FIG is administered by its General Assembly – delegates of the member associations and, as non-voting members, the Council, commission chairs and representatives of affiliates, corporate members and academic members – which meets annually during the FIG working week or the FIG congress. The General Assembly debates and approves policies. Polices are implemented by the Council which meets at least once a year during the Working Week/Congress (and usually meets or teleconferences in the intervening months).

The General Assembly appoints the Council, which consist of the the President of FIG and four Vice Presidents. The President and two Vice Presidents are elected at the General Assembly during the Congress year and two remaining Vice Presidents at the General Assembly two years after the Congress. In addition commission chairs appoint their representative to the Council (ACCO representative).

The work of the General Assembly and the Council is assisted by an Advisory Committee of Commission Officers (ACCO); ad hoc task forces appointed from time to time to review existing work plans and develop new strategies; and two permanent institutions: the Office International de Cadastre et du Régime Foncier (OICRF) and the International Institution for the History of Surveying and Measurement.