Georgia (GA) Land Surveyor License Practice Exam – Study Guide
& Practice Questions
Comprehensive exam preparation resource for the Georgia Land Surveyor licensing exam.
Covers boundary law, surveying principles, legal descriptions, plats and maps, geodetic and GPS
surveying, construction staking, measurements, coordinate systems, ethics, Georgia surveying
regulations, and professional standards. Includes practice questions and answer explanations to
help candidates prepare for licensure and professional practice in land surveying.
Question 1
According to Georgia Law (O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 15), what is the minimum
required accuracy standard for a Category A Urban Land Boundary Survey?
A) 1:5,000
B) 1:7,500
C) 1:10,000
D) 1:15,000
Answer: C) 1:10,000
Rationale: The Georgia Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land
Surveyors specifies that Category A (Urban/Commercial) land boundary surveys must
meet or exceed a minimum closure precision of 1 part in 10,000.
Question 2
Under Georgia rules, what specific physical marker must be stamped or permanently
inscribed on a land surveyor’s identification cap when setting a property corner
monument?
A) The surveyor's full name
B) The license number of the surveyor or the firm's certificate of authorization number
C) The exact date the monument was set
D) The word "PROPERTY" in all capital letters
Answer: B) The license number of the surveyor or the firm's certificate of
authorization number
Rationale: Georgia Minimum Technical Standards require all set monuments to be
capped with a durable plastic or metal identification marker clearly displaying the
,individual land surveyor’s license number or the registered corporate/firm number to
ensure traceability.
Question 3
In Georgia, if a surveyor is performing a boundary survey and discovers a significant
discrepancy with a prior recorded plat, which rule of evidence holds the highest legal
priority to resolve the boundary location?
A) The acreage stated in the deed
B) The distance calls listed in the deed description
C) Natural monuments found undisturbed on the ground
D) Artificial monuments set by later surveyors
Answer: C) Natural monuments found undisturbed on the ground
Rationale: In the legal hierarchy of conflicting evidence for land boundaries in Georgia,
natural monuments (like rivers or ancient trees) control over artificial monuments,
courses (bearings), distances, and quantity (acreage).
Question 4
What is the standard state-mandated size and material for a plat or map to be accepted
for filing and recording in a Georgia Superior Court Clerk's office?
A) Any size, as long as it is printed on heavy cardstock
B) 18 by 24 inches or 24 by 36 inches on archival-grade media
C) Exactly 11 by 17 inches on standard white paper
D) 18 by 24 inches, 24 by 36 inches, or a smaller size if permitted by local ordinance,
stable and reproducible
Answer: D) 18 by 24 inches, 24 by 36 inches, or a smaller size if permitted by local
ordinance, stable and reproducible
Rationale: Georgia recording statutes stipulate standard sheet sizes for plats to ensure
uniform archiving. The media must be a stable, reproducible material that complies with
the technical specifications of the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority.
,Question 5
A land surveyor in Georgia is tasked with mapping a parcel utilizing the Georgia State
Plane Coordinate System. Which map projection is used for the Georgia North and
Georgia South zones?
A) Lambert Conformal Conic
B) Transverse Mercator
C) Oblique Mercator
D) Albers Equal Area
Answer: B) Transverse Mercator
Rationale: Unlike states that use the Lambert projection for wide east-west zones,
Georgia's geography stretches north-south. Therefore, both the Georgia North Zone
(1001) and Georgia South Zone (1002) utilize the Transverse Mercator projection to
minimize distortion.
Question 6
Under Georgia law, a property owner can claim title to land via adverse possession
(adverse title under color of title) after how many years of continuous, open, notorious,
and uninterrupted possession?
A) 7 years
B) 10 years
C) 20 years
D) 30 years
Answer: A) 7 years
Rationale: Under O.C.G.A. § 44-5-164, adverse possession in Georgia operating under
"color of title" (such as a defective deed or written instrument) requires a statutory
period of 7 years. Without color of title, the required period of possession increases to
20 years.
, Question 7
Which of the following elements must always be included on a final boundary plat
prepared for recording in Georgia to comply with the Minimum Technical Standards?
A) The estimated monetary value of the improvements
B) A statement of the unadjusted error of closure
C) The name of the current adjacent property owners, if known
D) A signature from the county zoning commissioner
Answer: B) A statement of the unadjusted error of closure
Rationale: Georgia's Minimum Technical Standards dictate that surveyors must
explicitly state the unadjusted linear error of closure and the mathematical tracking
method on the face of the plat to verify its accuracy level before recording.
Question 8
When calculating a horizontal curve for a road layout in a Georgia subdivision, what is
the mathematical relationship used to find the radius (R) if the degree of curve (D) is
defined by the 100-foot arc definition?
A) R = 5729.58 / D
B) R = 100 / D
C) R = 5729.58 * D
D) R = D / 360
Answer: A) R = 5729.58 / D
Rationale: Under the standard arc definition used commonly in civil engineering and
surveying layout, the radius of a curve is inversely proportional to the degree of curve,
calculated using the constant 5729.578 feet divided by D.
Question 9
Which historical land distribution system is responsible for the unique checkerboard,
structured grid square parcel layouts seen throughout Western and Northern Georgia?
& Practice Questions
Comprehensive exam preparation resource for the Georgia Land Surveyor licensing exam.
Covers boundary law, surveying principles, legal descriptions, plats and maps, geodetic and GPS
surveying, construction staking, measurements, coordinate systems, ethics, Georgia surveying
regulations, and professional standards. Includes practice questions and answer explanations to
help candidates prepare for licensure and professional practice in land surveying.
Question 1
According to Georgia Law (O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 15), what is the minimum
required accuracy standard for a Category A Urban Land Boundary Survey?
A) 1:5,000
B) 1:7,500
C) 1:10,000
D) 1:15,000
Answer: C) 1:10,000
Rationale: The Georgia Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land
Surveyors specifies that Category A (Urban/Commercial) land boundary surveys must
meet or exceed a minimum closure precision of 1 part in 10,000.
Question 2
Under Georgia rules, what specific physical marker must be stamped or permanently
inscribed on a land surveyor’s identification cap when setting a property corner
monument?
A) The surveyor's full name
B) The license number of the surveyor or the firm's certificate of authorization number
C) The exact date the monument was set
D) The word "PROPERTY" in all capital letters
Answer: B) The license number of the surveyor or the firm's certificate of
authorization number
Rationale: Georgia Minimum Technical Standards require all set monuments to be
capped with a durable plastic or metal identification marker clearly displaying the
,individual land surveyor’s license number or the registered corporate/firm number to
ensure traceability.
Question 3
In Georgia, if a surveyor is performing a boundary survey and discovers a significant
discrepancy with a prior recorded plat, which rule of evidence holds the highest legal
priority to resolve the boundary location?
A) The acreage stated in the deed
B) The distance calls listed in the deed description
C) Natural monuments found undisturbed on the ground
D) Artificial monuments set by later surveyors
Answer: C) Natural monuments found undisturbed on the ground
Rationale: In the legal hierarchy of conflicting evidence for land boundaries in Georgia,
natural monuments (like rivers or ancient trees) control over artificial monuments,
courses (bearings), distances, and quantity (acreage).
Question 4
What is the standard state-mandated size and material for a plat or map to be accepted
for filing and recording in a Georgia Superior Court Clerk's office?
A) Any size, as long as it is printed on heavy cardstock
B) 18 by 24 inches or 24 by 36 inches on archival-grade media
C) Exactly 11 by 17 inches on standard white paper
D) 18 by 24 inches, 24 by 36 inches, or a smaller size if permitted by local ordinance,
stable and reproducible
Answer: D) 18 by 24 inches, 24 by 36 inches, or a smaller size if permitted by local
ordinance, stable and reproducible
Rationale: Georgia recording statutes stipulate standard sheet sizes for plats to ensure
uniform archiving. The media must be a stable, reproducible material that complies with
the technical specifications of the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority.
,Question 5
A land surveyor in Georgia is tasked with mapping a parcel utilizing the Georgia State
Plane Coordinate System. Which map projection is used for the Georgia North and
Georgia South zones?
A) Lambert Conformal Conic
B) Transverse Mercator
C) Oblique Mercator
D) Albers Equal Area
Answer: B) Transverse Mercator
Rationale: Unlike states that use the Lambert projection for wide east-west zones,
Georgia's geography stretches north-south. Therefore, both the Georgia North Zone
(1001) and Georgia South Zone (1002) utilize the Transverse Mercator projection to
minimize distortion.
Question 6
Under Georgia law, a property owner can claim title to land via adverse possession
(adverse title under color of title) after how many years of continuous, open, notorious,
and uninterrupted possession?
A) 7 years
B) 10 years
C) 20 years
D) 30 years
Answer: A) 7 years
Rationale: Under O.C.G.A. § 44-5-164, adverse possession in Georgia operating under
"color of title" (such as a defective deed or written instrument) requires a statutory
period of 7 years. Without color of title, the required period of possession increases to
20 years.
, Question 7
Which of the following elements must always be included on a final boundary plat
prepared for recording in Georgia to comply with the Minimum Technical Standards?
A) The estimated monetary value of the improvements
B) A statement of the unadjusted error of closure
C) The name of the current adjacent property owners, if known
D) A signature from the county zoning commissioner
Answer: B) A statement of the unadjusted error of closure
Rationale: Georgia's Minimum Technical Standards dictate that surveyors must
explicitly state the unadjusted linear error of closure and the mathematical tracking
method on the face of the plat to verify its accuracy level before recording.
Question 8
When calculating a horizontal curve for a road layout in a Georgia subdivision, what is
the mathematical relationship used to find the radius (R) if the degree of curve (D) is
defined by the 100-foot arc definition?
A) R = 5729.58 / D
B) R = 100 / D
C) R = 5729.58 * D
D) R = D / 360
Answer: A) R = 5729.58 / D
Rationale: Under the standard arc definition used commonly in civil engineering and
surveying layout, the radius of a curve is inversely proportional to the degree of curve,
calculated using the constant 5729.578 feet divided by D.
Question 9
Which historical land distribution system is responsible for the unique checkerboard,
structured grid square parcel layouts seen throughout Western and Northern Georgia?
