Free Texas Specific Surveying Examination (TSSE) Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the Texas Specific Surveying Examination (TSSE) practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1A firm assigns boundary computations to an employee while the RPLS keeps direct control of the work. Which statutory term describes that relationship?

   1. A. Delegated responsible charge
   2. B. State land surveying
   3. C. Practice of engineering
   4. D. Surveyor-in-training supervision

   Answer: A

   Explanation: Texas Occupations Code §1071.002 defines delegated responsible charge as direct control of professional surveying work performed under an RPLS's supervision; the described arrangement fits that definition.

   Reference: Oc1071 — §1071.002(3)

2. 2Why did Texas retain control of its public domain after joining the United States?

   1. A. The United States did not accept Texas land as payment of the republic's debt
   2. B. Congress returned all federal land in 1876
   3. C. Mexico conveyed it to the Permanent School Fund
   4. D. County surveyors purchased it collectively

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The GLO history explains that federal annexation did not take Texas public land as debt payment, leaving the state in control of its land.

   Reference: 1876: Statehood and the Public School Fund — 1876: Statehood and the Public School Fund

3. 3For Chapter 21 public-land surveys, when is a stream statutorily navigable by its dimensions?

   1. A. When it retains an average width of 30 feet from its mouth upstream
   2. B. When its bank-to-bank width reaches 20 feet at one point
   3. C. When its channel is 50 feet wide during flood stage
   4. D. When its ordinary low-water width is 100 feet

   Answer: A

   Explanation: Natural Resources Code §21.001 defines a navigable stream by an average width of 30 feet retained from the mouth up.

   Reference: NR.21 — §21.001(3)

4. 4Under Texas land-measurement law, how many inches equal one vara?

   1. A. 33 1/3 inches
   2. B. 32 inches
   3. C. 34 inches
   4. D. 36 inches

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The GLO land-measurement guide and Natural Resources Code §21.077 define one vara as exactly 33 1/3 inches.

   Reference: Texas Land Measurements — Texas Land Measurements

5. 5Which Texas Supreme Court case supplies the measured mean-high-water approach commonly associated with seashore boundaries?

   1. A. Luttes v. State
   2. B. Ellison v. Three Rivers Acquisition
   3. C. Stribling v. Millican DPC Partners
   4. D. Miles v. Texas Central

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The Supreme Court's shoreline decisions identify Luttes as defining the seashore boundary through measured mean daily high-water levels.

   Reference: 200393 C 1 — page 6, Luttes discussion

6. 6Which evidence best establishes a GLO file's archival identity?

   1. A. A search-engine title
   2. B. A client shorthand
   3. C. The district, class, and file-number combination used by the GLO
   4. D. The current county parcel ID only

   Answer: C

   Explanation: The GLO surname-index instructions explain how district abbreviation, grant class, and file number combine to identify an original land-grant file.

   Reference: examples of School — GLOFILENAME explanation

7. 7Which Texas license authorizes surveying land in which the state or Permanent School Fund has an interest?

   1. A. Surveyor-in-training certificate
   2. B. Licensed State Land Surveyor license
   3. C. Registered engineering firm registration
   4. D. County platting authorization

   Answer: B

   Explanation: Section 1071.002 assigns that state-interest work to a Licensed State Land Surveyor.

   Reference: Oc1071 — §1071.002(5)

8. 8What is the present beneficiary of Texas public school land administered by the GLO?

   1. A. The county road fund
   2. B. The Permanent School Fund
   3. C. The federal treasury
   4. D. The railroad commission

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The GLO identifies public school land as land dedicated to the Permanent School Fund and administers it for public education.

   Reference: Generating Revenue with State Land — Generating Revenue with State Land

9. 9How should a survey for an individual front a navigable stream when existing survey lines permit?

   1. A. With the entire square frontage on the stream
   2. B. With one-half of the square fronting the stream and lines at right angles to its general course
   3. C. With one-quarter of the square fronting the stream and lines parallel to flow
   4. D. With frontage determined solely by acreage

   Answer: B

   Explanation: Section 21.012 prescribes one-half-square frontage and right-angle lines when prior surveyed lines permit.

   Reference: NR.21 — §21.012(a)

10. 10How many varas make one cordel in the GLO measurement guide?

    1. A. 36
    2. B. 50
    3. C. 66
    4. D. 100

    Answer: B

    Explanation: The GLO guide lists one cordel as 50 varas.

    Reference: Texas Land Measurements — Texas Land Measurements