{"id":"licensed-surveyors-licensing-and-registration-regulations-1990","name":"Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990","slug":"licensed-surveyors-licensing-and-registration-regulations-1990","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"wa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":178574,"registerId":"wa-licensed-surveyors-licensing-and-registration-regulations-1990-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990","content":"![Crest]()Western Australia\n\nLicensed Surveyors Act 1909\n\nLicensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990\n\nWestern Australia\n\nLicensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990\n\nContents\n\nPart 1 — Preliminary\n\n1. Citation 1\n\n2. Commencement 1\n\n3. Terms used 1\n\nPart 2 — Professional training agreements\n\n4. Professional training agreements 2\n\n5. Registration of professional training agreement 3\n\n6. Register of professional training agreements 3\n\n7. Transfer of professional training agreements 3\n\n8. Board may reduce period of professional training 4\n\n9. Extension of professional training agreement 4\n\nPart 3 — Examinations\n\n10. Examinations 5\n\n11. Examinations conducted by reciprocating States and countries 6\n\n12. Equivalent experience or qualifications 6\n\n13. Examinations 6\n\nPart 4 — Certificates, registration and licences\n\n14. Certificate of competency 8\n\n15. Application for registration 8\n\n16. Application by person licensed in reciprocating State or country 8\n\n17. Form of licence 9\n\n18. Letter of accreditation 9\n\n18A. Standard periods 9\n\n18B. Applications for issue and renewal of practising certificates 9\n\n18D. Form of practising certificates 10\n\n18E. Issue of replacement certificates and licences 10\n\nPart 5 — Professional indemnity insurance\n\n18F. Term used: complying policy 11\n\n18G. Complying policies 11\n\n18H. Complying policy may be held by employer 12\n\n18I. Complying policy necessary for practising certificate 12\n\n18J. Complying policy necessary to make authorised surveys 13\n\n18K. Holder of practising certificate must give notice of not being covered by complying policy 13\n\n18L. Board may order holder to give notice and evidence of complying policy 14\n\n18M. Suspension of practising certificate for not being covered by complying policy 14\n\nPart 6 — Fees\n\n19. Fees 16\n\nPart 7 — Repeal and savings and transitional provisions\n\n20. Repeal 17\n\n21. Savings and transitional 17\n\nSchedule 1 — Fees\n\nSchedule 2\n\nNotes\n\nCompilation table 28\n\nOther notes 29\n\nDefined terms\n\n  \n\nLicensed Surveyors Act 1909\n\nLicensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990\n\n## Part 1 — Preliminary\n\n[Heading inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 4.]\n\n##### 1. Citation\n\nThese regulations may be cited as the *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990*.\n\n[Regulation 1 amended: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1761.]\n\n##### 2. Commencement\n\nThese regulations shall come into operation on 1 March 1990.\n\n##### 3. Terms used\n\nIn these regulations, unless the contrary intention appears —\n\n  Form means a form in Schedule 2;\n\n  professional training agreement means an agreement for the performance of field service referred to in regulation 4;\n\n  supervising surveyor means a licensed surveyor who undertakes to provide training under a professional training agreement under regulation 4.\n\n## Part 2 — Professional training agreements\n\n[Heading inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 5.]\n\n##### 4. Professional training agreements\n\n(1) Subject to these regulations the period of field service referred to in section 9(1)(b) of the Act —\n\n(a) shall be performed under a professional training agreement; and\n\n(b) subject to these regulations, shall be for a period of 24 months.\n\n(2) The parties to an agreement for professional training shall be a supervising surveyor and the person who desires to obtain a certificate of competency.\n\n(3) A person is not eligible to be a supervising surveyor for the purposes of an agreement for professional training unless that person is a natural person who is a licensed surveyor of not less than 2 years standing.\n\n(4) A person is not eligible to enter into service under a professional training agreement unless that person has been awarded or is entitled to be awarded a degree, diploma, certificate or licence granted in or outside this State by some university, institute of technology, college or other public educational institution that is recognised by the Board for the purposes of section 9(1)(b) of the Act.\n\n(5) A supervising surveyor shall not —\n\n(a) enter into more than one professional training agreement in any period of 12 months; or\n\n(b) have more than 2 persons undertaking field service under a professional training agreement with him or her at the same time,\n\nwithout the approval of the Board.\n\n(6) A professional training agreement shall specify the training to be provided under the agreement.\n\n##### 5. Registration of professional training agreement\n\n(1) A copy of a professional training agreement shall be forwarded to the Board not later than 6 months after the date of its execution.\n\n(2) If the Board is of the opinion that —\n\n(a) the person being trained under a professional training agreement is not eligible to enter into the professional service agreement; or\n\n(b) the training to be provided under a professional training agreement is not satisfactory,\n\nthe Board shall not register the agreement.\n\n(3) Where the Board refuses to register a professional training agreement the professional training agreement ceases to have effect for the purposes of these regulations.\n\n(4) A copy of a professional training agreement forwarded under subregulation (1) shall be accompanied by the relevant fee specified in Schedule 1.\n\n[Regulation 5 amended: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1761.]\n\n##### 6. Register of professional training agreements\n\nThe secretary shall maintain a register of professional training agreements and shall enter therein such particulars as are directed by the Board.\n\n##### 7. Transfer of professional training agreements\n\n(1) A professional training agreement may with the consent of all the parties to the agreement and with the approval of the Board be assigned to another supervising surveyor.\n\n(2) The person undertaking training under the professional training agreement to be assigned under subregulation (1) shall pay to the Board the relevant fee specified in Schedule 1.\n\n[Regulation 7 amended: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1761‑2.]\n\n##### 8. Board may reduce period of professional training\n\n(1) A person undertaking training under a professional training agreement may apply to the Board for a reduction of the period to be served under the professional training agreement.\n\n(2) An application under subregulation (1) shall be accompanied by such evidence as is necessary to support the application.\n\n(3) Subject to subregulation (4), where the Board is satisfied that an applicant under this regulation has gained practical experience in surveying under the educational qualifications obtained by that person or otherwise the Board may direct that the period of service to be served by the applicant under his or her professional agreement be reduced to such term as the Board specifies and the period to be served by that person under the professional training agreement shall be reduced accordingly.\n\n(4) The Board shall not reduce the period of service to be served under a professional training agreement to a period that is less than 6 months.\n\n##### 9. Extension of professional training agreement\n\nWhere the Board is of the opinion that the field service served under a professional training agreement has not provided training to a satisfactory standard or for any other reason the Board may of its own motion or on application by a party to a professional training agreement direct that the period of field service to be served shall be such further period as is specified by the Board subject to such conditions as are specified by the Board and the agreement shall be extended accordingly.\n\n## Part 3 — Examinations\n\n[Heading inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 6.]\n\n##### 10. Examinations\n\n(1) The examinations prescribed for the purposes of section 9(1)(b) of the Act shall consist of —\n\n(a) a written examination in survey law; and\n\n(b) practical examinations consisting of —\n\n(i) projects set by the Board; and\n\n(ii) field tests including use of instruments;\n\nand\n\n(c) a general oral examination.\n\n(2) The Board may grant a credit for the examination referred to in subregulation (1)(a) to a person who passed an examination in a course that is in the opinion of the Board of an equivalent standard.\n\n(3) The examination referred to in subregulation (1)(a) may be held at any time fixed by the Board.\n\n(4) A person is not eligible to apply to sit for the examination referred to in subregulation (1)(b)(ii) or (1)(c) unless he or she has completed and lodged with the Board the projects set by the Board under subregulation (1)(b)(i).\n\n(5) A person is not eligible to sit for the examination referred to in subregulation (1)(c) unless he or she has completed the period of field service prescribed under regulation 4 and has filed with the Board a completed certificate of field service in the form of Form 1.\n\n##### 11. Examinations conducted by reciprocating States and countries\n\nIf the Board is satisfied that a person has in any State or country with which reciprocal arrangements apply under section 10 of the Act passed any examination corresponding to an examination prescribed under regulation 10 the Board may credit the person with a pass in that examination.\n\n##### 12. Equivalent experience or qualifications\n\nIf the Board is satisfied that a person has experience or qualifications that are in the opinion of the Board equivalent to the experience or qualifications prescribed under regulation 10 the Board may credit that person with a pass in any examination prescribed under that regulation.\n\n##### 13. Examinations\n\n(1) A person who desires to sit for an examination prescribed under regulation 10 shall apply to the Board not later than the date specified by the Board.\n\n(2) An application under subregulation (1) shall be accompanied by the relevant fees specified in Schedule 1.\n\n(3) The Board may refund any fee paid under subregulation (2) to any person who withdraws from an examination.\n\n(4) Where the Board refuses to allow a person to sit for an examination the Board shall refund to that person or place to the credit of that person with the Board any fees paid by that person pursuant to subregulation (2).\n\n(5) A person sitting for an examination referred to in regulation 10(1)(b)(ii) shall provide —\n\n(a) his or her own instruments and equipment; and\n\n(b) one field assistant who is not and has not been a licensed surveyor or a person who has previously passed that examination.\n\n(6) An examiner may disqualify a person from sitting for or continuing with an examination if the examiner is satisfied that the conduct of that person whether before or during the examination has been improper to the extent that it is likely to affect the conduct of the examination.\n\n[Regulation 13 amended: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1762.]\n\n## Part 4 — Certificates, registration and licences\n\n[Heading inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 7.]\n\n##### 14. Certificate of competency\n\nA certificate of competency issued under section 9(1) of the Act shall be in the form of Form 2.\n\n##### 15. Application for registration\n\n(1) An application for a licence and registration under section 7 of the Act shall be in the form of Form 3.\n\n(2) An application referred to in subregulation (1) shall be accompanied by —\n\n(a) evidence that the applicant has attained the age of 21 years; and\n\n(b) a copy of the certificate of competency issued to the applicant; and\n\n(c) 2 testimonials attesting the applicant’s good fame and character; and\n\n(d) evidence of the declaration made pursuant to section 7(c) of the Act; and\n\n(e) the relevant fee specified in Schedule 1.\n\n[Regulation 15 amended: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1762.]\n\n##### 16. Application by person licensed in reciprocating State or country\n\nAn application for the purposes of section 7 of the Act by a person licensed as a surveyor in a reciprocating State or country shall be accompanied by —\n\n(a) evidence that the applicant is authorised to practise in that State or country and is not the subject of disciplinary proceedings in that State or country; and\n\n(b) 2 testimonials attesting to the good fame and character of the applicant; and\n\n(c) evidence to the satisfaction of the Board as to the applicant’s competency; and\n\n(d) the relevant fee specified in Schedule 1.\n\n[Regulation 16 amended: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1762.]\n\n##### 17. Form of licence\n\nA licence for the purposes of section 7 of the Act shall be in the form of Form 4.\n\n##### 18. Letter of accreditation\n\nThe Board may on payment of the relevant fee specified in Schedule 1 issue to any person registered under the Act a letter of accreditation in the form of Form 5 certifying that the person referred to in the letter is at the time of the issue of the letter registered as a licensed surveyor under the Act.\n\n[Regulation 18 amended: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1762.]\n\n##### 18A. Standard periods\n\nFor the purposes of the definition of ***standard period*** in section 3(1) of the Act, periods not exceeding one year, 2 years and 3 years, respectively, are prescribed.\n\n[Regulation 18A inserted: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1762.]\n\n##### 18B. Applications for issue and renewal of practising certificates\n\n(1) An application for the issue or renewal of a practising certificate must be accompanied by —\n\n(a) the evidence referred to in regulation 18I; and\n\n(b) the relevant fee specified in Schedule 1 item 8 or 9.\n\n(2) An application for the issue of a practising certificate must be in the form of Form 6.\n\n(3) An application for the renewal of a practising certificate must be accompanied by evidence that the requirements, if any, of section 11B of the Act in relation to the application have been complied with.\n\n[Regulation 18B inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 8.]\n\n[**18C.** Deleted: SL 2024/216 r. 8]\n\n##### 18D. Form of practising certificates\n\nA practising certificate must be in the form of Form 7.\n\n[Regulation 18D inserted: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1763; amended: SL 2024/216 r. 9.]\n\n##### 18E. Issue of replacement certificates and licences\n\n(1) If the Board is satisfied that a certificate or licence has been lost or destroyed, it may issue a replacement certificate or licence on payment of the relevant fee specified in Schedule 1.\n\n(2) In this regulation and in item 6 of Schedule 1 —\n\n  certificate means —\n\n(a) certificate of competency issued under section 9 of the Act; or\n\n(b) practising certificate.\n\n[Regulation 18E inserted: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1763.]\n\n## Part 5 — Professional indemnity insurance\n\n[Heading inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 10.]\n\n##### 18F. Term used: complying policy\n\nIn this Part —\n\ncomplying policy has the meaning given in regulation 18G.\n\n[Regulation 18F inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 10.]\n\n##### 18G. Complying policies\n\n(1) A complying policy that covers a person is a policy of professional indemnity insurance that complies with this regulation.\n\n(2) The insurance must indemnify the person against civil liability, including civil liability arising as a result of professional negligence, incurred in connection with the person practising as a licensed surveyor.\n\n(3) The insurance must cover —\n\n(a) claims made or notified during the period of insurance; and\n\n(b) claims made after the period of insurance arising from circumstances notified during the period of insurance.\n\n(4) The insurance must provide minimum coverage of $2 million for each claim under the insurance, inclusive of the claimant’s costs and defence costs.\n\n(5) In addition to subregulation (4), the insurance must provide coverage that is appropriate to manage the risk associated with the person’s practice as a licensed surveyor during the period of insurance, taking into account the value of the work undertaken in the course of that practice.\n\n[Regulation 18G inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 10.]\n\n##### 18H. Complying policy may be held by employer\n\n(1) In this regulation —\n\nemployer, of a person, means an individual who, or a body corporate that, employs or otherwise engages the person to practise as a licensed surveyor (whether or not they employ or engage the person to do other things).\n\n(2) If a person is covered by a complying policy, it does not matter whether the policy is held by —\n\n(a) the person; or\n\n(b) the person’s employer.\n\n(3) However, a valid certificate of currency required to be given to the Board under regulation 18I or 18L must, if the complying policy is held by the employer of the person covered by the policy, be accompanied by written confirmation from the employer that the person is covered by the policy.\n\n[Regulation 18H inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 10.]\n\n##### 18I. Complying policy necessary for practising certificate\n\n(1) An application for the issue or renewal of a practising certificate must be accompanied by evidence that the applicant will be covered by a complying policy for the whole period during which the certificate will be in force.\n\n(2) The evidence must be of a kind described in subregulation (3) or (4).\n\n(3) The evidence may be a valid certificate of currency for a complying policy that covers the applicant for the whole period during which the practising certificate will be in force.\n\n(4) Alternatively, the evidence may be —\n\n(a) a valid certificate of currency for a complying policy that —\n\n(i) covers the applicant at the time of application, or will cover the applicant at the start of the period during which the practising certificate will be in force; but\n\n(ii) is due to expire when the practising certificate is in force;\n\nand\n\n(b) an undertaking by the applicant to ensure the applicant is covered by a complying policy for the whole period during which the practising certificate will be in force.\n\n(5) The Board must not issue or renew a practising certificate unless the Board reasonably believes, having regard to the evidence accompanying the application, that the applicant will be covered by a complying policy for the whole period during which the certificate will be in force.\n\n[Regulation 18I inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 10.]\n\n##### 18J. Complying policy necessary to make authorised surveys\n\nA licensed surveyor must not make or attempt to make an authorised survey unless the licensed surveyor is covered by a complying policy.\n\nPenalty: a fine of $1 000.\n\nNote for this regulation:\n\nIn addition to this regulation, a person must not make an authorised survey unless the person is a licensed surveyor and the holder of a practising certificate. See section 16(3a) and (4) of the Act.\n\n[Regulation 18J inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 11.]\n\n##### 18K. Holder of practising certificate must give notice of not being covered by complying policy\n\nThe holder of a practising certificate must give the Board written notice if the holder is not covered by a complying policy.\n\nPenalty: a fine of $1 000.\n\n[Regulation 18K inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 11.]\n\n##### 18L. Board may order holder to give notice and evidence of complying policy\n\n(1) The Board may, by written order to the holder of a practising certificate, require the holder to give the Board, within the period specified in the order —\n\n(a) written notice of whether the holder is covered by a complying policy; and\n\n(b) if the written notice states that the holder is covered by a complying policy — a valid certificate of currency for the policy.\n\n(2) The holder must comply with the order.\n\nPenalty for this subregulation: a fine of $1 000.\n\n[Regulation 18L inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 11.]\n\n##### 18M. Suspension of practising certificate for not being covered by complying policy\n\n(1) The Board must suspend a practising certificate if the Board reasonably believes the holder of the certificate is not covered by a complying policy.\n\n(2) Without limiting subregulation (1), the Board may reasonably believe the holder of a practising certificate is not covered by a complying policy if the holder —\n\n(a) gives the Board written notice that the holder is not covered by a complying policy; or\n\n(b) in response to an order requiring the holder to give the Board written notice of whether the holder is covered by a complying policy —\n\n(i) gives the Board written notice that the holder is covered by a complying policy; but\n\n(ii) does not give the Board a valid certificate of currency for the policy;\n\nor\n\n(c) does not comply in any other way with an order requiring the holder to give the Board written notice of whether the holder is covered by a complying policy.\n\n(3) The Board may terminate the suspension if the Board reasonably believes the holder of the practising certificate is covered by a complying policy.\n\n[Regulation 18M inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 11.]\n\n## Part 6 — Fees\n\n[Heading inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 12.]\n\n##### 19. Fees\n\nThe fees specified in Schedule 1 are the fees to be paid to the Board in respect of the several matters specified in that Schedule.\n\n[Regulation 19 amended: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1763.]\n\n## Part 7 — Repeal and savings and transitional provisions\n\n[Heading inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 13.]\n\n##### 20. Repeal\n\nThe *Regulations for the Examination and Registration of Licensed Surveyors* 1 are repealed.\n\n##### 21. Savings and transitional\n\n(1) Notwithstanding anything in these regulations and without affecting anything in the *Interpretation Act 1984* —\n\n(a) any agreement for field service, however described, in force under the repealed regulations on the commencement day shall continue in force as though the agreement were a professional training agreement under and subject to these regulations; and\n\n(b) any course or examination prescribed under the repealed regulations that was commenced but not completed before the commencement day may be completed after that day as though the course or examination were a course or examination prescribed for the purposes of these regulations; and\n\n(c) any examination passed under the repealed regulations before the commencement day by a person desiring to obtain a certificate of competency under section 7 of the Act shall be credited to that person for the purposes of obtaining a certificate of competency after that day.\n\n(2) In subregulation (1) —\n\n  commencement day means the day on which these regulations come into operation;\n\n  repealed regulations means the regulations repealed by regulation 20.\n\nSchedule 1 — Fees\n\n[r. 5, 7, 13, 15, 16, 18, 18B, 18C, 18E and 19]\n\n[Heading inserted: SL 2023/149 r. 4.]\n\n| **Item** | **Matter** | **Fee** |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| 1. | Registration under regulation 5 of a professional training agreement | $53.25 |\n| 2. | Application under regulation 7 for approval of assignment of a professional training agreement | $53.25 |\n| 3. | Application under regulation 13 to enter examination | $101.40 |\n| 4. | Examination fee under regulation 13 (for each examination or project) | $53.25 |\n| 5. | Issue under regulation 18 of a letter of accreditation | $72.30 |\n| 6. | Issue under regulation 18E of a replacement certificate or licence | $43.10 |\n| 7. | Application under section 7 of the Act for a licence | $57.70 |\n| 8. | Application for issue of a practising certificate — |  |\n|  | (a) for first year — |  |\n|  | (i) before 1 September | $181.30 |\n|  | (ii) on or after 1 September | $79.90 |\n|  | (b) for each subsequent year | $181.30 |\n| 9. | Application for renewal of a practising certificate for each year | $181.30 |\n| 10. | Application for renewal of a practising certificate made less than 30 days before the expiry of the practising certificate and dealt with under section 11A(6) of the Act | $181.30 |\n| 11. | Inspection under section 12(2) of the Act of the register | $17.15 |\n\n\n[Schedule 1 inserted: SL 2023/149 r. 4; amended: SL 2024/216 r. 14.]\n\nSchedule 2\n\n**FORM 1**\n\nWESTERN AUSTRALIA\n\n*LICENSED SURVEYORS ACT 1909*\n\n**CERTIFICATE OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING**\n\nI, .........................................................................., a surveyor registered under the *Licensed Surveyors Act 1909*, hereby certify that ................................................ a registered surveying graduate —\n\n(1) has been professionally and continuously employed with me in the practice of land surveying from ........................ to ........................... that is to say, for a period of ............. years and .................. months;\n\n(2) has, during the said period, gained the following experience —\n\n- Length of time (in weeks) over which candidate has obtained practical experience under professional training agreement\n- Nature of practical experience obtained by candidate Office experience Field experience as a general assistant Field experience as an instrument operator Field experience as a party leader Total experience obtained\n- Land boundary surveys\n- in urban areas\n- in rural areas\n- Engineering surveys\n- Typographical surveys\n- Mining surveys\n- Control surveys\n- Other Surveys\n- ..................................................\n- Total experience obtained\n\n\nDated at ..................... this .............................. day of ............................... 20.......\n\n.....................................................................\n\nLicensed Surveyor.\n\nI certify that in my opinion the said ........................................ is fully competent to take responsibility for surveys effected.\n\nDated at .......................... this .......................... day of ............................. 20........\n\n.....................................................................\n\nLicensed Surveyor.\n\n**FORM 2**\n\nWESTERN AUSTRALIA\n\n*LICENSED SURVEYORS ACT 1909*\n\n**CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY IN SURVEYING**\n\nNo. .........................\n\nWe, the Land Surveyors’ Licensing Board of Western Australia appointed for the examination of candidates for certificates as surveyors under the *Licensed Surveyors Act 1909*, certify that .................................... has passed all the examinations and fulfilled all the conditions prescribed.\n\nDated this .................................... day of .............................................. 20............\n\n.....................................................................\n\nChairman.\n\n.....................................................................\n\nSecretary.\n\n.....................................................................\n\n.....................................................................\n\n.....................................................................\n\nMembers of the Board.\n\nOffice of the Land Surveyors’ Licensing Board, Perth 2.\n\n[Form 2 amended: SL 2024/216 r. 15.]\n\n**FORM 3**\n\nWESTERN AUSTRALIA\n\n*LICENSED SURVEYORS ACT 1909*\n\n**APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION**\n\nI, .................................................... of ....................................................................\n\n(full name) (address)\n\n..................................................................................................... hereby apply for registration as a licensed surveyor under the *Licensed Surveyors Act 1909*.\n\nAttached is evidence in support of this application.\n\nDated this .................................... day of ............................................... 20...........\n\n.....................................................................\n\nSigned.\n\n**FORM 4**\n\nWESTERN AUSTRALIA\n\n*LICENSED SURVEYORS ACT 1909*\n\n**LICENCE**\n\nThis is to certify that ....................................................... has been registered as a licensed surveyor under the provisions of the *Licensed Surveyors Act 1909*.\n\nDated this .................................... day of ............................................... 20...........\n\nLand Surveyors Licensing Board\n\n.....................................................................\n\nChairman.\n\n.....................................................................\n\nSecretary.\n\n.....................................................................\n\n.....................................................................\n\n.....................................................................\n\nMembers of the Board.\n\nOffice of the Land Surveyors’ Licensing Board, Perth 2.\n\n**FORM 5**\n\nWESTERN AUSTRALIA\n\n*LICENSED SURVEYORS ACT 1909*\n\n**LETTER OF ACCREDITATION**\n\nThis is to certify that .................................................................. is the holder of a Certificate of Competency No. .................... dated ................................ 20 .......... and is registered to practise as a licensed surveyor in Western Australia.\n\nOriginal Registration No. ................ dated .............................................. 20.........\n\nDated this .................................... day of ................................................. 20.........\n\n.....................................................................\n\nChairman.\n\n.....................................................................\n\nSecretary.\n\nOffice of the Land Surveyors’ Licensing Board Cathedral Avenue, PERTH 2.\n\n**FORM 6**\n\n[Regulation 18B]\n\nWESTERN AUSTRALIA\n\n*LICENSED SURVEYORS ACT 1909*\n\n**APPLICATION FOR PRACTISING CERTIFICATE**\n\nI, ............................................................., a licensed surveyor under the *Licensed Surveyors Act 1909*, hereby apply for the issue under section 11A of the Act of a practising certificate having effect until 31 December .................. and transmit with this application the prescribed application fee of $........................................\n\nDated this .................................... day of .................................................. 20........\n\nSigned .....................................................................\n\n[Form 6 inserted: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1764.]\n\n**FORM 7**\n\n[Regulation 18D]\n\nWESTERN AUSTRALIA\n\n*LICENSED SURVEYORS ACT 1909*\n\n**PRACTISING CERTIFICATE**\n\nThis is to certify that ....................................., a licensed surveyor under the *Licensed Surveyors Act 1909*, is entitled to make authorised surveys.\n\nThis practising certificate expires on 31 December 20..........\n\nDated and signed on behalf of the Land Surveyors’ Licensing Board this ............................................ day of ................................................... 20................\n\n.....................................................................\n\nChairman.\n\n.....................................................................\n\nSecretary.\n\n[Form 7 inserted: Gazette 4 Apr 1997 p. 1764.]\n\n![dline]()\n\nNotes\n\nThis is a compilation of the *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990* and includes amendments made by other written laws. For provisions that have come into operation, and for information about any reprints, see the compilation table.\n\nCompilation table\n\n| **Citation** | **Published** | **Commencement** |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| *Licensed Surveyors Registration Regulations 1990* 3 | 23 Feb 1990 p. 1208‑14 | 1 Mar 1990 (see r. 2) |\n| *Licensed Surveyors Registration Amendment Regulations 1991* | 10 Jan 1992 p. 57‑8 | 10 Jan 1992 |\n| *Licensed Surveyors Registration Amendment Regulations 1994* | 20 May 1994 p. 2116‑17 | 20 May 1994 |\n| *Licensed Surveyors Amendment Regulations 1997* Pt. 3 | 4 Apr 1997 p. 1757‑67 | 5 Apr 1997 (see r. 2 and *Gazette* 4 Apr 1997 p. 1750) |\n| *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Amendment Regulations 2002* | 2 Aug 2002 p. 3806‑7 | 2 Aug 2002 |\n| **Reprint of the *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990* as at 22 Nov 2002** (includes amendments listed above) | | |\n| *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Amendment Regulations 2004* | 22 Jun 2004 p. 2151-2 | 22 Jun 2004 |\n| *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Amendment Regulations 2009* | 1 Sep 2009 p. 3397‑8 | r. 1 and 2: 1 Sep 2009 (see r. 2(a));   Regulations other than r. 1 and 2: 2 Sep 2009 (see r. 2(b)) |\n| *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Amendment Regulations 2014* | 15 Jul 2014 p. 2465‑7 | r. 1 and 2: 15 Jul 2014 (see r. 2(a));   Regulations other than r. 1 and 2: 1 Sep 2014 (see r. 2(b)) |\n| **Reprint 2: The *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990* as at 14 Nov 2014** (includes amendments listed above) | | |\n| *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Amendment Regulations 2017* | 23 Jun 2017 p. 3179‑80 | r. 1 and 2: 23 Jun 2017 (see r. 2(a));   Regulations other than r. 1 and 2: 1 Jul 2017 (see r. 2(b)) |\n| *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Amendment Regulations 2023* | SL 2023/149   22 Sep 2023 | r. 1 and 2: 22 Sep 2023 (see r. 2(a))   Regulations other than r. 1 and 2: 1 Oct 2023 (see r. 2(b)) |\n| *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Amendment Regulations 2024* | SL 2024/216 18 Oct 2024 | r. 1 and 2: 18 Oct 2024 (see r. 2(a));   Regulations other than r. 1, 2 and 11: 1 Nov 2024 (see r. 2(c));   r. 11: 1 Jan 2025 (see r. 2(b)) |\n\n\nOther notes\n\n1 Published in the *Government Gazette* 31 October 1952 at p. 2647‑55.\n\n2 Now 1 Midland Square, Midland 6056.\n\n3 Now known as the *Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990*; citation changed (see note under r. 1).\n\nDefined terms\n\n*[This is a list of terms defined and the provisions where they are defined. The list is not part of the law.]*\n\n**Defined term Provision(s)**\n\ncertificate 18E(2)\n\ncommencement day 21(2)\n\ncomplying policy 18F, 18G(1)\n\nemployer 18H(1)\n\nForm 3\n\nprofessional training agreement 3\n\nrepealed regulations 21(2)\n\nsupervising surveyor 3\n\n© State of Western Australia 2025.\n\nThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY 4.0). To view relevant information and for a link to a copy of the licence, visit www.legislation.wa.gov.au.\n\nAttribute work as: © State of Western Australia 2025.\n\nBy Authority: GEOFF O. LAWN, Government Printer\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The original 1990 regulations focused primarily on training agreements and examinations. However, the legislation has expanded significantly through amendments — particularly the 1997 and 2024 amendments — to include a comprehensive professional indemnity insurance scheme (Part 5, regulations 18F-18M) and detailed practising certificate requirements. What began as procedural rules for entry into the profession has grown into a full regulatory framework governing ongoing practice, insurance compliance, and disciplinary mechanisms (suspension for non-insurance). The 2024 amendments (SL 2024/216) further tightened insurance verification requirements, showing continued scope creep toward active professional oversight rather than just initial licensing."},"complexity_factors":["Moderate length (29 pages) with 7 distinct Parts covering different lifecycle stages of a surveyor's career","Only 6 defined terms in the interpretation section (regulation 3), though additional definitions are embedded in specific regulations (e.g., 'complying policy' in 18F, 'employer' in 18H)","Cross-references to the Licensed Surveyors Act 1909 (the parent Act) throughout, requiring readers to flip between instruments","Nested conditions in the insurance provisions (Part 5) — for example, regulation 18I(4) provides alternative evidentiary pathways with multiple sub-conditions","Multiple amendment histories shown in compilation tables and bracketed notes, which clutter the text but don't affect operative provisions","Prescriptive form requirements (Schedule 2) with 7 different forms for different stages of registration and certification"],"plain_english_summary":"This is Western Australian legislation that sets out the rules for becoming and working as a licensed surveyor in WA.\n\n**What it does:**\nThe regulations create a detailed system for training, examining, registering, and regulating land surveyors. Surveyors are the professionals who measure and map land boundaries — their work is critical for property ownership, construction, and mining.\n\n**Key parts of the system:**\n\n*   **Training (Part 2):** Before becoming fully licensed, graduates must complete a **professional training agreement** — essentially an apprenticeship with an experienced surveyor (called a **supervising surveyor**). This usually lasts 24 months but can be reduced or extended by the Board. The supervising surveyor must have at least 2 years' experience and generally can't train more than 2 people at once without permission.\n\n*   **Examinations (Part 3):** Candidates must pass exams in survey law, practical projects, field tests using instruments, and an oral exam. The Board can give credit for equivalent exams passed in other states or countries (**reciprocating States**) or for equivalent qualifications.\n\n*   **Registration and Licences (Part 4):** Once someone passes their exams and gets a **certificate of competency**, they can apply for a licence to practise. The regulations specify the forms to use and the fees to pay. They also cover **practising certificates** — annual permits that licensed surveyors need to legally conduct surveys.\n\n*   **Insurance (Part 5):** This is a critical consumer protection measure. Surveyors must hold **professional indemnity insurance** (a **complying policy**) with at least $2 million coverage. This insurance protects the public if a surveyor makes a mistake that causes financial loss. The Board can suspend a surveyor's practising certificate if they don't have this insurance.\n\n*   **Fees (Part 6):** A schedule lists fees for everything from registering training agreements to sitting exams and renewing licences.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n*   Aspiring surveyors completing their training\n*   Licensed surveyors who must maintain insurance and practising certificates\n*   The Land Surveyors' Licensing Board, which administers the system\n*   Property owners and developers who rely on accurate surveys\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThese rules ensure that only properly trained, examined, and insured people can legally determine property boundaries. The insurance requirement (Part 5) is particularly important — it means that if a surveyor botches a boundary survey, there's money available to compensate affected property owners."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope cannot be assessed as no legislative text was available. The document provided contains only a webpage error notice indicating the content has been moved or removed from the WA legislation website."},"complexity_factors":["No legislative text was retrievable — the source page has been removed or relocated","Only the title and a website error message were available for analysis","No substantive legal content exists in the provided material to assess complexity"],"plain_english_summary":"The Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990 are WA delegated legislation governing who may be licensed or registered as land surveyors, the qualifications and processes for obtaining or renewing licences, and related administrative requirements.  \n\nIt primarily affects practising surveyors, employers, and anyone relying on licensed surveying services; check the current WA legislation site or relevant agencies for the up-to-date instrument, as the 1990 rules may have been amended or repealed."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. The regulations originally concentrated on entry: training agreements, examinations and registration mechanics. Subsequent amendments (notably the additions in recent years, including regs 18F–18M) have expanded the regulatory scope to ongoing practice regulation by requiring mandatory professional indemnity insurance as a precondition to holding and using a practising certificate, creating suspension and evidence powers, and updating practising certificate administration. In short, the instrument moved from primarily setting out entry rules and forms to also regulating risk management and day-to-day entitlement to practise (see regs 4–13 for original entry-focused material and regs 18F–18M for the added ongoing PII regime)."},"complexity_factors":["7 substantive Parts with multiple cross-references to the Licensed Surveyors Act 1909 (sections 7, 9, 10, 11A/11B, 12, 16)","Approximately 21 named regulations plus Schedule 1 (fees) and Schedule 2 (7 forms)","Multiple conditional rules and nested exceptions (for example: Board may reduce training period subject to not less than 6 months — reg 8; PII evidence options in reg 18I(2)–(4))","Discretionary powers vested in the Board in many places (regs 5, 8, 11–12, 18I, 18L–18M) requiring subjective satisfactions or reasonable belief","New substantive PII regime with layered requirements: definition (18F–18G), employer-held policy rules (18H), preconditions for practising certificates (18I), notice and suspension mechanics (18J–18M)","Schedule 1 lists 11 distinct fee items with timing-based distinctions for practising certificates (item 8(a)(i)/(ii)), increasing administrative detail","Forms in Schedule 2 are prescriptive and used as conditions for progressing through the licensing pipeline (Forms 1–7)","Compilation history and a long amendment trail (1990–2024) creating patchwork of inserted and amended regs (e.g. regs 18A, 18B, 18F–18M added later)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What the regulations do (mechanically)**\n\n- They set out the detailed rules that govern how people become and remain licensed surveyors in Western Australia, under the Licensed Surveyors Act 1909. Key topics covered are: training agreements for graduates (regs 4–9), the examinations required (regs 10–13), the forms and documentary requirements for certificates, licences and practising certificates (regs 14–18E, 18B, 18D), mandatory professional indemnity insurance (PII) for practising surveyors (regs 18F–18M), the fees payable (reg 19 and Schedule 1), and transitional savings for older rules (regs 20–21).\n\n- Entry and early-career mechanics:\n  - Practical field service (normally 24 months) must be performed under a written professional training agreement between a supervising surveyor and the trainee (reg 4). The supervising surveyor must be a licensed surveyor with at least 2 years standing and is limited in the number of trainees they can supervise without Board approval (reg 4(3), (5)). The agreement must be lodged with the Board and paid for within 6 months of signing (reg 5).\n  - The Board keeps a register of these agreements, may refuse registration if the trainee or proposed training is unsuitable, and can approve assignment or extension of agreements (regs 5–9).\n\n- Examinations and credits:\n  - Entry to full licensure requires passing prescribed exams: written survey law, practical projects and field tests, and an oral exam (reg 10). The Board can credit equivalent examinations, experience or exams from reciprocating jurisdictions (regs 11–12).\n  - Candidates must lodge projects and certificates of field service before some parts of the exams (reg 10(4)–(5)).\n\n- Certificates, licences and practising certificates:\n  - Forms and documentary proof required for registration and licences are prescribed (Forms 1–7, regs 14–18E, 18B, 18D). Applications must include proof of age, testimonials, evidence of competency and fees (reg 15).\n  - The regulations prescribe standard licence/practising certificate periods and administrative steps such as issuing replacement certificates (regs 18A, 18E).\n\n- Professional indemnity insurance (PII) regime (newer, substantive addition):\n  - To be issued or to renew a practising certificate the applicant must provide evidence they will be covered by a “complying policy” for the whole period the certificate is in force (reg 18I). A complying policy is professional indemnity insurance covering civil liability including negligence, for claims made during the period and some claims notified later, with a minimum $2 million per claim and additional coverage appropriate to the scale of the surveyor’s work (reg 18G).\n  - The policy can be held by the practitioner or by their employer, but employer-held policies must be accompanied by written confirmation of coverage (reg 18H).\n  - A licensed surveyor must not make or attempt to make an authorised survey unless covered by a complying policy (reg 18J). Holders of practising certificates must notify the Board if they are not covered and must provide certificates of currency on request (regs 18K–18L). The Board must suspend a practising certificate if it reasonably believes the holder is not covered (reg 18M). Some non‑compliance attracts fines of $1,000 (regs 18J, 18K, 18L).\n\n- Fees and administrative detail:\n  - Schedule 1 lists the fees for registering training agreements, examinations, letters of accreditation, licence applications, practising certificates and other administrative services (reg 19 and Schedule 1).\n\n**Official purpose claimed (what the instrument says it aims to achieve)**\n\n- The regulations operationalise the Act’s licensing framework: they establish the form and content of training agreements, the structure of exams and evidence for competency, the documentation required for registration and practising, and the fees for those processes. The more recent PII provisions are presented as requirements to ensure professional liability risks are insured while surveyors practise.\n\n**What that means in practice — costs, incentives, trade-offs and implementation issues**\n\n- Who pays: individual applicants and licensees pay administrative fees listed in Schedule 1 (e.g. application, examination, practising certificate fees). Practising surveyors or their employers bear the direct cost of purchasing and maintaining the required professional indemnity insurance (premiums set by the market). There are modest statutory fines for certain breaches (regs 18J, 18K, 18L).\n\n- Who decides and where discretion sits: the Land Surveyors’ Licensing Board (the Board) controls most gatekeeping functions — whether a trainee or training is acceptable (reg 5), credits for examinations or overseas qualifications (regs 11–12), reductions in required training (reg 8), approvals for supervising multiple trainees or transfers of agreements (reg 4(5), reg 7), whether an applicant will be covered by a complying policy (reg 18I), and suspension/termination of practising certificates where insurance is missing (regs 18L–18M). Those provisions vest significant practical discretion in the Board.\n\n- Behavioural effects and compliance burden:\n  - Entry: the training-agreement model places structured obligations on supervising surveyors and trainees (reg 4). Supervisors are limited in how many trainees they can mentor without Board approval, which may restrict supply of supervised placements unless the Board routinely grants approvals (reg 4(5)).\n  - Ongoing practice: requiring PII as a precondition of holding a practising certificate and of making authorised surveys materially raises the ongoing compliance and cost burden for active surveyors. Smaller sole practitioners may face relatively higher proportional premium costs and administrative burden to produce certificates of currency and employer confirmations (regs 18G–18I, 18H). Employers can carry policies for employees, which centralises risk management but shifts commercial arrangements between employer and practitioner (reg 18H).\n  - Enforcement: the Board has tools (orders for evidence, suspension powers) that can be applied quickly where insurance coverage is in doubt (regs 18L–18M). Those tools create operational risks for surveyors who let cover lapse or rely on employer arrangements without firm documentary confirmation.\n\n- Market and competition effects:\n  - The PII requirement imposes an entry condition on practice that interacts with the insurance market. If premiums rise or insurers impose restrictive conditions, the cost of practising could rise and some smaller operators could exit or shift to employment arrangements where the employer holds the policy (reg 18H). That substitution effect (move from sole trader to employee) is a predictable private response to increased fixed regulatory cost.\n\n- Incentives and risk internalisation:\n  - By requiring indemnity cover that picks up negligence and defence costs, the regulations shift more of the financial consequences of professional errors from victims (or public subsidy) to commercial insurers and indirectly to practitioners via premiums (reg 18G).\n\n- Administrative and implementation risks:\n  - The Board’s reliance on subjective satisfaction or reasonable belief in multiple places (e.g. accepting qualifications, deciding training adequacy, believing someone is not covered by a complying policy) creates risk of inconsistent decisions and appeals if the Board does not publish transparent standards for assessment (regs 5, 8, 11–12, 18I, 18M).\n  - The minimum $2 million per claim and the “appropriate” additional coverage requirement (reg 18G(4)–(5)) may require case-by-case assessment of what is appropriate for a given surveyor’s practice; the lack of a detailed scale or objective metric leaves room for Board requests for higher cover, which raises costs and uncertainty.\n\n- Concentrated benefits and diffuse costs:\n  - The direct beneficiaries of PII requirements are third‑party claimants (they have insurance-backed recourse) and insurers (new premium streams). The costs are borne by practising surveyors or their employers in the form of premiums and administration. The Board gains stronger enforcement tools and reduced financial risk to individuals harmed by surveyor negligence.\n\n**Practical points to watch (implementation/choice issues)**\n\n- Supervising surveyors should track their limits on trainees and obtain Board approval where they intend to supervise more than one trainee per year or more than two at a time (reg 4(5)).\n- Surveyors (or their employers) must ensure continuous complying policy coverage for the period a practising certificate is in force, and be ready to provide certificates of currency and employer confirmations when requested by the Board (regs 18I–18L).\n- Small firms and sole practitioners should assess insurance market capacity and premium costs against the minimum $2 million per claim plus “appropriate” additional cover standard (reg 18G).\n\n**Relevant provisions (examples cited)**\n- Training agreements: regs 4–9.  \n- Exams and credits: regs 10–13.  \n- Registration, forms and practising certificates: regs 14–18E, 18A, 18B, 18D.  \n- Professional indemnity insurance: regs 18F–18M.  \n- Fees: reg 19 and Schedule 1.  \n- Transitional and repeal: regs 20–21.\n\n"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/licensed-surveyors-licensing-and-registration-regulations-1990","history":"/api/acts/licensed-surveyors-licensing-and-registration-regulations-1990/history","analysis":"/api/acts/licensed-surveyors-licensing-and-registration-regulations-1990/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/licensed-surveyors-licensing-and-registration-regulations-1990/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/licensed-surveyors-licensing-and-registration-regulations-1990/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/licensed-surveyors-licensing-and-registration-regulations-1990/documents"}}