for failure to satisfy this requirement only if:

1.  There is a substantial connection between the lack of good moral character of the applicant and the professional responsibilities of a registered surveyor and mapper; and

2.  The finding by the board of lack of good moral character is supported by clear and convincing evidence.

(c)  When an applicant is found to be unqualified for a license because of a lack of good moral character, the board shall furnish the applicant a statement containing the findings of the board, a complete record of the evidence upon which the determination was based, and a notice of the rights of the applicant to a rehearing and appeal.

History.--ss. 24, 42, ch. 79-243; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; s. 50, ch. 83-329; s. 73, ch. 85-81; s. 24, ch. 88-392; ss. 5, 7, ch. 89-137; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 89, ch. 94-119; s. 338, ch. 97-103; s. 23, ch. 2000-157; s. 7, ch. 2000-332; s. 4, ch. 2002-41; s. 1, ch. 2005-129.