Professional Exam Information

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2024 Key Dates

The Professional Examination allows candidates to provide evidence and demonstrate their competence to an examination panel. A certificate of competence is issued for the pass in the examination that allows the candidate to apply to the Cadastral Surveyors Licensing Board of New Zealand for a Cadastral Survey Licence.

The Examinations Committee has regulatory functions by arrangement with the Cadastral Surveyors Licensing Board (CSLB) and examines the competence of candidates presenting for their professional interviews against the CSLB Standards for the Licensing of Surveyors. To determine competence evidence must be provided. Evidence is presented in the form of projects, and a professional interview is undertaken.

Candidates seeking a certificate of competency to support an application to the Cadastral Surveyors Licencing Board for the issue of a cadastral licence need to familiarise themselves with the Board's Standards for Licensing. It is the candidate's competency against these standards that will be examined.


The onus is on the candidate to present evidence prior to the professional interviews that they have all the required competencies. The nature of evidence lies with the professional surveyor. Past 'Annual Circulars' are not the requirements for licensing but do provide guidance as to the type and nature of a range of projects that may be used to demonstrate competence.

Your projects will be vetted for compliance and you will be advised if you have been accepted for an interview. First time compliance in all disciplines at both the vetting stage and the interviews is expected.

Step 1: Join S+SNZ and become part of the Young Professionals (YP) Network to help you prepare for the examinations. If you are a member, but not part of the YP division, contact us to update your profile. Joining S+SNZ is optional.

Step 2: Pay for the exam at the Upcoming Events tab on our website (keep the receipt number).

Step 3: Register by filling in your Registration Form online here (you'll need your receipt number).

Step 4: Please check and update your profile information online in your Dashboard. It's important to keep your information current to get the most out of your membership. If you are a S+SNZ member, your CPD points will be automatically added to your account after the exam.

Note - To avoid emails from '@surveyspatialnz.org' going into your spam folder, add the address as a safe email address with your email provider. All communications will be provided by email.

Step 5: After successful registration, you will receive an application pack+ that will be mailed to the address provided on the form (Step 3), so that you will then be able to submit your projects.

+Your application pack will contain:

Step 6: Check that your projects meet the technical requirements as set out in the Annual Circular and Read the guidelines for obtaining a license and standards for licensing Cadastral Surveyors on the CSLB website: Standards For Licensing cadastral Surveyors 2021.

Step 7: Submit your projects to the S+SNZ Examinations Office before the closing date, using the postal sticker provided. No projects will be accepted after the closing date.

Please submit your projects by mail - we will not accept any projects delivered in person due to tracking requirements.

Step 8: Projects will be vetted by the S+SNZ examinations panel to confirm eligibility. S+SNZ will then contact you to confirm you are eligible for the professional interview, including your interview timetable and venue details.

Step 9: Be there at the date and time provided. Candidates assemble at 8am on the day, with the interviews usually finishing late afternoon depending on the number of candidates being interviewed. Results will be advised individually by phone once the examiners meeting is finished after the interviews.

If you have questions or want to interact with other candidates: