542B.2  Terms defined.
  1.  The “board” means the engineering and land surveying examining board provided by this chapter.
  2.  The term “engineering documents” as used in this chapter includes all plans, specifications, drawings, and reports, if the preparation of such documents constitutes or requires the practice of engineering.
  3.  The term “engineer intern” as used in this chapter means a person who passes an examination in the fundamental engineering subjects, but does not entitle the person to claim to be a professional engineer.
  4.  The term “in responsible charge” as used in this chapter means having direct control of and personal supervision over any land surveying work or work involving the practice of engineering. One or more persons, jointly or severally, may be in responsible charge.
  5.  a.  The practice of “land surveying” includes providing professional services such as consultation, investigation, testimony, evaluation, planning, mapping, assembling, and interpreting reliable scientific measurements and information relative to the location of property lines or boundaries, and the utilization, development, and interpretation of these facts into an orderly survey, plat, or map. The practice of land surveying includes, but is not limited to, the following:
  (1)  Locating, relocating, establishing, reestablishing, setting, or resetting of permanent monumentation for any property line or boundary of any tract or parcel of land. Setting permanent monuments constitutes an improvement to real property.
  (2)  Making any survey for the division or subdivision of any tract or parcel of land.
  (3)  Determination, by the use of the principles of land surveying, of the position for any permanent survey monument or reference point, or setting, resetting, or replacing any survey monument or reference point excluding the responsibility of engineers pursuant to section 314.8.
  (4)  Creating and writing metes and bounds descriptions as defined in section 354.2.
  (5)  Geodetic surveying for determination of the size and shape of the earth both horizontally and vertically for the precise positioning of permanent land survey monuments on the earth utilizing angular and linear measurements through spatially oriented spherical geometry.
  (6)  Creation, preparation, or modification of electronic or computerized data, including land information systems and geographical information systems, relative to the performance of the activities identified in subparagraphs (1) through (5).
  b.  This subsection does not prohibit a professional engineer from practicing any aspect of the practice of engineering. A land surveyor is not prohibited from performing engineering surveys as defined in the practice of engineering.
  c.  A person is construed to be engaged in or offering to be engaged in the practice of land surveying if the person does any of the following:
  (1)  Engages in land surveying.
  (2)  Makes a representation by verbal claim, sign, advertisement, letterhead, card, or other manner that the person is a land surveyor.
  (3)  Uses any title which implies that the person is a land surveyor or that the person is licensed under this chapter.
  (4)  Holds the person’s self out as able to perform, or who does perform, any service or work included in the practice of land surveying.
  6.  The term “land surveying documents” as used in this chapter includes all plats, maps, surveys, and reports, if the preparation thereof constitutes or requires the practice of land surveying.
  7.  The term “land surveyor” as used in this chapter shall mean a person who engages in the practice of land surveying as defined in this section.
  8.  “Practice of engineering” as used in this chapter means any service or creative work, the adequate performance of which requires engineering education, training, and experience in the application of special knowledge of the mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, such as consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning, design and design coordination of engineering works and systems, planning the use of land and water, performing engineering surveys and studies, and the review of construction for the purpose of monitoring compliance with drawings and specifications, any of which embraces such services or creative work, either public or private, in connection with any utilities, structures, buildings, machines, equipment, processes, work systems, projects, and industrial or consumer products or equipment of a mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or thermal nature, insofar as they involve safeguarding life, health, or property, and including such other professional services as may be necessary to the planning, progress, and completion of the services identified in this paragraph. “Design coordination” includes the review and coordination of technical submissions prepared by others, including as appropriate and without limitation, consulting engineers, architects, landscape architects, land surveyors, and other professionals working under the direction of the engineer. “Engineering surveys” includes all survey activities required to support the sound conception, planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of engineered projects, but excludes the surveying of real property for the establishment of land boundaries, rights-of-way, easements, and the dependent or independent surveys or resurveys of the public land survey system.
  A person is construed to be engaged in the practice of engineering if the person does any of the following:
  a.  Practices any branch of the profession of engineering.
  b.  Makes a representation by verbal claim, sign, advertisement, letterhead, card, or other manner that the person is a professional engineer.
  c.  Uses any title which implies that the person is a professional engineer or that the person is certified under this chapter.
  d.  The person holds the person’s self out as able to perform, or who does perform, any service or work included in the practice of engineering.
  9.  The term “professional engineer” as used in this chapter means a person, who, by reason of the person’s knowledge of mathematics, the physical sciences, and the principles of engineering, acquired by professional education or practical experience, is qualified to engage in the practice of engineering.
[C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §1855; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §114.2]
84 Acts, ch 1104, §2
C93, §542B.2
94 Acts, ch 1107, §13; 95 Acts, ch 65, §2, 3; 98 Acts, ch 1037, §1