Surveying Articles

The Push to Kill Surveying Licensure: Who’s Behind It and Why

“Deregulation means anyone with a drone and a YouTube tutorial could call themselves a ‘surveyor.’ Think about that.”

Imagine a world where your profession no longer requires a license. No formal education. No testing. No accountability. Just a drone, an app, and a self-proclaimed "expert" ready to sell surveying services to unsuspecting clients. Sound ridiculous? It’s already happening.

The push to deregulate surveying licensure isn’t just some fringe movement—it’s a coordinated effort by powerful lobbying groups, tech companies, and corporate developers who see licensure as an “obstacle” to their profits. If they succeed, surveying won’t just be devalued—it will be overrun by unqualified operators creating inaccurate data, driving down industry standards, and flooding the market with unreliable results.

Surveyors must wake up to this threat. Licensure isn’t about gatekeeping—it’s about protecting public trust, property rights, and professional standards. Without it, anyone can claim to be a surveyor, leading to boundary disputes, infrastructure failures, and a race to the bottom where the cheapest, least-qualified provider wins.

This fight isn’t theoretical. Deregulation efforts have already caused chaos in places like Texas and Australia, where well-meaning but dangerously uninformed lawmakers rolled back licensing requirements—only to reverse course after real-world disasters unfolded. (Learn how these same deregulation tactics are being used to dismantle NOAA.)

The push to kill surveying licensure isn’t inevitable—but stopping it requires immediate action. If surveyors don’t fight back now, they’ll wake up in a world where precision and expertise are optional, and lawsuits and rework are the new industry standard.

If you want to understand how surveying data is already being taken out of professionals’ hands, read about the corporate battle over geospatial knowledge.

Follow the Money: Who Gains from Deregulating Surveying?

Surveyors don’t need to guess why licensure is under attack—just follow the money. The push to kill surveying licensure isn’t about “free markets” or “cutting red tape.” It’s about who profits when professional standards disappear.

The usual suspects? Tech startups, real estate developers, and political groups that view licensing as an inconvenience rather than a safeguard. Let’s break down the key players behind this effort and why they want surveyors out of the way.

1. Tech Companies and Startups

Surveying licensure is a roadblock for companies developing AI-driven mapping platforms, drone-based scanning services, and automated boundary detection systems. Their business model depends on convincing customers that technology alone can replace licensed professionals.

• If licensure remains, their products can only be marketed as “assisting” professionals.
• If licensure is removed, they can market their AI tools as complete replacements for surveyors.

That’s the goal: eliminate human oversight, sell software as the new standard, and flood the market with cheap, automated services that prioritize speed over accuracy. (See how AI is already being positioned as a surveying alternative.)

2. Real Estate Developers and Construction Firms

Surveying ensures boundaries are legally sound, buildings are properly placed, and disputes are minimized. Developers and construction firms, however, see surveying as just another line item on a budget—one they’d love to cut.

• A licensed surveyor ensures compliance, but compliance costs money.
• If deregulated, developers can use cheaper, unlicensed “surveying technicians”—even if that leads to inaccurate property lines and costly mistakes down the road.

This short-term thinking is why Texas developers pushed for deregulation in 2021—only to see property disputes surge when boundary data became unreliable. (Learn how deregulation has already failed in the real world.)

3. Libertarian Think Tanks and Political Groups

Organizations like the Cato Institute and Americans for Prosperity have long argued that professional licensing is anti-competitive and stifles economic freedom. Their pitch? Anyone who can do a job should be able to do it—regardless of training or expertise.

Sounds nice in theory—until you realize:

• Surveying isn’t optional—it’s a legal necessity for property rights and infrastructure integrity.
• Removing licensing protections turns surveying into a race to the bottom, where price—not accuracy—determines success.

This ideological push for deregulation ignores the real-world consequences: flooded markets, declining professional standards, and an increase in costly errors.

Deregulation Is a Business Strategy—Not a Public Service

Licensure isn’t just about protecting surveyors—it’s about ensuring the public gets accurate, legally defensible measurements. But for companies looking to maximize profits, accuracy is an obstacle, not a priority.

Surveyors must recognize this push is deliberate and well-funded—and fighting back requires an equally aggressive response. If you think this is bad, see how AI-driven mapping companies are already rewriting surveying’s role.

The question isn’t whether surveying licensure is under attack—it’s whether surveyors will defend it before it’s too late.

The False Promises of Deregulation

Deregulation advocates love to sell a dream: a world where surveying is cheaper, faster, and more “accessible.” They claim professional licensing is an outdated bureaucratic hurdle that blocks innovation and limits market competition.

But let’s strip away the marketing spin and look at what actually happens when licensing disappears.

The Reality: More Problems, Not More Innovation

What deregulation promises:
✅ More competition
✅ Lower costs
✅ Faster turnaround

What deregulation actually delivers:

❌ Unqualified operators flooding the market
❌ Boundary disputes and legal chaos
❌ Surge in litigation and project delays
❌ Loss of consumer trust in surveying

Ask yourself: Do we really want a surveying industry where the lowest bidder wins, even if their data is wrong?

Without Licensure, Accuracy is Optional

Surveying is about precision, legal integrity, and accountability. That’s not optional.

When a licensed surveyor makes a mistake, they’re held legally accountable. They can lose their license, face lawsuits, or be removed from the profession.

When an unlicensed drone operator makes a mistake? Who do you sue? Who corrects the damage? Who is responsible when boundaries are wrong?

• In a deregulated world, no one is responsible.
• Property rights become unclear.
• Courts are overwhelmed with land disputes.

This isn’t a hypothetical—we’ve seen it happen in deregulated markets. (See what happened when Texas tried to remove oversight on drone surveying.)

Deregulation Creates a Race to the Bottom

Here’s what happens when licensure disappears:

• Unqualified operators undercut professionals with lower prices.
• Clients don’t realize they’re getting bad data—until it’s too late.
• Surveyors are forced to fix costly mistakes, wasting time and resources.
• The public loses confidence in surveying as a profession.

Surveyors aren’t just competing against bad actors—they’re competing against a system designed to devalue their expertise.

If you think this is bad, see how AI-driven mapping is already trying to replace human surveyors.

Deregulation Isn’t Innovation—It’s Chaos

Surveyors must stop letting tech companies, real estate developers, and deregulation think tanks define the conversation.

• Licensure isn’t about gatekeeping—it’s about guaranteeing accuracy.
• Deregulation doesn’t increase competition—it increases confusion.
• Innovation isn’t about removing oversight—it’s about improving precision and accountability.

The truth is simple: Professional standards protect the public.

Without them, surveying isn’t a profession—it’s just a free-for-all.

Surveyors must take control of this narrative before it’s too late. Want to know how? Start here.

How Surveyors Can Fight Back

Surveyors don’t have the luxury of waiting for someone else to stop deregulation—because no one else will. The groups pushing for deregulation are organized, well-funded, and politically connected. If surveyors don’t match that level of engagement, licensure will be gutted before anyone realizes what happened.

The good news? Surveyors have power—but only if they use it. Here’s exactly how to fight back.

1. Educate Lawmakers on the Real-World Consequences

Most legislators don’t understand surveying. They assume it’s just drawing maps, pushing buttons on GPS, or flying drones. That ignorance makes them vulnerable to lobbying efforts that frame deregulation as harmless.

Your job? Make them understand the stakes.

• Show them real-world examples of deregulation disasters—property disputes, legal fights, and costly boundary mistakes.
• Explain why licensure protects the public—not just surveyors. Clients rely on surveyors to defend property rights, prevent disputes, and ensure accuracy.
• Talk money—Lawmakers respond to financial impact. Deregulation increases lawsuits, infrastructure errors, and government spending on corrections.

When lawmakers see that gutting licensure costs more than it saves, they’ll think twice. (See how surveyors have won fights like this before.)

2. Mobilize Your Professional Organizations

Surveyors can’t fight this alone. Deregulation groups are working across multiple states—so surveyors must do the same.

• Join organizations like NSPS (National Society of Professional Surveyors) and state-level surveying associations.
• Coordinate advocacy efforts across multiple states—because deregulation laws are often copy-pasted from one legislature to another.
• Support legal challenges against harmful deregulation bills—if bad laws pass, they need to be fought in court.

Surveyors need to stop thinking locally and start fighting nationally. If one state falls to deregulation, others will follow.

3. Public Outreach and Awareness: Make Surveying Visible

Surveyors have a massive public perception problem—most people don’t understand what surveyors do, which makes it easy for lawmakers to dismiss licensure as unnecessary.

That has to change.

• Use social media to explain surveying’s role in protecting property rights.
• Write articles and op-eds in local newspapers—connect surveying to real-world issues like property ownership, disaster recovery, and infrastructure safety.
• Give public talks at real estate and legal conferences—show industry leaders why they need licensed professionals.

The public won’t fight for surveyors if they don’t know why they should care. (See how surveyors can change public perception.)

4. Form Cross-Industry Alliances

Surveyors aren’t the only ones who need licensure. Attorneys, insurance companies, engineers, and real estate professionals all rely on accurate land data.

• Partner with these industries to fight deregulation together.
• Get legal groups involved—they understand the chaos that will follow if survey data becomes unreliable.
• Show insurers that deregulation increases liability risks—if boundaries are wrong, lawsuits will surge.

A coalition of industries fighting for licensure is far more powerful than surveyors acting alone.

Licensure Isn’t Bureaucracy—It’s Public Safety

Surveyors must stop playing defense and start driving the conversation. Deregulation isn’t about “innovation”—it’s about cutting corners, increasing corporate profits, and weakening public protections.

• Licensure exists for a reason.
• Surveyors protect land ownership, infrastructure, and legal boundaries.
• Deregulation isn’t progress—it’s chaos.

Surveyors must act now, before it’s too late. Want to know the next steps? Start here.

Your Next Steps: A Clear Path Forward

Deregulation isn’t some distant threat—it’s already happening. If surveyors don’t act now, licensure will be stripped away, and the profession will be flooded with unqualified operators offering cut-rate, inaccurate services.

But this fight isn’t over. Surveyors can win—if they mobilize before it’s too late. Here’s your clear, immediate action plan to protect surveying licensure.

1. Contact Your Legislators—Make Noise Now

Politicians need to hear from surveyors directly. If lawmakers only hear from tech lobbyists and deregulation advocates, they’ll assume surveyors don’t care. That has to change.

• Find out who your state and federal representatives are.
• Write a clear, direct letter explaining why licensure matters. Keep it short, but include real-world examples.
• Ask for a meeting—face-to-face advocacy is powerful.

Your message:
❌ Deregulation doesn’t lower costs—it increases lawsuits.
❌ Deregulation doesn’t encourage innovation—it devalues accuracy.
✅ Licensure protects property rights, public safety, and the economy.

Legislators don’t understand surveying unless you educate them. (Learn how surveyors successfully lobbied to protect NOAA.)

2. Engage Your Networks—Amplify Your Voice

Surveyors must stop being passive and start actively organizing. The only way to defeat well-funded deregulation efforts is to work together.

• Join NSPS and your state surveying association. These groups are fighting for licensure—but they need more members actively involved.
• Attend industry meetings and advocacy events. The more surveyors show up, the harder it is for legislators to ignore them.
• Encourage colleagues to get involved. One email to a lawmaker makes a difference. A hundred emails? That stops bad legislation in its tracks.

Surveyors can’t afford to sit this one out. If they do, they’ll wake up in a world where surveying is no longer a profession—just another unregulated gig economy job.

3. Educate the Public—Because Clients Don’t Know What’s at Stake

The biggest advantage deregulation advocates have? The public doesn’t understand surveying.

Most property owners assume boundaries are fixed and accurate. They don’t realize that bad data from unlicensed operators could put their property rights at risk.

• Use social media and blogs to explain why surveying requires expertise.
• Hold free community webinars about land rights and surveying’s role.
• Partner with real estate agents and attorneys to spread awareness.

If the public sees that **surveying isn’t just a job—it’s a critical safeguard for property ownership—**they’ll fight against deregulation, too. (See how public education is key to defending the profession.)

4. Build Industry-Wide Coalitions—Stronger Together

Surveyors don’t have to fight this alone. Attorneys, engineers, insurers, and real estate professionals all rely on accurate surveying.

• Connect with these industries and present a united front against deregulation.
• Demonstrate that inaccurate surveying impacts real estate values, liability, and public safety.
• Lobby together—multiple industries speaking out carry more weight than surveyors alone.

If surveyors build strong industry alliances, legislators will have no choice but to listen.

Conclusion: Deregulation Isn’t Inevitable—But Inaction Is a Death Sentence

Surveyors must stop assuming licensure will protect itself. It won’t. The forces pushing for deregulation are relentless, well-funded, and politically connected.

• Waiting isn’t an option.
• Silence is surrender.
• Deregulation doesn’t just hurt surveyors—it destroys public trust in land ownership.

The profession only survives if surveyors fight for it. The choice is simple:

🛑 Do nothing—and let surveying become a free-for-all with no standards.
✅ Take action—educate lawmakers, organize professionals, and fight to keep licensure intact.

Surveyors have defended their profession before. Now, they have to do it again.

Want to take action today? Start here.