The Board of Professional Surveyors was created under Article 20 of PA 299 of 1980, as amended to license and regulate the practice of land surveying in Michigan. Article 20 defines a professional surveyor as a person who by reason of knowledge of law, mathematics, physical sciences, and techniques of measuring land acquired by professional education and practical experience is qualified to engage in the practice of professional surveying.

The board currently oversees the practice of approximately 1,038 professional surveyors