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MississippiHB 11502026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Licensure of land surveyors; merge into licensure of engineers.

Sponsored By: Lee Yancey (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Judiciary ABusiness and Financial InstitutionsAccountability, Efficiency, Transparency

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 6 mixed.

New licenses for engineers and surveyors

Beginning July 1, 2026, people and firms must meet the law’s rules to offer surveying in Mississippi. Professional engineers generally need an approved bachelor’s degree and four years of qualifying experience; surveyors have several education and experience pathways, from a surveying degree to a high school diploma and 12 years of experience. The board also sets exams and can license qualified applicants from other places, including through approved international engineering agreements. Firms offering these services need a board certificate and a Mississippi-licensed engineer or surveyor in a responsible role; narrow exceptions apply.

Penalties and appeals for engineers and surveyors

The board can discipline people and firms for engineering or surveying violations, including unlicensed work and work with an expired, suspended, or revoked license. Penalties include reprimands, required coursework, suspension or revocation, and fines of $100 to $5,000 per violation; unlicensed surveying can also bring up to three months in jail, investigation expenses, and court costs. People can appeal specified licensing decisions in chancery court, but child-support-related license suspensions must use the appeal route in the child-support law. The board no longer has to hold a hearing solely because an engineer was expelled from a professional engineering society.

Higher fees for engineers and surveyors

License applications cost no more than $150, and intern applications cost no more than $50. Firm certificates cost $350 for one year or $700 for two years; late firm renewals add 10% per month. License renewal caps are $100 or $200 for one or two years, and $150 or $300 for dual licenses; late fees are capped at five times the normal renewal fee. After a license has been expired for six months, the person needs a new application, back fees, and proof of continuing competency, but the board can no longer require an exam just because the license expired five years ago.

Local governments can make public maps

Mississippi cities and counties can make maps for planning, zoning, elections, public safety, public works, and other listed activities. A map without a professional surveyor’s seal and signature is not an official survey and is not certified as accurate in position or location.

Surveyors can enter land for work

Surveyors and their supervised staff can enter public or private land while doing survey work without civil trespass liability. They must announce who they are and why they are there, and show identification when asked. They remain liable for damage they cause, and the trespass law recognizes this limited surveyor exception beginning July 1, 2026.

New limits on engineering work exemptions

The law removes several former exemptions from engineering licensing rules, including exemptions for some government, industrial, utility, and other work. The board can still exempt specific tasks done by qualifying full-time company employees, but must decide case by case that public health is not endangered and the professions are not diminished. Geologic mapping outside the legal scope of surveying remains exempt. Railroad employees can survey railroad facilities as part of their jobs; Class I railroads must use a Mississippi surveyor for new rail-line rights-of-way and keep certain surveys from abandoned lines available to licensed surveyors.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Lee Yancey

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 407 • No: 2

House vote • 3/25/2026

Concurred in Amend From Senate

Yes: 122 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/11/2026

Passed As Amended

Yes: 50 • No: 1

House vote • 2/11/2026

Passed As Amended

Yes: 117 • No: 0

House vote • 2/10/2026

Passed As Amended

Yes: 118 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Approved by Governor

    4/6/2026legislature

  2. Enrolled Bill Signed

    3/27/2026Senate

  3. Enrolled Bill Signed

    3/27/2026House

  4. Concurred in Amend From Senate

    3/25/2026House

  5. Returned For Concurrence

    3/13/2026Senate

  6. Passed As Amended

    3/11/2026Senate

  7. Amended

    3/11/2026Senate

  8. Title Suff Do Pass As Amended

    2/27/2026Senate

  9. DR - TSDPAA: BF To AC

    2/26/2026Senate

  10. Referred To Business and Financial Institutions;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

    2/19/2026Senate

  11. Transmitted To Senate

    2/13/2026House

  12. Passed As Amended

    2/11/2026House

  13. Amended

    2/11/2026House

  14. Reconsidered

    2/11/2026House

  15. Motion to Reconsider Entered (Yancey, Hood, Yates)

    2/10/2026House

  16. Passed As Amended

    2/10/2026House

  17. Amended

    2/10/2026House

  18. Committee Substitute Adopted

    2/10/2026House

  19. Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub

    2/2/2026House

  20. Referred To Judiciary A

    1/19/2026House

Bill Text

  • Amendment No 1 (Cmte Sub) (Adopted)

    HTMLPDF

  • Amendment No 1 to Committee Amendment No 1 (Adopted)

    HTMLPDF

  • Amendment No 2 (Cmte Sub) (Adopted)

    HTMLPDF

  • Amendment No 2 to Committee Amendment No 1 (Lost)

    HTMLPDF

  • As Introduced

    HTMLPDF

  • As Passed

    HTMLPDF

  • Committee Amendment No 1 (Adopted)

    HTMLPDF

  • Committee Substitute

    HTMLPDF

  • Enrolled

    HTMLPDF

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