Professional Land Surveyor Renewal Guide
Northern Mariana Islands Surveyor PDH Requirements
A source-based summary of what is publicly known about continuing education for surveyors licensed in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
What We Could Confirm
The CNMI publishes limited public guidance on surveyor continuing education. The items below reflect what could be verified from Commonwealth statutes and Board sources; anything not confirmed should be checked directly with the Board.
Licensing and the Board
- Surveyors are licensed The CNMI Board of Professional Licensing (BPL) licenses and regulates land surveying, along with architecture, the branches of engineering, landscape architecture, and real property appraisal.
- Statutory basis The Board’s authority comes from Commonwealth law, including 4 CMC and Public Law 11-99 and its successors, with regulations in Title 125 of the Northern Mariana Islands Administrative Code.
- Examination pathway An applicant applies to the Board for approval to sit for the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying and Principles and Practice of Surveying examinations, coordinated through the Board.
- Certificate of authorization The Board also issues certificates of authorization allowing firms to offer land surveying services in the Commonwealth.
Continuing education status
- No published PDH requirement The accessible Board regulations address licensure, examinations, temporary licenses, fees, and certificates, and do not set out a specific continuing education or professional development hour requirement for surveyors.
- Renewal is required Licenses must be renewed to remain valid, but published sources do not tie a defined continuing education total to that renewal for surveyors.
- Not the CPA rule A continuing education requirement that appears for the CNMI applies to certified public accountants under a different board, not to land surveyors.
- Verify directly Because published guidance is limited, a surveyor should confirm any current continuing education expectation directly with the Board.
Verifying Your Requirement
Because the CNMI does not publish a detailed continuing education rule for surveyors comparable to the state boards, the most reliable step is to contact the Board of Professional Licensing directly before assuming any specific number of hours applies.
When you contact the Board, it is worth confirming: whether any continuing education or professional development is required for renewal; the renewal cycle and deadline; whether online or distance courses are accepted; and what documentation must be retained or submitted. If a requirement does exist, ask whether courses approved by other U.S. jurisdictions or aligned with the NCEES continuing professional competency standard are accepted, since many boards recognize such courses.
A surveyor licensed in the CNMI who also holds a license in a state with a defined continuing education requirement will, in practice, often satisfy any Commonwealth expectation by keeping current with that state’s requirement, but this should be confirmed rather than assumed.
Primary CNMI Sources
Commonwealth statutes and the Board control. Because online guidance is limited, treat these as starting points and confirm current requirements with the Board.
CNMI Board of Professional Licensing
The Commonwealth board that licenses and regulates land surveyors, engineers, architects, landscape architects, and appraisers.
NMIAC Title 125
The Board of Professional Licensing regulations for engineers, architects, land surveyors, and landscape architects, covering licensure and examinations.
Public Law 11-99 (4 CMC)
The Commonwealth law defining the practice of land surveying and establishing the Board’s authority to license surveyors.
CNMI Licensing Portal
The Board’s main site for licensing information, applications, and contact details for the Commonwealth.
SurveyorCE offers a growing library of surveyor-focused PDH courses through a simple one-time $135 membership. Visit the homepage to see how the program works and decide whether it fits your renewal needs.
Important Notice
This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. The CNMI publishes limited public information on surveyor continuing education, and no specific requirement could be confirmed from available sources. A surveyor should contact the CNMI Board of Professional Licensing to confirm current renewal and continuing education requirements before relying on any summary.