1.2 Statutory Definition of Land Surveying

According to the Registration Law, Section 2. Definitions
"Practice of Land Surveying" means the practice of that branch of the profession of engineering which involves the location, relocation, establishment, reestablishment or retracement of any property line or boundary of any parcel of land or any road right-of-way, easement or alignment; the use of principles of land surveying, determination of the position of any monument or reference point which marks a property line boundary, or corner setting, resetting or replacing any such monument or individual point including the writing of deed descriptions; managing or conducting as managers, proprietors or agent any place of business from which land surveying work is solicited, performed or practiced; . . . (p.2)
"Professional Land Surveyor" means an individual licensed and registered under the laws of this Commonwealth to engage in the practice of land surveying. A professional land surveyor may perform engineering land surveys but may not practice any other branch of engineering. (p.3)
"Engineering Land Surveys" means surveys for: (i) the development of any tract of land including the incidental design of related improvements, such as line and grade extension of roads, sewers and grading but not requiring independent engineering judgment: Provided, however, That tract perimeter surveys shall be the function of the Professional Land Surveyor; (ii) the determination of the configuration or contour of the earth’s surface, or the position of fixed objects thereon or related thereto by means of measuring lines and angles and applying the principles of mathematics, photogrammetry or other measurement method; (iii) geodetic survey, underground survey and hydrographic survey; (iv) storm water management surveys and sedimentation and erosion control surveys; (v) the determination of the quantities of materials; (vi) tests for water percolation in soils; and (vii) the preparation of plans and specifications and estimates of proposed work and attendant costs as described in this section. (p.3)
Commentary: The quoted definitions are nominal definitions, i.e. they give the meaning of terms as they are used in the Act. For purposes of the Act, land surveying is a branch of engineering, the proper and exclusive concern of which is the boundary of a tract of land. Its function is the demarcation and description of boundary lines and corners, according to the principles of land surveying. These principles are the laws governing boundaries and the rules of construction, as well as the laws of several mathematical disciplines and the rules of making and adjusting measurements. Land Surveyors may also perform engineering land surveys. This hybrid category includes virtually all the engineering entailed in the development of land: topographic surveying, complete engineering design (street and utility extensions, storm water management facilities, soil tests, and sedimentation and erosion control plans), construction stake-out and as-built plans. It also extends surveying to the entire surface of the earth, both land and water, as well as above and below the surface of the earth.