Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 1990

The regulations revolve around a small set of recurring legal and administrative concepts that determine entitlement to practise as a licensed surveyor and the conditions for authorised surveying work.

• Professional training agreement (reg 3; reg 4). This is the prescribed vehicle for the field-service portion of qualification under the Act. The agreement must be between a supervising surveyor and an intending certificate applicant (reg 4(2)), must specify the training (reg 4(6)), and is presumptively for 24 months (reg 4(1)(b)), subject to Board discretion to reduce (to no less than six months, reg 8(4)) or extend (reg 9). The agreement must be forwarded to the Board within six months of execution (reg 5(1)) and is registrable upon payment of the fee (Schedule 1 item 1).

• Supervising surveyor (reg 3; reg 4(3)). Eligibility to supervise is limited to a natural person who is a licensed surveyor of not less than two years standing. Supervisors are restricted in how many trainees they may accept without Board approval: not more than one new professional training agreement in any 12-month period and not more than two trainees concurrently without Board approval (reg 4(5)).

• Examinations (Part 3, reg 10-13). The prescribed examinations are tripartite: written survey law, practical projects and field tests (including instrument use), and an oral general examination (reg 10). Credits and equivalence are allowed at the Board’s discretion (regs 10(2), 11, 12). Candidates must lodge projects before certain exams and must complete the prescribed field service and file Form 1 to be eligible for the oral exam (reg 10(4)-(5)).

• Certificates and practising certificates (Part 4). Forms are prescribed for certificates of competency (Form 2, reg 14), licence applications (Form 3, reg 15), licences (Form 4, reg 17), letters of accreditation (Form 5, reg 18), applications for practising certificates (Form 6, reg 18B(2)), and practising certificates themselves (Form 7, reg 18D). Applications for registration require documentary proof: age, certificate of competency, testimonials, declaration and fee (reg 15).

• Complying policy: professional indemnity insurance (Part 5, regs 18F-18M). The regulations define a "complying policy" and prescribe what it must cover: civil liability including professional negligence, claims-made and occurrences notified during the period, a minimum of $2 million per claim inclusive of costs, plus coverage "appropriate to manage the risk" having regard to the value of work undertaken (reg 18G). Evidence of coverage must accompany practising certificate applications (reg 18I). An employer-held policy can satisfy the requirement if employer confirmation accompanies the certificate of currency (reg 18H(3)). A licensed surveyor must not make an authorised survey unless covered by a complying policy (reg 18J, penalty $1 000), must notify the Board if not covered (reg 18K, penalty $1 000), must comply with Board orders for notice and certificates of currency (reg 18L, penalty $1 000), and faces mandatory suspension of practising certificates where the Board reasonably believes cover is absent (reg 18M).

• Fees and timing (Part 6 and Schedule 1). The regulations embed a detailed fee schedule: registration of training agreements $53.25 (item 1), examination application $101.40 (item 3), per-exam/project fee $53.25 (item 4), practising certificate first-year and renewal fees with pro rata based on application date (Schedule 1 items 8-10). The Board may refund fees where it refuses to allow a person to sit (reg 13(4)).

These concepts operate together: eligibility and training preconditions feed into examinations, which feed into certificate and licence applications; licences plus practising certificates (supported by evidence of professional indemnity) are then necessary to do authorised surveys (reg 18J and note referring to s 16(3a) and (4) of the Act). The Board is the pivot across the lifecycle: it accepts and registers agreements, assesses equivalence and credits, issues licences and practising certificates, and enforces insurance and compliance requirements.

The regulations directly affect five cohorts of actors and indirectly influence several related parties.

• Trainees and prospective licensed surveyors. Individuals seeking a certificate of competency under the Act must enter into a professional training agreement for the prescribed period of field service (reg 4(1)), satisfy documentary prerequisites for application (Form 3 requirements in reg 15), lodge projects and a certificate of field service (Form 1) to be eligible for oral examination (reg 10(4)-(5)), and comply with Board directions about reduction or extension of training (regs 8-9). They pay the registration and examination fees set out in Schedule 1 (items 1, 3, 4).

• Supervising surveyors. Licensed surveyors with at least two years’ standing may act as supervising surveyors (reg 4(3)) and must specify training in the agreement (reg 4(6)). Supervisors are constrained by limits on taking multiple trainees without Board approval (reg 4(5)), must sign certificates of professional training (Form 1) and can face the practical consequence that a non-registered or non-satisfactory agreement has no effect after Board refusal (reg 5(3)). Supervisors may be required to produce evidence in Board processes and may be named in registration records maintained by the secretary (reg 6).

• Licensed surveyors generally. Once licensed, surveyors who wish to make authorised surveys must hold a practising certificate and be covered by a complying policy (regs 18I and 18J). Licensed surveyors who are employees may rely on employer-held policies if employer confirmation accompanies the certificate of currency (reg 18H(3)). They face notification obligations to the Board if they lack cover (reg 18K) and must respond to Board orders for proof (reg 18L). Failure to meet these obligations exposes them to fines and suspension (regs 18J, 18K, 18L, 18M).

• Employers of surveyors. Employers who "employ or otherwise engage" licensed surveyors can hold complying policies that cover their employees (reg 18H(1)-(3)). If the employer holds the policy, the Board requires written confirmation that the employee is covered when a certificate of currency is supplied (reg 18H(3)). Employers may therefore bear commercial costs for insurance and administrative confirmation, and may be gatekeepers to a surveyor’s ability to make authorised surveys.

• The Land Surveyors’ Licensing Board and its secretary. The Board is the decision-maker across registration, examination credits, approving transfers, reductions, extensions, accreditation letters, issuance and renewal of practising certificates and enforcement of insurance-related obligations (multiple regs). The secretary maintains the register of professional training agreements (reg 6) and receives fees under Schedule 1.

Indirectly affected parties include insurers, who must provide complying policies meeting the minimum and risk-appropriate cover (reg 18G), and clients of surveyors who may see effects in fees, availability of surveyors, or indemnity-backed assurances. The Schedule 1 fee settings affect the cost of entry and ongoing compliance. The regulations allocate duties and costs: trainees and applicants pay registration and exam fees (Schedule 1 items 1, 3-4), applicants for licences and practising certificates pay application and renewal fees (Schedule 1 items 7-10), and licensees or their employers must secure and document professional indemnity cover sufficient to satisfy the Board (regs 18G-18I).

The regulations create a set of affirmative duties, documentary obligations, and limited rights of administrative recourse anchored in Board discretion.

Duties and obligations

• Register professional training agreements. Parties must forward a copy of every professional training agreement to the Board within six months of execution (reg 5(1)). The copy must be accompanied by the fee (Schedule 1 item 1). If the Board refuses registration because the trainee is ineligible or the training is unsatisfactory, the agreement ceases to have effect under these regulations (reg 5(2)-(3)).

• Supervising surveyor eligibility and limits. Supervisors must be licensed surveyors of at least two years’ standing (reg 4(3)). Without Board approval, a supervising surveyor must not enter into more than one professional training agreement in any 12‑month period nor have more than two trainees concurrently (reg 4(5)); approval requires application and fee (reg 7 and Schedule 1 item 2).

• Training content and documentation. A professional training agreement must specify the training to be provided (reg 4(6)). Trainees must lodge projects set by the Board before certain practical and oral examinations (reg 10(4)) and file a Form 1 certificate of field service to be eligible for the oral exam (reg 10(5)).

• Examination conduct. Candidates must apply by the Board’s specified date and pay the prescribed fees (reg 13(1)-(2), Schedule 1 items 3 and 4). Candidates must supply their own instruments and a field assistant who is not a licensed surveyor or previous passer for field tests (reg 13(5)). Examiners may disqualify those whose conduct threatens the integrity of the examination (reg 13(6)).

• Documentary requirements for registration and practice. Applications for licence and registration must include evidence of age (21 years), a copy of the certificate of competency (Form 2), two testimonials, a declaration under s 7(c) of the Act and the relevant fee (reg 15). Applicants from reciprocating jurisdictions must supply evidence of authorisation and absence of disciplinary proceedings (reg 16).

• Professional indemnity insurance. Applicants for issue or renewal of practising certificates must provide evidence that they will be covered by a complying policy for the whole period the practising certificate is in force (reg 18I(1)). That evidence may be a certificate of currency covering the entire period, or a certificate of currency that covers the applicant at the time or start of the period together with an undertaking to secure cover for the whole period (reg 18I(3)-(4)). If an employer holds the policy, a certificate of currency must be accompanied by written confirmation from the employer that the person is covered (reg 18H(3)).

• Continued coverage to practise. 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 in writing if they are not covered by a complying policy (reg 18K). They must comply with Board orders to provide written notice and certificates of currency upon request (reg 18L). The Board must suspend practising certificates where it reasonably believes the holder is not covered by a complying policy, with prescribed grounds that trigger reasonable belief (reg 18M).

Rights and administrative remedies

• Board discretion with safeguards. The Board has discretion to refuse registration of professional training agreements where eligibility or training quality is unsatisfactory (reg 5(2)). The regulations provide for refunds of examination fees where the Board refuses to allow a person to sit (reg 13(4)) or refunds for withdrawal (reg 13(3)). The Board may reduce or extend training periods upon application supported by evidence (regs 8-9). The Board may terminate suspensions of practising certificates upon reasonable belief that the holder is covered (reg 18M(3)).

• Credits and equivalence. The Board may grant credits for the written law examination where an equivalent course was passed (reg 10(2)), may credit passes from reciprocating states or countries (reg 11), and may recognise equivalent experience or qualifications (reg 12).

Enforceable penalties

• Statutory fines. Two separate $1 000 fines are explicit: making an authorised survey without a complying policy (reg 18J) and failing to give written notice to the Board if a holder of a practising certificate is not covered by a complying policy (reg 18K). A failure to comply with a Board order under reg 18L attracts a $1 000 fine. The Board also has suspension powers (reg 18M).

• Institutional enforcement. Beyond fines, the Board has administrative remedies such as refusal to register training agreements (reg 5), refusal to issue practising certificates (reg 18I(5)), and suspension of practising certificates (reg 18M).

The structure privileges documentary proof and insurer confirmation as the gateway to practising rights. The Board’s broad discretionary powers over equivalence, credits, approvals and satisfaction of training and insurance standards are central rights-determinants for applicants and licensees. Each duty aligns with a compliance burden: fee payments (Schedule 1), form-filling (Forms 1-7), production of certificates of currency and employer confirmations, and responsiveness to Board orders.

The regulatory enforcement architecture combines monetary fines, documentary-driven administrative gatekeeping, and mandatory suspension. The Board, not the police or courts, is the primary enforcing authority within the administrative regime.

Monetary penalties

• Authorised surveys without insurance. Regulation 18J creates a clear criminalised or quasi-criminal monetary penalty: a fine of $1 000 applies where a licensed surveyor makes or attempts to make an authorised survey without being covered by a complying policy. The note to reg 18J references separate statutory conditions in the Act (section 16(3a) and (4)) that also govern authorised surveying, but the regulations create the specific insurance-linked fine.

• Notification and compliance fines. Regulation 18K imposes a $1 000 fine on a practising certificate holder who fails to give written notice to the Board that they are not covered by a complying policy. Regulation 18L imposes a $1 000 penalty for failure to comply with a Board order requiring a holder to provide written notice and a certificate of currency, and the same regulation requires compliance with such orders.

Administrative enforcement and suspension

• Evidence gatekeeping. The Board must not issue or renew a practising certificate unless it "reasonably believes" from accompanying evidence that the applicant will be covered by a complying policy for the entire period the certificate will be in force (reg 18I(5)). This places the Board in a gatekeeping role; applicants must produce acceptable documentary evidence (certificate of currency or certificate plus undertaking, reg 18I(3)-(4)).

• Suspension mechanism. Regulation 18M mandates suspension where the Board reasonably believes the holder is not covered by a complying policy (reg 18M(1)). The regulation lists specific circumstances that, without limitation, may give rise to that reasonable belief, including the holder notifying the Board they are not covered (reg 18M(2)(a)), providing notice of coverage but failing to supply a valid certificate of currency in response to an order (reg 18M(2)(b)), or any other non‑compliance with an order (reg 18M(2)(c)). The Board may terminate the suspension once satisfied the holder is covered (reg 18M(3)).

• Refusal and cessation of training agreements. Under reg 5, if the Board refuses to register a professional training agreement because the trainee is ineligible or the training is unsatisfactory, the agreement "ceases to have effect for the purposes of these regulations" (reg 5(2)-(3)). That is an administrative enforcement tool to prevent unregistered or substandard training counting towards qualification.

Procedural enforcement features

• Refunds for refused or withdrawn candidates. Regulation 13 allows the Board to refund fees to persons who withdraw from an examination (reg 13(3)) and to refund fees to persons it refuses to allow to sit (reg 13(4)). These are administrative safeguards but also reduce the financial loss for candidates excluded by the Board.

• Disqualification powers. Examiners are authorised to disqualify a person from sitting or continuing with an examination where the person's conduct is improper to the extent that it is likely to affect the conduct of the examination (reg 13(6)).

Distribution of enforcement burdens

• Who enforces. The Board has the primary enforcement powers under these regulations. It receives documentary proof, decides on registration and equivalence, issues and suspends practising certificates, and orders production of certificates of currency. The secretary maintains the register of agreements (reg 6) and thus supports enforcement by record-keeping.

• Who pays. Practitioners and trainees pay the immediate costs of compliance: registration, examination and practising certificate fees (Schedule 1), plus the cost of professional indemnity insurance that meets the complying policy standard. Employers may bear insurance costs where they hold the complying policy covering employees (reg 18H), but the regulations place the onus on individual holders of practising certificates to ensure cover is in place or to notify the Board.

Potential enforcement frictions and uncertainties

• Reasonable belief standard. Several enforcement actions depend on the Board "reasonably believing" the absence of a complying policy (reg 18I(5), reg 18M). The regulations do not elaborate the procedural steps or appeal mechanisms following suspension; those safeguards, if any, lie in the Act or general administrative law, which are not reproduced in these regulations.

• Documentary sufficiency. The regulations specify acceptable evidence but allow undertakings and later renewals where a certificate of currency is due to expire during the practising certificate term (reg 18I(4)). This creates a conditional pathway that depends on later action to maintain cover and on the Board’s assessment of the undertaking as sufficient at the time of issuance.

Overall, enforcement relies on monetary penalties, documentary proof gates, and the Board’s administrative power to suspend or withhold practising rights. The practical effect is that a practising certificate without current, acceptable evidence of complying insurance exposes a surveyor to fines and suspension risk.

The regulations operate as subordinate legislation under the Licensed Surveyors Act 1909 and are expressly framed to give effect to, and add procedure to, the Act’s provisions. They reference several Act sections, and they interact with other statutory and common-law regimes in ways that are partly specified and partly implicit.

Direct interactions with the Act

• Statutory foundation. The regulations are made for the purposes of provisions in the Act: for example, the field service period referred to in section 9(1)(b) of the Act is addressed through regulation 4, which prescribes that field service shall be performed under a professional training agreement and, subject to the regulations, be for 24 months (reg 4(1)). Certificates, registration and licences are issued under section 7 (regs 14-18 and Form 3), and practising certificates are issued under section 11A (reg 18B references s 11B compliance). The note to reg 18J explicitly refers readers to section 16(3a) and (4) of the Act regarding the separate statutory requirement that a person be a licensed surveyor and holder of a practising certificate to make authorised surveys.

• Evidence of statutory declarations. Regulation 15 requires evidence of the declaration made pursuant to section 7(c) of the Act to accompany a licence/registration application (reg 15(2)(d)). This ensures statutory declaration requirements under the Act integrate into the application process.

Administrative law and judicial review (implicit)

• Board discretion and potential review. The regulations confer broad discretionary powers on the Board: refusing registrations (reg 5), granting credits (reg 10(2), reg 11, reg 12), approving transfers and reductions (regs 7-8), and suspending practising certificates (reg 18M). While the regulations do not describe appeals or merits review, those discretionary exercises will operate against the backdrop of the general principles of administrative law and likely the Act’s internal review mechanisms, if any. The regulations themselves do not provide an internal appeal route for these decisions; the remedy, if contested, would be governed by the Act or external judicial review principles, which are outside the text of these regulations.

• Insurance and civil liability. The definition of "complying policy" (reg 18G) and the mandate to hold such a policy do not themselves define civil liability or limit rights in tort or contract. They require indemnity for civil liability including professional negligence (reg 18G(2)), which interacts with insurers’ contractual terms, the law of negligence, and any statutory liability regimes for surveying work. The regulations do not constrain insurers’ subrogation, exclusions, or limits beyond the minimum $2 million per claim inclusive of costs (reg 18G(4)).

Interaction with employment law and corporate arrangements

• Employer-held policies. Regulation 18H allows employer-held policies to satisfy the complying policy requirement but requires employer confirmation when the policyholder is the employer (reg 18H(2)-(3)). This creates an interaction with employment contracts, corporate insurance arrangements and potentially workers’ compensation or contractor engagement practices. Employers who "engage" surveyors may need to document coverage and provide certificates of currency upon request by the Board.

Interaction with external jurisdictions

• Reciprocating states and countries. The Board may credit examination passes from reciprocating states and countries under section 10 of the Act (reg 11) and requires evidence that an applicant is authorised and not subject to disciplinary proceedings in that jurisdiction (reg 16). Thus, the regulations interact with inter-state and international arrangements, but only to the extent the Board recognises reciprocity and accepts the evidence prescribed.

Transitional and repeal effects

• Repeal of prior regulations. Regulation 20 repeals the previous Regulations for the Examination and Registration of Licensed Surveyors (reg 20). Regulation 21 provides savings and transitional provisions preserving existing field-service agreements, courses or examinations commenced under the repealed regulations, and credits passes obtained before commencement (reg 21(1)). These transitional rules mediate interaction between legacy arrangements and the new regulatory framework.

Data, record-keeping and privacy

• Register maintenance. The secretary maintains a register of professional training agreements and must enter particulars directed by the Board (reg 6). The regulations do not address privacy or public access to the register beyond the fee for inspection under Schedule 1 item 11, but such registry functions will interact with relevant privacy or information-access laws not reproduced here.

In short, the regulations are procedural and evidentiary detail for exercising statutory powers under the Act and interact with other legal regimes through administrative discretion, insurance law, employment contracts and reciprocal recognition. The specific statutory cross-references in the text make the Act the primary legal context for the regulations’ operation.

The compilation table and the amendment notes in the regulations record a multi-decade amendment path that adds, updates and clarifies the regulatory apparatus. The key changes and the dates recorded in the provided material are these.

Foundational instruments and early amendments

• Original and commences. The regulations were made as the Licensed Surveyors Registration Regulations 1990 and commenced on 1 March 1990 (reg 2; compilation table entry dated 23 Feb 1990).

• Early amendments. Amendments were made in 1991 and 1994 as legislative updates to the original 1990 instrument (compilation table entries 1991 and 1994).

Notable insertions and structural changes

• 1997 amendment. The Licensed Surveyors Amendment Regulations 1997 (Gazette 4 Apr 1997) introduced several adjustments reflected in textual annotations (e.g., Forms, reg 18A inserted and various alterations to forms and fees). Specifically, regulation 18A (Standard periods) was inserted in 1997 prescribing standard periods not exceeding one, two and three years (reg 18A). Several form insertions and amendments are attributed to the 1997 changes (Forms 6-7 references, etc).

• 2002, 2004 and 2009 amendments. The compilation table records amendments in 2002, 2004 and 2009. The 2009 amendment had staggered commencement dates for different provisions (r 1 and 2 on 1 Sep 2009; other regulations on 2 Sep 2009).

• 2014 and 2017 amendments. The 2014 and 2017 amendments are recorded in the compilation table, with the 2017 changes commencing on 1 July 2017 for provisions other than r 1 and 2. The 2014 reprint (as at 14 Nov 2014) includes amendments to that date.

Recent substantive amendments (2023 and 2024)

• 2023 Amendment Regulations. The Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Amendment Regulations 2023 (SL 2023/149) commenced on 1 October 2023 for substantive provisions (compilation table). The Schedule 1 fee table carries an annotation that Schedule 1 was inserted or updated by SL 2023/149 r 4.

• 2024 Amendment Regulations. The Licensed Surveyors (Licensing and Registration) Amendment Regulations 2024 (SL 2024/216) are recorded with commencement staggered: r 1 and 2 on 18 Oct 2024; substantive regulations other than r 1, 2 and 11 on 1 Nov 2024; and r 11 on 1 Jan 2025 (compilation table). The 2024 instrument added a number of modernisations: the heading inserted markers note SL 2024/216 r 4 and r 5; Parts of the regulations bear annotations "[Heading inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 4]" and similar. Specific new provisions inserted in 2024 include Part 5 provisions (regs 18F-18M) on professional indemnity insurance (reg 18F inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 10; regs 18G-18M inserted: SL 2024/216 r. 10-11). Regulation 18B was also inserted or amended by SL 2024/216 r 8. Regulation 18E and Form 2 were amended by SL 2024/216 r 15. The notes show that some insurance-related provisions (r 11) have a later start date (1 Jan 2025).

Interpreting the amendment pattern

• Progressive layering. The amendments show progressive layering rather than wholesale repeal: the original 1990 structure remains, but the Board’s functions, the forms, fees and insurance requirements have been updated periodically. The 2023 and 2024 amendments are the most recent and significant, especially for placing a statutory insurance regime into the regulations.

• Transitional provisions preserved. Regulation 21 preserves continuity by treating existing field-service agreements and commenced courses/examinations under the repealed regulations as continuing under and as though they were prescribed by the new regulations (reg 21(1)). This saved continuity for people mid‑process at time of change.

For practitioners, the amendment history emphasises that the regulatory framework evolves incrementally. The 2024 insertion of Part 5 substantially alters the compliance landscape by adding express insurance obligations, staged in with a 1 Jan 2025 operative date for at least some provisions.

The provided text contains no case law, reported decisions or litigation summaries. The printed regulations and compilation table list statutory amendments, forms and fees but do not include judicial decisions or administrative appeals. Therefore there is no litigation history recorded in these regulations themselves.

Notwithstanding the absence of recorded cases in the instrument, the regulatory provisions create several obvious dispute vectors that could, in practice, generate litigation or merits review challenges. These vectors arise from discretionary decision-making by the Board, document sufficiency determinations, suspension decisions, and insurance-related governance.

• Discretion over registration and equivalence. The Board’s discretion to refuse registration of a professional training agreement where the trainee is ineligible or the training is unsatisfactory (reg 5(2)) is a classic administrative decision that an affected party might seek to challenge on procedural fairness or error of law grounds. The regulations do not specify internal appeal routes or criteria for how "satisfactory" is assessed.

• Suspension for lack of insurance. The suspension mechanism under regulation 18M uses a "reasonable belief" standard. A holder whose practising certificate is suspended might seek judicial review or other remedies if they contend the Board lacked reasonable grounds, the process was procedurally unfair, or the Board misapplied the evidence standard. The regulations do not specify a review or appeal process for suspensions; any such remedies would be found in the Act or general administrative law.

• Insurance sufficiency and insurer disputes. The definition of a complying policy requires a $2 million minimum and "coverage that is appropriate to manage the risk" taking account of the value of work undertaken (reg 18G(4)-(5)). Disputes may arise about whether a given policy meets the appropriate coverage standard, whether an employer’s certificate of currency and confirmation adequately cover an individual, and whether a policy’s terms and exclusions effectively leave the practitioner exposed. Insurance contract disputes (e.g., coverage trigger, claims-made versus occurrence terms, defence costs) are another likely area of contested litigation, but any such disputes would be between policyholder and insurer or in civil proceedings and are not recorded in these regulations.

• Examination and disqualification disputes. Examiners’ power to disqualify candidates for improper conduct (reg 13(6)) could give rise to procedural fairness claims by disqualified candidates, particularly where disqualification affects licencing prospects.

Because the regulations do not themselves include adjudicative records, an informed reader must search case law databases, administrative tribunal records and judicial review reports to determine whether and how these provisions have been interpreted by courts or tribunals. The regulations’ emphasis on Board discretion, documentary gates and suspension powers indicates the sorts of administrative and civil disputes likely to appear in litigation pathways.

This section flags traps for practitioners and employers that arise directly from the text, giving precise references so readers can verify consequences and avoid compliance gaps.

• Professional training agreement is ineffectual until registered. A signed professional training agreement must be forwarded to the Board within six months of execution and accompanied by the registration fee (reg 5(1), Schedule 1 item 1). If the Board refuses to register because the trainee is ineligible or the training unsatisfactory, the agreement "ceases to have effect for the purposes of these regulations" (reg 5(2)-(3)). Practical implication: do not rely on an unregistered, or refused, agreement for counting field service toward a certificate of competency.

• Supervising surveyor capacity caps. Supervising surveyors must be licensed for at least two years (reg 4(3)). Without Board approval they may not enter into more than one professional training agreement in a 12-month period and may not supervise more than two trainees concurrently (reg 4(5)). Practitioners who accept multiple trainees without approval risk contravening reg 4(5) and undermining trainees’ eligibility.

• Minimum and maximum reduction limits. The Board may reduce the required field-service period on evidence (reg 8(3)), but not below six months (reg 8(4)). Applicants should not expect reduction to zero or negligible periods simply from prior experience; the minimum statutory floor is six months.

• Examination prerequisites are documentary. Candidates cannot sit certain examinations until they have completed and lodged practical projects (reg 10(4)) and completed the prescribed period of field service and filed Form 1 to be eligible for the oral exam (reg 10(5)). Failure to lodge projects or Form 1 will disqualify timing and impede progression.

• Field test assistant rule. For field tests, candidates must provide one field assistant who is not and has not been a licensed surveyor and not a person who has previously passed that examination (reg 13(5)(b)). This is a specific restriction that can trip up planning for field tests if the assistant’s status is not checked.

• Insurance timing and documentary sufficiency. 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 practising period (reg 18I(1)). Acceptable evidence includes a certificate of currency covering the entire period, or a certificate that covers the applicant at the time/start of the period together with an undertaking to ensure cover for the whole period (reg 18I(3)-(4)). Practitioners who rely on an undertaking rather than a full-period certificate risk suspension if they fail to secure cover or if the Board later finds the undertaking inadequate.

• Employer-held policy confirmation requirement. If the complying policy is held by the employer, a certificate of currency must be accompanied by written confirmation from the employer that the person is covered (reg 18H(3)). Practitioners should secure employer confirmation proactively; absence of that confirmation can create a material gap even if an employer policy exists.

• Minimum $2 million per claim is inclusive of costs. The complying policy must provide minimum $2 million per claim "inclusive of the claimant’s costs and defence costs" (reg 18G(4)). Insurers often publish limits exclusive of costs; practitioners must ensure the policy wording meets the inclusive requirement.

• "Appropriate" additional coverage undefined. Beyond the $2 million floor, the policy must provide coverage "appropriate to manage the risk" having regard to the value of work undertaken (reg 18G(5)). That is a fact-sensitive standard and can lead to divergent Board assessments of adequacy, particularly for high-value projects.

• Immediate prohibition to undertake authorised surveys without cover. Regulation 18J is an immediate prohibition against making or attempting to make an authorised survey unless the licensee is covered by a complying policy, with a penalty of $1 000. This is an operational stop on work and not merely a relic of an administrative deficiency.

• Suspension on "reasonable belief". The Board "must" suspend a practising certificate if it reasonably believes the holder is not covered (reg 18M(1)). Grounds that may give rise to reasonable belief include the holder stating they are not covered or failing to supply a valid certificate of currency when ordered (reg 18M(2)). Practitioners should treat Board orders for proof as high-stakes and time-critical.

• Fee timing can affect first-year fee quantum. Schedule 1 item 8 differentiates first-year practising certificate fees depending on application date (before or after 1 September) with substantially different amounts ($181.30 vs $79.90). Timing of application affects cost.

• Agreement assignment requires Board approval and fee. A transfer of a professional training agreement requires the consent of all parties and Board approval, plus payment of Schedule 1 item 2 (reg 7). Failing to obtain Board approval could render the transfer ineffective.

• Register details at Board’s direction. The secretary must enter particulars in the register of professional training agreements "as are directed by the Board" (reg 6). The lack of a fixed list of particulars means the Board may require varying records for compliance or audit purposes.

Spotting these specifics in the text helps avoid common missteps: unregistered training agreements, insufficient documentary evidence for insurance, missed prerequisites for examinations, and unintended breaches of insurance and supervision restrictions.

This section sets out practical, text-grounded steps to meet the main regulatory requirements: training agreement registration, examination eligibility, licence and practising certificate applications, and the insurance regime.

Professional training agreements (regs 4-9)

• Draft a professional training agreement in writing that specifies the training to be provided (reg 4(6)). Ensure the supervising surveyor is a natural person who has been a licensed surveyor for at least two years (reg 4(3)). Confirm the trainee holds an educational qualification recognised by the Board (reg 4(4)).

• Obtain consenting signatures and forward a copy to the Board within six months of execution with the registration fee (reg 5(1); Schedule 1 item 1 , $53.25). Keep a copy for both parties and ensure the secretary’s register can be matched on request (reg 6).

• Check supervising surveyor workload caps: without Board approval a supervising surveyor must not enter into more than one agreement in any 12 months or supervise more than two trainees concurrently (reg 4(5)). If the supervisor will exceed these limits, apply to the Board for approval and pay the assignment/approval fee if transferring (reg 7; Schedule 1 item 2 , $53.25).

• If prior experience is claimed to reduce the training period, prepare documentary evidence to support a reduction application under reg 8(1)-(3). Remember the Board cannot reduce the period to less than six months (reg 8(4)).

Examination preparation and application (regs 10-13)

• Confirm the examination components (reg 10): written survey law, projects and field tests, and general oral examination. Complete and lodge the Board-set projects before attempting field tests or the oral examination as required (reg 10(4)-(5)).

• Apply to sit examinations by the date fixed by the Board and include the application fee (reg 13(1)-(2); Schedule 1 item 3 , $101.40). Pay per-exam or project fees as required (Schedule 1 item 4 , $53.25 per exam/project).

• Bring your own instruments and ensure you have an eligible field assistant for field tests (reg 13(5)). Make sure the assistant is not, and has not been, a licensed surveyor and has not previously passed that examination.

• Preserve proper conduct during examinations; examiners may disqualify for improper conduct (reg 13(6)). Keep written records and receipts for fee payments, and, in case of withdrawal or Board refusal to sit, note the refund provisions (reg 13(3)-(4)).

Licence and practising certificate applications (Part 4 and reg 18B)

• For licence and registration under section 7, complete Form 3 and enclose evidence of age (21 years), a copy of your certificate of competency (Form 2), two testimonials of good fame and character, the declaration under s 7(c) of the Act, and the fee (reg 15(1)-(2) and Schedule 1 item 7 , $57.70).

• For persons licensed in a reciprocating state or country, include evidence of authorisation to practise and that no disciplinary proceedings are pending in that jurisdiction, testimonials, evidence of competency, and pay the fee (reg 16).

• For a practising certificate application or renewal, use Form 6 for issue (reg 18B(2)) and include the evidence required by regulation 18I and the appropriate fee per Schedule 1 (items 8-10). Monitor the date to determine whether the first-year fee is the higher or the pro rata lower amount.

Professional indemnity insurance compliance (regs 18F-18M)

• Obtain a complying policy as defined in reg 18G: the policy must indemnify against civil liability including professional negligence (reg 18G(2)), cover claims made or notified during the period and claims made after the period arising from circumstances notified during the period (reg 18G(3)), provide minimum cover of $2 million per claim inclusive of claimant’s costs and defence costs (reg 18G(4)), and provide coverage appropriate to the risk and value of work undertaken (reg 18G(5)).

• If the policy is employer-held, obtain a valid certificate of currency and written confirmation from the employer that the person is covered by that policy (reg 18H(3)). Keep copies of both certificate and employer confirmation ready to lodge with each practising certificate application or with any Board order.

• When applying for issue or renewal of a practising certificate, attach either a full-period valid certificate of currency covering the practising period (reg 18I(3)) or, where a certificate is not for the whole period, attach the current certificate plus a written undertaking to secure coverage for the whole period (reg 18I(4)). The Board will not issue or renew unless it reasonably believes the applicant will be covered for the full practising period (reg 18I(5)). Do not start authorised surveys until you have the practising certificate and cover in place.

Responding to Board orders and avoiding suspension (regs 18K-18M)

• If a practising certificate holder becomes uncovered, give written notice to the Board immediately as required by reg 18K to avoid a $1 000 fine. If the Board issues a written order under reg 18L, comply within the time specified by delivering the written notice and, if the notice states coverage exists, a valid certificate of currency. Failure attracts a $1 000 fine and may be grounds for mandatory suspension.

• If suspended under reg 18M, promptly obtain a complying policy and produce a valid certificate of currency (and employer confirmation if applicable) so the Board may terminate the suspension under reg 18M(3).

Record-keeping and practical steps

• Keep contemporaneous copies of all training agreements, Form 1 certificates of field service, project lodgements, examination receipts, certificates of competency, licence and practising certificate application documents, certificates of currency and employer confirmations.

• Maintain an insurance expiry calendar aligned to practising certificate terms; where certificates of currency expire during a practising certificate period, secure renewals in time or else provide a firm undertaking with evidence of renewal processes in place, understanding that the Board may later require full-period evidence.

• Budget for fees in Schedule 1 for each relevant step: training agreement registration, exam applications and projects, letters of accreditation, replacement certificates, licence applications and practising certificate fees which vary by timing.

• When in doubt about whether a policy wording meets "inclusive of costs" and "appropriate to manage the risk", obtain a written confirmation from the insurer and maintain it with the certificate of currency. If the employer holds the policy, obtain an employer confirmation in the form and content required by reg 18H(3).

Engage with the Board early where approvals are required (supervisor overload, transfers, reductions or extensions) to avoid unilateral adjustments that could render training time ineligible. These steps map directly to the text of the regulations and reduce exposure to fines, suspension and wasted training or exam fees.