AB 2435: Professional engineering, geology, geophysics, and land surveying: practice without a license: administrative penalties.
<p>The proposed bill amends the Professional Land Surveyors Act to establish tiered penalties for individuals who practice land surveying without proper authorization. For a first offense, the penalty includes specified fines and possible jail time. Subsequent offenses (second and third convictions) also carry increased penalties including higher fines and extended periods of incarceration.</p>
| Jun. 15, 2026 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. |
| Jun. 10, 2026 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D. |
| May. 27, 2026 | Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and PUB. S. |
| May. 14, 2026 | In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. |
| May. 14, 2026 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 5056.) |
| Amended IN Senate June 10, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly April 15, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly March 16, 2026 |
| Introduced by Assembly Member Chen |
February 20, 2026 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
Existing law, the Professional Land Surveyors’ Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of land surveyors by the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. The act prohibits a person from practicing land surveying unless appropriately licensed or specifically exempted from licensure. Under the act, a person who practices, or offers to practice, land surveying without applicable legal authorization is guilty of a misdemeanor.
This bill would specify tiered penalties, including specified fines and jail time, for a first, 2nd, or 3rd conviction for practicing land surveying without legal authorization.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 6787.5 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:6787.5.
Notwithstanding paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 125.9 and Section 148, the executive officer may issue a citation to a person or entity, and that person or entity shall be subject to an administrative fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) and not more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for each violation of practicing or offering to practice civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering without a license issued by the board pursuant to this chapter unless the person or entity is otherwise authorized by law. The maximum fine for unlicensed activity is separate from and not inclusive of fines for other violations.SEC. 2.
Section 7872.5 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:7872.5.
Notwithstanding paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 125.9 and Section 148, the executive officer may issue a citation to a person or entity, and that person or entity shall be subject to an administrative fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) and not more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for each violation of practicing or offering to practice geology or geophysics without a license issued by the board pursuant to this chapter unless the person or entity is otherwise authorized by law. The maximum fine for unlicensed activity is separate from and not inclusive of fines for other violations.SEC. 3.
Section 8792.5 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:8792.5.
Notwithstanding paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 125.9 and Section 148, the executive officer may issue a citation to a person or entity, and that person or entity shall be subject to an administrative fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) and not more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for each violation of practicing or offering to practice land surveying without a license issued by the board pursuant to this chapter unless the person or entity is otherwise authorized by law. The maximum fine for unlicensed activity is separate from and not inclusive of fines for other violations.A person who does any of the following is guilty of a misdemeanor:
(a)Unless the person is exempt from licensure under this chapter, practices, or offers to practice, land surveying in this state without legal authorization. A violation of this subdivision is subject to the following penalties:
(1)A first conviction is punishable by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(2)A second conviction is punishable by a fine not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(3)A third or subsequent conviction is punishable by a fine not less than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(b)Presents as their own the certificate of a land surveyor-in-training or the license of a professional land surveyor unless they are the person named on the certificate or the license.
(c)Attempts to file as their own any record of survey under the license of a professional land surveyor.
(d)Gives false evidence of any kind to the board, or to any board member, in obtaining a certificate or a license.
(e)Impersonates or uses the seal, signature, or license number of a professional land surveyor or who uses a false license number.
(f)Impersonates or uses the certificate number of a land surveyor-in-training or who uses a false certificate.
(g)Uses an expired, suspended, surrendered, or revoked certificate or license.
(h)Represents themselves as, or uses the title of, professional land surveyor, or any other title whereby that person could be considered as practicing or offering to practice land surveying, unless the person is correspondingly qualified by licensure as a land surveyor under this chapter.
(i)Uses the title, or any combination of that title, of “professional land surveyor,” “licensed land surveyor,” “land surveyor,” or the titles specified in Sections 8751 and 8775, or “land surveyor-in-training,” or who makes use of any abbreviation of that title that might lead to the belief that the person is a licensed land surveyor or holds a certificate as a land surveyor-in-training, without being licensed or certified as required by this chapter.
(j)Unless appropriately licensed, manages, or conducts as manager, proprietor, or agent, any place of business from which land surveying work is solicited, performed, or practiced, except as authorized pursuant to Section 6731.2.
(k)Violates any provision of this chapter.