A land survey is a professional measurement and mapping process that precisely identifies a parcel’s boundaries, corner locations, physical features and any legal encumbrances (easements, rights‑of‑way). The output is an authoritative map/plan and written report used for transactions, lending, permitting and construction.
Licensed professional land surveyors perform surveys. Licensing ensures statutory standards, professional liability insurance, and that deliverables meet local recorder, lender and title company requirements. Using an unlicensed person risks inaccurate boundaries and invalid legal documents.
Many lenders and title companies require a survey (or an ALTA/NSPS survey) to issue title insurance without heavy exceptions. Surveys reveal exceptions that might need resolution or endorsement before closing.
Surveys guide foundation placement, setbacks, utility routing and permit approval. Without an accurate survey you risk building over setbacks or easements, which can lead to costly rework, fines or legal disputes.
Confirms property lines and corner markers. Use it for purchases, resolving disputes and setting fence lines.
Basic mortgage surveys verify that structures match the legal description and show visible improvements. Lenders typically accept them for standard home loans but may require more detailed surveys for complex properties.
ALTA/NSPS surveys are the most detailed standard for commercial and many residential transactions. They follow jointly published standards and include title-related research, easement detail and surveyor certifications often required by lenders and title companies for commercial loans or high‑value transactions.
Used when grades, slopes, drainage, cut/fill and elevations affect design or permitting—common for site planning, stormwater design and infrastructure projects.
As‑built surveys map the exact locations of completed improvements; Improvement Location Certificates (ILCs) are a quicker, less detailed certificate frequently accepted by municipalities for permitting or by title companies as interim evidence.
Subdivision surveys create new lot plats; construction staking transfers design to the field; boundary line adjustments reconfigure adjacent parcels—each is specialized and used during development.
Plats (recorded in county records) depict lots based on earlier surveys. A field or record survey shows current, as-measured conditions tied to the point of beginning. Old recorded surveys may be useful background but often need verification in the field.
Exact boundary lines, distances, bearings, and monuments (iron pins, concrete markers); the survey ties these to the legal description used in deeds.
Shows recorded easements for utilities, driveways, stormwater, and any reciprocal access agreements that limit use of parts of the property.
Notes required setbacks and any designated building envelopes that restrict where structures may go under zoning codes.
Existing buildings, decks, fences, pools and driveways are shown so you can spot encroachments or improvements located in restricted areas.
Surface utilities (poles, meters) are usually shown; underground utilities may be included if marked or located, but many surveyors recommend contacting utility locators or 811 before relying on underground information.
Contours, spot elevations, slopes, and critical features like retaining walls, swales and ponds appear on topo surveys for design and drainage analysis.
The certification states who performed the work, the standards followed, the adopted datum/basis of bearing and any accuracy limits or exclusions—essential for legal and permitting use.
Bearings give direction; distances give length. Together they form the metes and bounds that match the written legal description in a deed.
Survey maps identify physical monuments and benchmarks; these are the real‑world markers you can locate in the field—important for staking or resolving disputes.
Read notes to learn limits on use, maintenance responsibilities and what the surveyor did not locate (e.g., unrecorded easements). The certification explains the survey’s scope and limitations.
First‑time buyers should strongly consider a survey during due diligence. Experienced buyers sometimes rely on existing surveys but should get updated work when improvements, disputes or significant value are at stake.
Refis may require a basic mortgage survey or ILC; new commercial loans often require an ALTA/NSPS survey. Check lender requirements early.
Always get a survey before placing permanent improvements to avoid encroaching on setbacks, easements or neighbors’ property.
Order a boundary survey to document actual lines and provide evidence for negotiation or legal action.
Recorded plats are useful background but may not reflect current conditions. If improvements, subdivisions, or time (decades) have altered the site, get a current field survey.
Survey costs are negotiable. Include survey contingencies or specify who pays in the purchase agreement to avoid surprises during escrow.
When ALTA/NSPS surveys are required, the buyer/borrower usually pays because the loan or title insurance often drives the requirement. Clarify in contract negotiations.
Costs vary by region: simple residential lots often run a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars; ALTA surveys or complex rural lots can be several thousand. Factors: lot size, irregular shapes, heavy vegetation, terrain difficulty, need to locate old monuments and required research.
Simple surveys: days to 1–2 weeks. Complex or ALTA surveys with title research and coordination: 2–6 weeks or more, depending on records retrieval and field conditions.
Expedited services usually cost extra. Additional fees apply for construction staking, monument replacement, extensive research, travel or difficult access.
Typical problems include a fence or shed on a neighbor’s land, conflicting deed descriptions, missing corner markers, or recorded easements not located in the field.
Options include voluntary boundary agreements or easement grants, quiet title suits to resolve ownership questions, or (in very specific circumstances) adverse possession claims. Consult a real estate attorney for legal remedies.
Title policies often exclude matters shown on a survey unless the insurer agrees to remove or insure over them. ALTA surveys reduce unknowns and help obtain endorsements to cover survey‑related risks.
ALTA/NSPS surveys follow an industry standard that combines field surveying with title research to identify matters affecting title: recorded easements, access, use restrictions, and more. They are more comprehensive and strict than basic boundary or mortgage surveys.
ALTA surveys typically require: a current title commitment, review of recorded exceptions, identification of easements and encroachments, certification language, and optional items (utility locations, elevation certificates). Lenders and title companies specify required options in the title commitment.
Clients can add options (e.g., utility locations, topo contours, flood elevations, floodplain limits) when risks exist. Discuss options with your surveyor and lender to balance cost and risk.
ILCs are quicker and less expensive but less authoritative. They may be accepted for some closings or permits but don’t replace a boundary survey when precise legal boundaries are required.
Staking temporarily marks corners and building layouts for contractors. It’s a field service that complements a survey but is not a substitute for recorded documentation.
County plats and GIS layers are useful for early research but can be outdated or inaccurate. Use them for preliminary decisions, but get a field survey for legal, lending or construction use.
Contracts should state the scope, assumptions, exclusions, schedule and payment terms. Deliverables typically include a sealed survey map, written certification, field notes and — often by request — digital files (PDF, CAD).
Possibly. Many lenders and title companies require a survey or ILC. Ask your lender and title company early; buyers often pay.
There’s no fixed expiration. Validity depends on whether conditions changed (new improvements, subdividing). If changes occurred since the survey, get an update.
Not always. Surface utilities are shown if visible; locate underground utilities through utility‑locating services (811) or by contracting subsurface utility engineering if needed.
Sometimes for background, but if accuracy, changes or legal certainty matter, order a new field survey.
Start with communication and show the findings. If unresolved, hire a surveyor to re‑examine monuments and consider legal options (boundary agreement, quiet title).
Scenario: Buyer orders a boundary survey during due diligence. The survey shows the fence and a backyard shed extend 4 feet over the recorded property line onto the neighbor’s lot (encroachment). The lender required a mortgage survey; the title commitment flagged the issue.
Sample questions: ask for license number, proof of insurance, typical turnaround time, scope (ALTA vs. boundary), and deliverables. For licensing info, search “[Your State] board of professional surveyors.” For ALTA/NSPS standards, search “ALTA/NSPS land survey standards.”
Want a ready-to-use one‑page checklist for buyers, sellers or contractors? I can create and format a downloadable PDF tailored to your audience — tell me which version you want and I’ll prepare it.
What Does “Land Survey” Mean in Real Estate? — Definition, Types, Costs & When You Need One
Clear, plain-language guide to land surveys — what they show, types (ALTA, boundary, topo), costs, who pays, and how to handle problems.
land survey, land survey meaning, real estate survey, ALTA survey, boundary survey, property survey cost, do I need a survey
If you’d like, I can: convert this into a full-length article with suggested word counts per section, produce the FAQ answers ready for schema markup, or create the downloadable one-page checklist for buyers, sellers or contractors — tell me which and I’ll prepare it.
