Cadastral Surveyors Licensing Board

Guidelines for Obtaining a Licence to undertake Cadastral Surveys in New Zealand

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These guidelines should be read in conjunction with the Board’s Standards for Licensing Cadastral Surveyors April 2010.

To obtain a Cadastral Survey Licence in New Zealand you must hold a relevant surveying qualification and demonstrate practical and professional skills that satisfy the Board’s Standards for Licensing Cadastral Surveyors April 2010.

Use one of the following links to find the licensing requirements and process that meet your circumstances:

1. I hold recognised qualifications and I wish to apply for an initial licence, or
2. I wish to reapply of a licence that has expired, or
3. I am registered or licensed as a surveyor in an Australian State and wish to apply for a New Zealand licence, or
4. I have academic qualifications not currently recognised and wish to apply for licence in New Zealand, or
5. I wish to renew my current licence

The references (eg s 3.1.1) quoted below refer to the Board’s Standards unless stated as otherwise.

1       Initial licence

1.1       Qualifications
To obtain an initial licence you must:

1. Hold a relevant educational qualification in surveying – the Board recognises the BSurv degree from Otago University and some surveying degrees from some other institutions, including the Australian State universities as relevant qualifications. Qualifications form institutions not currently recognised by the Board may also be accepted and are considered individually on application. (s 3.1.1)  See also Section 4 below, Applications from candidates with qualifications not from New Zealand or Australia.
2. Have completed a period of practical training, after graduation, under the supervision of a licensed cadastral surveyor. The practical training must enhance your skills to undertake cadastral surveys and produce cadastral datasets that meet the standards set out in s 3.1.2.
3. At all times comply with professional practice standards as defined in s 3.1.

1.2       Process
After obtaining a relevant qualification and completing the practical training you must:

1. Demonstrate your knowledge of the Acts and Regulations relating to land tenure and land subdivision.
2. Demonstrate your practical ability as required by items 1.1.2 and 1.1.3 above.

This is most commonly achieved by sitting and passing the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors (NZIS) Acts and Regulation examination, and the NZIS Professional Entrance examination in the Cadastral Surveying component. Details of these examinations are found on the NZIS web site.

In special circumstances the Board may set its own examination or test an applicant in some other way.

After completing items 1.2.1 and 1.2.2 you may apply for a licence using the application Form 1, Application for an initial licence. Your application must include:

1. A copy of your academic qualification certificate.
2. A copy of your Certificate of Competency issued by the NZIS as proof of completing the NZIS Professional entrance examination. Or if you have demonstrated practical competence by a different process then evidence of successfully completing that process.
3. The prescribed application fee.

Send your application to the Secretary. Applications are usually processed within 21 days of receipt.

2       Reapplication of a licence

2.1       Requirements
If you have previously been licensed as a surveyor but do not hold a current licence, you must demonstrate to the Board that when reapplying for a licence that you have:

1. Maintained your skills, knowledge or experience in cadastral surveying in New Zealand over the last three years as defined by the competencies in Section 2,  and
2. Maintained your knowledge in those competencies where you have not practiced, in the last three years.

2.2       Process

You should apply using Form 2, Application from an applicant whose licence has expired and include in your application:

1. A curriculum vitae of cadastral surveying experience in the previous three years, that demonstrates you have achieved the requirements 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 above, and
2. Two referees of your cadastral surveying experience – one of whom must be able to attest to your recent cadastral surveying experience, and 
3. The prescribed application fee.

Complete the application Form 2 and send it to the Secretary; it will be considered at the next Board meeting following receipt of the application.

Before making a decision on whether to approve the application the Board may require you to do one or more of the following:

1. Undertake a period of cadastral surveying experience under the supervision of a currently licensed cadastral surveyor.
2. Provide other evidence of your current cadastral surveying experience.
3. Pass written and or oral examinations specified by the Board.
4. Undertake an interview with the Board.

3       Applications from Australian licensed or registered surveyors

3.1       Requirements
If you are a licensed or registered surveyor in an Australian State you may apply for a licence under the reciprocal agreement between the NZ and Australian Boards.

3.2       Process
You must obtain a Letter of Accreditation from the Surveyors Licensing or Registration Board of the State in which you are licensed or registered. You should request the Australian Board send the Letter of Accreditation to the secretary when you submit your application for a NZ licence. An emailed PDF version sent directly from the Australian Board’s office is acceptable provided the original is sent by post.

Complete the application Form 3, Applicants licensed or registered in Australia, and send it to the secretary. Applications are usually processed within 21 days of receipt of the application and prescribed fee.

4       Applications from candidates with qualifications not from New Zealand or Australia

4.1       Requirements
If you are a surveyor with qualifications which are not from NZ or Australia and wish to be licensed in NZ you need to satisfy the Board that you meet the Boards competency standards for licensing surveyors described in the Board’s Standards for Licensing Cadastral Surveyors April 2010.

One of the requirements is that you hold an acceptable academic surveying qualification that equates to the Bachelor of Surveying (BSurv) degree at Otago University, New Zealand. The Otago BSurv degree is a 4-year degree that includes a significant component of cadastral surveying, while many overseas degrees are engineering degrees that have surveying as a component and do not meet the Board’s requirements.

You must provide the Board with information about your qualifications and surveying career - including certified copies of degree certificate(s) and registration certificates and, if possibly some information on the degree course(s) - and a detailed CV. The Board will probably require your degree to be assessed by the Bureau for the Assessment of Overseas Qualifications (BAOQ). This is done at your cost - about $300.

4.2       Process
If your academic qualification is acceptable to the Board, the Board will advise you what further work you need to undertake to complete the Board’s requirements for the issue of a licence. This will be assessed on an individual basis but will probably include some practical experience in cadastral surveying in NZ (up to 24 months) and completing the NZ Institute of Surveyors (NZIS) Acts and Regulations examination.  You might also be required to complete the cadastral component of the NZIS Professional Entrance examinations. You can find information on these examinations on the NZIS website. However, before undertaking any of these examinations you should wait until after your academic qualifications have been assessed and you have received the Board’s decision.

If your degree is not acceptable to the Board you will need to complete a surveying degree acceptable to the Board, and complete practical and written requirements as specified by the Board. You should negotiate any credits for passes in other degree courses directly with the educational institution concerned.

After the Board has approved your academic qualification and you have completed any other requirements set by the Board you should apply for your licence using Form 4, Applicants with non accredited qualifications. Applications are usually considered at the next Board meeting following receipt of the application.

5       Renewal of a licence

5.1       Requirements
The licensing year runs from 1 July to 30 June and the Cadastral Survey Act 2002 requires that a licence must be renewed by the 30 June each year to remain current. If your application for renewal is not received by 30 June then you must reapply for a licence as described in Section 2 above, Reapplication of a licence. When you apply for renewal of your licence you must demonstrate to the Board that you have:

1. Maintained your skills, knowledge, or experience in survey measurement, land tenure systems, land boundary definition, and land information systems, as defined in Sections 2.1 to 2.4, and the planning process and engineering principles as defined in Section 2.5.
2. Maintained your knowledge in those competencies where you have not practiced in the last three years.

If you have lodged a minimum of three cadastral survey datasets in the preceding three years that have been approved as to survey by Land Information New Zealand the Board will accept this as evidence that you meet the level of competency defined in Sections 2.1 to 2.4. If you have not lodged three such cadastral survey datasets you must certify in your application that you have either practised or maintained your knowledge by means of private study, attendance at seminars, workshops, or other similar means.

In relation to competencies defined in Section 2.5 you must have practised or maintained your knowledge by means of private study, attendance at seminars, workshops, or other similar means.

You do not need to submit evidence with your application for renewal but the Board may, at any time, require you to produce the evidence supporting your certification.

5.2 Process
In mid April each year the Board sends current licence holders a licence renewal letter, invoice, and licence renewal application form. The application renewal form requires you to declare that:
In relation to sections 2.1 to 2.4 you have:

1. Lodged 3 or more cadastral survey datasets in the last 3 years, or
2. Practised or maintained your knowledge by means of private study, attendance at seminars, or workshops, in those topics defined in sections 2.1 to 2.4, or
3. Maintained your knowledge by other means in those topics defined in sections 2.1 to 2.4, and

In relation to section 2.5 you have:

1. Practised or maintained your knowledge by means of private study, attendance at seminars, or workshops, in those topics defined in section 2.5, or
2. Maintained your knowledge by other means in those topics defined in sections 2.5.

Send your completed application form, and the prescribed fee, to the secretary by 30 June. Applications are processed within 14 days of receipt.

If your have received a notice from the Board in the preceding three years, of a significant failure in accordance with s 7(1)(d) of the Cadastral Survey Act 2002, your application will be considered in greater detail at the Board’s first meeting after 30 June, usually held in August. In this case your previous years licence rolls over until the Board makes a decision on renewal of your licence. You may be required to provide further information to support your application.

Download guidelines document (36kb, pdf)

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