ALABAMA SURVEYOR ACTUAL EXAM
PREP 2026 |ALL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
|RATED A+ |NEW AND REVISED
1. A property boundary described by “metes and bounds” primarily
defines the boundary by:
A. Lot and block numbers
B. Tax parcel identification numbers
C. Distances and bearings from monuments
D. Zoning ordinances
Metes and bounds use distances and bearings tied to identifiable
points to define boundaries.
2. Under Alabama law, practicing land surveying without a license is:
A. Permitted if under supervision
B. Allowed for interns
C. Unlawful for anyone holding themselves out as a surveyor
D. Allowed for civil engineers
Alabama law makes it unlawful to represent oneself as a
professional land surveyor without licensure.
3. In the hierarchy of evidence for establishing a boundary, which
generally has the highest priority?
A. Adjoiner testimony
B. Monuments found in the field
C. Area calculations
D. Bearings and distances
1|Page
, Physical monuments found in the field generally outweigh other
evidence when resolving boundaries.
4. A section in the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) contains how
many acres?
A. 320
B. 640
C. 1,280
D. 2,560
A standard PLSS section is defined as 640 acres.
5. A boundary retracement survey starts primarily with:
A. GPS setup
B. Record research
C. Topographic mapping
D. Construction staking
Record research is the first step in a boundary retracement to
gather title, deeds, and historic records.
6. Which instrument best measures horizontal angles in the field?
A. Logger
B. Theodolite/Total Station
C. Laser level
D. Clinometer
Theodolites and total stations measure horizontal and vertical
angles with high precision.
7. Least squares adjustment is performed to:
A. Increase slope measurements
B. Distribute measurement error statistically
C. Define zoning boundaries
D. Establish water rights
2|Page
, Least squares adjustment distributes random errors across all
observations to minimize overall residuals.
8. In Alabama, Standards of Practice must be followed because they:
A. Are suggestions
B. Apply only to state work
C. Are legally required minimum standards
D. Only address GPS work
Standards of Practice for Surveying in Alabama are legally
established to protect public welfare.
9. A closed traverse with misclosure exceeding allowable error
should be:
A. Reported to the client only
B. Adjusted before plotting
C. Ignored if small
D. Converted to open traverse
Survey accuracy requires the misclosure be adjusted within
published error tolerances before use.
10. The principal meridian and base line in PLSS intersect at the:
A. Quadrangle corner
B. Initial point
C. True north reference
D. Section 16 corner
The PLSS initial point is where the principal meridian and base
line intersect.
11. An easement by prescription in Alabama typically requires:
A. Recorded deed
B. Copied into plat
C. Continuous and notorious use
D. Government approval
3|Page
, A prescriptive easement arises from continuous, open, adverse
use without permission.
12. A GPS baseline solution for control points depends primarily
on:
A. Slope distances
B. Carrier phase measurements
C. Visual sight lines
D. Prism reflections
GPS control uses carrier phase observations to compute precise
baselines.
13. In a property description, an iron pipe found on site is
considered:
A. Legal reference only
B. Monument of evidence
C. Obsolete symbol
D. Temporary witness
Field monuments like iron pipes are evidence to locate boundary
corners.
14. The Alabama Board requires licensed land surveyors to earn
how many ethics PDHs annually?
A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 4
Alabama requires one Professional Development Hour in ethics
per year for land surveyors.
15. A right-of-way width shown on a highway plan must be
verified through:
A. Topographic survey only
4|Page
PREP 2026 |ALL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
|RATED A+ |NEW AND REVISED
1. A property boundary described by “metes and bounds” primarily
defines the boundary by:
A. Lot and block numbers
B. Tax parcel identification numbers
C. Distances and bearings from monuments
D. Zoning ordinances
Metes and bounds use distances and bearings tied to identifiable
points to define boundaries.
2. Under Alabama law, practicing land surveying without a license is:
A. Permitted if under supervision
B. Allowed for interns
C. Unlawful for anyone holding themselves out as a surveyor
D. Allowed for civil engineers
Alabama law makes it unlawful to represent oneself as a
professional land surveyor without licensure.
3. In the hierarchy of evidence for establishing a boundary, which
generally has the highest priority?
A. Adjoiner testimony
B. Monuments found in the field
C. Area calculations
D. Bearings and distances
1|Page
, Physical monuments found in the field generally outweigh other
evidence when resolving boundaries.
4. A section in the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) contains how
many acres?
A. 320
B. 640
C. 1,280
D. 2,560
A standard PLSS section is defined as 640 acres.
5. A boundary retracement survey starts primarily with:
A. GPS setup
B. Record research
C. Topographic mapping
D. Construction staking
Record research is the first step in a boundary retracement to
gather title, deeds, and historic records.
6. Which instrument best measures horizontal angles in the field?
A. Logger
B. Theodolite/Total Station
C. Laser level
D. Clinometer
Theodolites and total stations measure horizontal and vertical
angles with high precision.
7. Least squares adjustment is performed to:
A. Increase slope measurements
B. Distribute measurement error statistically
C. Define zoning boundaries
D. Establish water rights
2|Page
, Least squares adjustment distributes random errors across all
observations to minimize overall residuals.
8. In Alabama, Standards of Practice must be followed because they:
A. Are suggestions
B. Apply only to state work
C. Are legally required minimum standards
D. Only address GPS work
Standards of Practice for Surveying in Alabama are legally
established to protect public welfare.
9. A closed traverse with misclosure exceeding allowable error
should be:
A. Reported to the client only
B. Adjusted before plotting
C. Ignored if small
D. Converted to open traverse
Survey accuracy requires the misclosure be adjusted within
published error tolerances before use.
10. The principal meridian and base line in PLSS intersect at the:
A. Quadrangle corner
B. Initial point
C. True north reference
D. Section 16 corner
The PLSS initial point is where the principal meridian and base
line intersect.
11. An easement by prescription in Alabama typically requires:
A. Recorded deed
B. Copied into plat
C. Continuous and notorious use
D. Government approval
3|Page
, A prescriptive easement arises from continuous, open, adverse
use without permission.
12. A GPS baseline solution for control points depends primarily
on:
A. Slope distances
B. Carrier phase measurements
C. Visual sight lines
D. Prism reflections
GPS control uses carrier phase observations to compute precise
baselines.
13. In a property description, an iron pipe found on site is
considered:
A. Legal reference only
B. Monument of evidence
C. Obsolete symbol
D. Temporary witness
Field monuments like iron pipes are evidence to locate boundary
corners.
14. The Alabama Board requires licensed land surveyors to earn
how many ethics PDHs annually?
A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 4
Alabama requires one Professional Development Hour in ethics
per year for land surveyors.
15. A right-of-way width shown on a highway plan must be
verified through:
A. Topographic survey only
4|Page
