Ohio Land Surveying Licensing Law
Ohio Code · 26 sections
The following is the full text of Ohio’s land surveying licensing law statutes as published in the Ohio Code. For the official version, see the Ohio Legislature.
ORC § 4733.01
| Professional engineer and professional surveyor definitions. Effective: June 3, 2014 Latest Legislation: House Bill 202 - 130th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF As used in this chapter: (A) "Professional engineer" means a person registered as a professional engineer under this chapter. (B) "Engineer" means a graduate of an accredited engineering curriculum or a person registered as a professional engineer under this chapter, or both. (C) "Accredited engineering curriculum" means an engineering curriculum accredited by the engineering accreditation commission of ABET, Inc. (D) "ABET, Inc." means the accreditation board for engineering and technology. (E) "The practice of engineering" includes any professional service, such as consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning, design, or inspection of construction or operation for the purpose of assuring compliance with drawings or specifications in connection with any public or privately owned public utilities, structures, buildings, machines, equipment, processes, works, or projects in the proper rendering of which the qualifications of section
ORC § 4733.011
| Applicability of chapter to sewage treatment systems. Effective: May 22, 2012 Latest Legislation: House Bill 32 - 129th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF (A) As used in this section, "sewage treatment system" has the same meaning as in section 3718.01 of the Revised Code. (B) This chapter does not apply to the preparation of plans or drawings for a sewage treatment system or components of a system, the measurement of area contours of a portion of land for the installation or modification of a sewage treatment system or components of a system, the measurement and documentation of the lengths and widths of the area of a sewage treatment system or components of a system, or any other measurement that is necessary to comply with Chapter 3718. of the Revised Code and rules adopted under it. (C) This section does not eliminate the requirement established under this chapter that only a professional surveyor may establish land boundaries. Section
ORC § 4733.02
| Registration or exemption. Effective: August 6, 2002 Latest Legislation: House Bill 337 - 124th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF Any person practicing or offering to practice the profession of engineering or of surveying shall be registered or exempted under this chapter. No person shall practice or offer to practice the profession of engineering or of surveying, or contract for such services, or use the initials P.E. or P.S. in connection with the person's name, or use in connection with the person's name or otherwise assume, use, or advertise any title or description tending to convey the impression that the person is a professional engineer or a professional surveyor, unless such person has been registered or exempted under this chapter. Section
ORC § 4733.03
| State board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors. Effective: August 6, 2002 Latest Legislation: House Bill 337 - 124th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF A state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors is hereby created to administer this chapter. The board shall consist of four professional engineers, at least one of whom also is a professional surveyor, and one professional surveyor. Members shall be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate. Terms of office shall be for five years, commencing on the twenty-fifth day of September and ending on the twenty-fourth day of September. Each member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the end of the term for which appointed. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of that term. Any member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the member's successor takes office. Appointments to the board shall be so limited that no more than one member shall have served more than two consecutive terms. Every member of the board shall receive a certificate of appointment from the governor and before beginning the member's term of office shall file with the secretary of state the member's written oath or affirmation for the faithful discharge of official duties. The governor may remove any member for misconduct, incompetency, neglect of duty, or for other sufficient cause. Section
ORC § 4733.04
| Qualifications of board members. Effective: March 17, 1989 Latest Legislation: House Bill 610 - 117th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF Each member of the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors shall be a citizen of the United States and a resident of this state, shall have been engaged in the practice of the profession of engineering for engineers or the profession of surveying for surveyors for at least twelve years, and shall have been in responsible charge of important engineering or surveying work for at least five years. Responsible charge of engineering or surveying teaching shall be construed as responsible charge of important engineering or surveying work. Section
ORC § 4733.05
| Compensation and expenses of board. Effective: August 26, 1977 Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 112th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF Each member of the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors shall receive an amount fixed pursuant to division (J) of section 124.15 of the Revised Code per diem when actually attending to the work of the board or of any of its committees and for the time spent in necessary travel; and in addition thereto, shall be reimbursed for all actual traveling, hotel, and other expenses necessarily incurred in carrying out sections
ORC § 4733.06
| Organization of board. Effective: August 6, 2002 Latest Legislation: House Bill 337 - 124th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF The state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors shall hold at least two regular meetings each year. Special meetings shall be held at the time provided in the bylaws of the board. Notice of all meetings shall be given in the manner provided for in the bylaws. The board shall elect or appoint annually from its members, the following officers: a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and a secretary. The board annually shall appoint an executive director. A quorum of the board shall consist of not less than three members, and no action at any meeting shall be taken without at least three votes being in accord. The executive director shall keep a true and complete record of all proceedings of the board, and may employ clerical assistants as the board may deem necessary. Section
ORC § 4733.07
| Administrative rules. Effective: August 6, 2002 Latest Legislation: House Bill 337 - 124th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF The state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors shall adopt all necessary rules and bylaws, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, and not inconsistent with this chapter, and the constitutions and laws of this state or of the United States, to govern its times and places of meetings for organization and reorganization, for the holding of examinations, and for governing all other matters requisite to the exercise of its powers, the performance of its duties, and the transaction of its business. The board shall adopt and have an official seal. The board may include among the rules adopted governing the standards of practice of engineering, requirements regarding financial responsibility and professional liability insurance. In carrying this chapter into effect, the board may hold hearings in accordance with sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code. Section
ORC § 4733.08
| Depositing receipts. Effective: August 6, 2002 Latest Legislation: House Bill 337 - 124th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF All receipts of the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the occupational licensing and regulatory fund. All vouchers of the board shall be approved by the board chairperson or executive director, or both, as authorized by the board. The executive director and any clerical or other assistant of the board whom it may designate shall give a surety bond to this state in such sum as the board determines. The premiums on the bonds shall be regarded as a proper and necessary expense of the board, and shall be paid in the same manner as other expenditures of the board. The executive director shall receive an amount fixed pursuant to section 124.152 of the Revised Code in addition to the expenses provided for in section
ORC § 4733.09
| Records. Effective: June 3, 2014 Latest Legislation: House Bill 202 - 130th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF The state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors shall keep a record of its proceedings and a record of all applications for registration. On an application provided by the board, applicants shall provide information under oath, including the applicant's education and experience sufficient for the board to evaluate the credentials of the applicant pursuant to section
ORC § 4733.10
| Annual listing of registered professional engineers, registered professional surveyors, and firms. Effective: October 16, 2009 Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 128th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF The state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors shall prepare annually a listing of all registered professional engineers, registered professional surveyors, and firms that possess a certificate of authorization. The board shall provide a copy of this listing upon request to registrants of the board and to firms possessing a certificate of authorization without charge and to the public upon request and payment of copy costs. Additionally, the board shall issue an official verification of the status of any person registered as a professional engineer or professional surveyor in this state upon receipt of a verification form and the payment of a fee established by the board. Section
ORC § 4733.11
of the Revised Code are required to protect the public welfare or to safeguard life, health, or property. (F) "Professional surveyor" means a person who is registered as a professional surveyor under this chapter. (G) "Practice of surveying" means any professional service that requires the application of special knowledge of the principles of mathematics, the related physical and applied sciences, and the relevant requirements of law for the adequate performance of the art of surveying, including, but not limited to, measuring the area or the contours of any portion of the earth's surface, the lengths and directions of the bounding lines, and the contour of the surface, for their correct determination and description and for conveyancing for recording, or for the establishment or re-establishment of land boundaries and the platting of lands and subdivisions; and like measurements and operations involved in the surveying of mines, commonly known as "mine surveying." Section
ORC § 4733.12
of the Revised Code. Each applicant applying for registration as a professional engineer or professional surveyor shall first be certified as an engineer intern or surveyor intern in this state. (I) The applicant is not eligible to take the second examination, known as the principles and practice examination, until the applicant has passed the fundamentals examination. (J) Any person having the necessary qualifications to entitle the person to registration is eligible for registration though the person may not be practicing the person's profession at the time of making application. Last updated October 9, 2021 at 5:09 AM Section
ORC § 4733.13
of the Revised Code. (2)(a) Graduation from a college curriculum in engineering of four years or more that is not accredited, whose curricula is evaluated by the board and found to be of a high quality essentially equal to the curricula that are accredited by ABET, Inc., or graduation from a college curriculum in engineering technology of four years or more that is accredited by the engineering technical accreditation commission of ABET, Inc.; (b) Eight years or more of practical experience in engineering work completed in addition to, and not overlapping in time, any school work completed under division (A)(2)(a) of this section that is acceptable to the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors, not more than two years of which may be before college graduation but after completion of the second year of college, indicating that the applicant is competent to be placed in responsible charge of such work; (c) Passing the prescribed examinations under divisions (A) and (B) of section
ORC § 4733.14
| Certificate of registration - seals. Effective: March 29, 2007 Latest Legislation: House Bill 699 - 126th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF The state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors shall, upon payment of the registration fee, register and issue a certificate showing initial registration of an applicant who, in the opinion of the board, has satisfactorily met all the requirements of this chapter. In the case of a registered professional engineer, the certificate shall authorize the practice of "professional engineering," and in the case of a registered professional surveyor, the certificate shall authorize the practice of "professional surveying." Certificates of registration shall show the full name of the registrant, shall have a serial number, and shall be signed by the chairperson and the secretary of the board under seal of the board. Registration by the board shall be evidence that the person named therein is entitled to all the rights and privileges of a registered professional engineer, or of a registered professional surveyor, while the registration remains unrevoked or unexpired. Each registrant may, upon completing registration, obtain a seal of the design authorized by the board, bearing the registrant's name and the legend, "registered professional engineer," or "registered professional surveyor," provided, however, that any registered surveyor's seal obtained prior to the amendment of this section effective April 4, 1985, 140 Ohio Laws 4092, shall remain as a legal seal for any registrant who was registered as a "registered surveyor." Plans, specifications, plats, reports, and all other engineering or surveying work products issued by a registrant shall be stamped with the seal and be signed and dated by the registrant or bear a computer-generated seal and electronic signature and date, but no person shall stamp, seal, or sign any documents after the registration of the registrant named thereon has expired or the registration has been revoked or suspended, unless the registration has been renewed or reissued. Section
ORC § 4733.15
| Renewals. Effective: June 3, 2014 Latest Legislation: House Bill 202 - 130th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF (A) Registration expires on the last day of December 2011, and becomes invalid on that date unless renewed. For renewals after that date, registration expires biennially on the last day of December following initial registration or renewal of registration and becomes invalid on that date unless renewed. Renewal may be effected by the applicant's payment to the treasurer of state of a fee of forty dollars for a renewal of registration as either a professional engineer or professional surveyor and demonstration of completion of the continuing professional development requirements of section
ORC § 4733.17
| Inspection of public works projects. Effective: April 4, 1985 Latest Legislation: House Bill 562 - 115th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF Neither this state, nor any of its political subdivisions, nor any municipal corporation shall engage in the construction of any public work involving the practice of professional engineering or professional surveying, for which plans, specifications, and estimates have not been made by, and the construction thereof inspected by, a licensed professional engineer or professional surveyor; provided this section shall not apply to the design, construction, improvement, or maintenance of any public work wherein the contemplated expenditure for the completed project does not exceed five thousand dollars. Any contract for engineering or surveying services executed in violation of this section shall be void and any moneys advanced or paid under such contract by this state or any of its political subdivisions or any municipal corporation shall be refunded forthwith. Sections
ORC § 4733.18
of the Revised Code and subject otherwise to the requirements of this chapter. (B) No firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation, except a corporation that was granted a charter prior to August 7, 1943, to engage in providing professional engineering or professional surveying services in this state or that was otherwise lawfully providing engineering services in this state prior to November 15, 1982, shall engage in providing professional engineering or professional surveying services, hold itself out to the public as being engaged in providing professional engineering or professional surveying services, or use a name including one or more of the words "engineer," "engineering," "surveyor," or "surveying" or any modification or derivation of those words, unless the firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation obtains a certificate of authorization from the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors and files all information required to be filed under this section with the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors and otherwise complies with all requirements of this chapter. A nonprofit membership corporation may use a name including one or more of the words "engineer," "engineering," "surveyor," or "surveying" or any modification or derivation of those words without complying with this section. (C) A corporation may be organized under Chapter 1701. of the Revised Code, a professional association may be organized under Chapter 1785. of the Revised Code, or a limited liability company may be formed under Chapter 1705. or 1706. of the Revised Code for the purpose of providing professional engineering, professional surveying, architectural, or landscape architectural services or any combination of those services. A corporation organized under Chapter 1701. of the Revised Code for the purpose of providing those services also may be organized for any other purpose in accordance with that chapter. (D) Each firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation through which professional engineering or professional surveying services are offered or provided in this state shall designate one or more full-time partners, managers, members, officers, or directors as being responsible for and in responsible charge of the professional engineering or professional surveying activities and decisions, and those designated persons shall be registered in this state. Each firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation shall annually file with the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors the name and address of all owners and all persons designated as being in responsible charge of the professional engineering or professional surveying activities and decisions and any other information the board may require. (E) The state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors
ORC § 4733.19
| Reciprocity. Effective: December 29, 2023 Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 131 - 134th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF With respect to a person registered or licensed to engage in the practice of engineering or surveying by a proper authority of another state, territory, or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia, or who has a government certification or private certification as an engineer or surveyor in another state, territory, or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia that does not issue that registration or license, the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors shall register the person as a professional engineer or surveyor in accordance with Chapter 4796. of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding section 4796.05 of the Revised Code, the board shall register a person who has satisfactory work experience as a professional engineer or surveyor in accordance with Chapter 4796. of the Revised Code if the person satisfies a minimum education requirement and passes an examination. Last updated December 29, 2023 at 6:16 AM Section
ORC § 4733.22
| Prohibited acts. Effective: August 6, 2002 Latest Legislation: House Bill 337 - 124th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF No person shall practice, or offer to practice, the profession of engineering or the profession of surveying without being registered or exempted in accordance with this chapter, or present or attempt to use as the person's own the registration, the certificate of authorization, or the seal of another, or give any false or forged evidence of any kind to the state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors or to any member thereof in obtaining registration or a certificate of authorization, or falsely impersonate any other registrant or holder of a certificate of authorization of like or different name, or attempt to use an expired, suspended, or revoked registration or certificate of authorization, or otherwise violate this chapter. Section
ORC § 4733.25
| Fees in excess of statutory amounts. Effective: November 15, 1981 Latest Legislation: House Bill 694 - 114th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF The state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors, subject to the approval of the controlling board and except for fees required to be established by the board at amounts "adequate" to cover designated expenses, may establish fees in excess of the amounts provided by sections
ORC § 4733.27
| Effect of child support default on registration or certificate. Effective: August 6, 2002 Latest Legislation: House Bill 337 - 124th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF On receipt of a notice pursuant to section 3123.43 of the Revised Code, the state board of registration for engineers and surveyors shall comply with sections 3123.41 to 3123.50 of the Revised Code and any applicable rules adopted under section 3123.63 of the Revised Code with respect to registration and certificates of authorization issued pursuant to this chapter. Section
ORC § 4733.28
| Compliance with law regarding sanctions for human trafficking. Effective: March 22, 2013 Latest Legislation: House Bill 247 - 129th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF The state board of registration for professional engineers and surveyors shall comply with section 4776.20 of the Revised Code. Section
ORC § 4733.301
| Lien on commercial real estate. Effective: September 30, 2021 Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 49 - 134th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF (A)(1) A professional engineer or professional surveyor who enters into a written contract for services to be provided with regard to any interest in commercial real estate has a lien on that interest. (2) The lien shall be effective only if the contract for services is in writing and is signed by the professional engineer or professional surveyor and the owner of the interest in commercial real estate. (B)(1) Only the professional engineer or professional surveyor named in the contract shall have a lien pursuant to this section. (2) A lien is not available to any employee, agent, or independent contractor of the professional engineer or professional surveyor. (C) The amount of the lien shall be limited to the amount due to the professional engineer or professional surveyor pursuant to the contract. (D) The lien shall be effective only against the interest in commercial real estate that is the subject of the contract. (E) All valid and recorded mechanic's liens arising pursuant to Chapter 1311. of the Revised Code, regardless of recordation date, and all previously recorded mortgages and liens, including judgment liens, take priority over a professional engineer or professional surveyor's lien. Last updated July 14, 2021 at 12:36 PM Section
ORC § 4733.306
of the Revised Code: (A) "Commercial real estate" and "improvement" have the same meanings as in section 4703.20 of the Revised Code. (B) "Owner" means a person who has a legal or equitable interest in commercial real estate, including a contingent interest, pursuant to an agreement or contract, and who enters into a written contract with a professional engineer or professional surveyor for services to be provided with regard to any such interest in the commercial real estate. (C) "Professional engineer" means an individual, partnership, corporation, or association providing engineering services pursuant to this chapter. (D) "Professional surveyor" means an individual, partnership, corporation, or association providing engineering services pursuant to this chapter. Last updated July 28, 2021 at 2:20 PM Section
ORC § 4735.69
| Assisting party who is not a client. Effective: December 13, 1996 Latest Legislation: House Bill 354 - 121st General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF (A) A licensee may assist a party who is not the licensee's client in a real estate transaction by doing any of the following: (1) Providing information regarding lenders, inspectors, attorneys, insurance agents, surveyors, draftspersons, architects, schools, shopping facilities, places of worship, and other similar information; (2) Providing market information or other information obtained from a property listing service or public records. (B) A licensee who assists a party who is not the licensee's client as permitted in division (A) of this section does not violate the agency relationship with the client, and provision of the services for that party neither forms nor implies any agency relationship with that party. Section
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