South Carolina Code of Regulations Chapter 49 - DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, LICENSING AND REGULATION- SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF REGISTRATION FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Here’s the latest overview of Chapter 49 of the South Carolina Code of Regulations, governing the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors under the Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation:
📚 Chapter Overview
Article 1 – Organization, Administration & Procedure (§ 49‑100 to 49‑106)
Defines key terms (e.g., Model Law Engineer, Tier A/B surveyor), board procedures, seal specifications, application forms, licensing fees, and renewal/reinstatement processes (law.justia.com).
Article 2 – General Provisions (§ 49‑200 to 49‑207)
Engineers must hold an ABET (or board-equivalent) accredited degree, 4 years of qualifying experience under a PE, and pass the FE/PE exams .
Land Surveyors require supervised experience (with heavy emphasis on boundary work), submission of 3 plats signed by supervisors, 5 references (3 must be licensed surveyors), and pass the NCEES FLS, PLS, plus a state-specific exam (scstatehouse.gov).
Tier A includes boundary, photogrammetry, GIS; Tier B permits limited subdivision and drainage design tasks (law.justia.com).
Firms must obtain a Certificate of Authorization (COA), renew biennially, and name responsible SC-licensed personnel (law.justia.com). Temporary permits and seal rules also apply (law.justia.com).
Article 3 – Professional Conduct (§ 49‑300 to 49‑306)
Covers ethical responsibilities: public welfare, conflicts of interest, truthful representation, competent service, and soliciting only appropriate assignments (law.justia.com).
Article 4 – Standards of Practice Manual for Surveying (§ 49‑400 to 49‑490)
Sets minimum survey standards: map content, formats, certifications, monumentation, survey types (e.g. boundary, topo, GIS, photogrammetric), accuracy, record retention, and enforcement procedures (scstatehouse.gov).
Article 6 – Continuing Professional Competency (§ 49‑600 to 49‑610)
Licensees must complete 30 PDH credits biennially, with up to 15 PDH carryover (pdh-pro.com).
Exemptions exist for those licensed continuously since Jan 1, 1969, and for “emeritus” licensees (65+ with ≥ 15 years licensed) (cedengineering.com).
No board-preapproval for courses; recordkeeping (e.g., course name, provider, PDH hours) required for 3 years in case of audit (pdh-pro.com).
🗓️ Recent Updates
Effective May 24, 2024: Latest amendments to Chapter 49 finalized in State Register Vol 48, Issue 5 (law.cornell.edu).
Section 49‑201 (land surveyor qualifications) and Standards Manual were updated on May 27, 2022 (law.cornell.edu).
✅ Summary Snapshot
Topic
Highlights
Licensure Requirements
Education + experience + NCEES exams (FE/PE for engineers; FLS/PLS/state for surveyors)
Tier System (A/B)
A: full-spectrum surveying; B: limited residential subdivision/drainage services
Firm Registration
COA required, responsible charge licensing wind-down
Professional Conduct
Ethical practice, truthful marketing, competence
Survey Standards
Maps/plats must meet format, monumentation, accuracy, certification requirements
Continuing Competency
30 PDH/2 yrs; carryover up to 15; audit-ready documentation; exemptions apply
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