The term “surveying instrument” refers to any equipment used to perform a surveying measurement. They range from simple measuring devices to sophisticated measuring instruments. Understanding the characteristics of each is, therefore, essential for the engineer to carefully select the appropriate instrument to meet the needs of an engineering project. Significant financial and human resources can be saved if engineers properly integrate equipment and field crews into their project schedules and technical requirements. Therefore, the engineer must understand the technical aspects of the surveying instrument that need to be considered when deciding on which instrument to choose. To assist them, the following guidelines are suggested: