Complaints and Enforcement
The Board is authorized by state law to regulate the practice of engineering and surveying in the State of Mississippi. If an unlicensed person practices engineering or surveying, the Board is authorized to pursue disciplinary action, and perhaps even legal action, against that person. The Board is further authorized to pursue disciplinary action against a licensee for any violation of the licensure laws and its rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Code of Conduct and the Standards of Surveying.
The Board’s authority, however, does not extend to individual business matters such as contract disputes, disagreements regarding fees, boundary line disputes or financial damages that may be incurred because of an improper survey. Gross negligence in the performance of an engineer or surveyor’s work though may be actionable, upon presentment of substantial evidence to the Board.
The Complaint Process: Filing a Charge
A charge, as defined by the Board’s administrative rules, refers to any allegation brought to the Board against a licensee or other person arising from a violation of the laws or rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Code of Conduct and the Standards of Surveying. A charge may be made by anyone who believes a violation may have occurred.
- Charges may be made in writing by the person or persons having first-hand actual knowledge of the facts giving rise to the alleged violation(s).
- Written charges shall be made on forms prescribed by the Board, which are available from the Board. All written charges made to the Board must include the name and address of the person making the charge and the licensee or individual against whom the charge is made, a concise statement of the charge, all relevant facts upon which the charge is based, and a statement of the relief sought. Written charges shall be signed by the person making the charge.
- Charges may also be made anonymously. Such charges also shall be made in writing on forms prescribed by the Board but need not disclose the name or address of the person making the charge. Anonymous charges need not be signed by the person making the charge.
- A person filing a charge must include all documentation or such other evidence as may support the charge.
- While the Board will initiate an investigation upon all written charges in which the person making the charge is disclosed, the Board will only pursue an investigation upon anonymous charges which present sufficient facts upon which the charge is based and sufficient evidence to prove the charge alleged.
- In instances in which the Board is presented with prima facie evidence of a violation of the laws or its rules and regulations, a written charge is not required.
- Charges may be submitted by regular mail or via email at: information@pepls.state.ms.us.
The blank complaint form is available below: