How much does a land survey cost?

Pricing depends on parcel size, terrain, the type of survey, the availability of prior surveys, and the amount of research needed in deed and plat records. There is no national rate — each licensed surveyor sets pricing based on the scope of the specific job.

How long does a boundary survey take?

A straightforward residential boundary survey may take a few days to a couple of weeks from contract to final plat: title research, field work, drafting, internal review, and stamping. Complex or large parcels and ALTA/NSPS surveys take longer because of the additional research and documentation required.

Do I need a new survey if there is already a recorded plat?

Sometimes the recorded plat is sufficient — lenders, title companies, and buyers vary on whether they will accept an older plat. If the question is "where exactly is the line on the ground right now?", a new boundary survey gives an authoritative answer; a recorded plat from decades ago may not reflect current physical evidence.

What is the difference between a surveyor and a civil engineer?

A licensed surveyor measures and documents the existing site — the boundaries, the topography, and what is already on the ground. A civil engineer designs new improvements — grading, drainage, utilities, roads — typically using the surveyor's data as the input. The two disciplines often work together on the same project.

Are land surveys public records?

Recorded plats — those filed with the county register of deeds — are public records and can be obtained from the local courthouse. Surveys prepared for a private client (such as a stake-out for a fence) are typically not public unless they are recorded.

All glossary entries

What is a land survey?

A land survey is the professional measurement and mapping of a property — its legal boundaries, physical features, elevations, and improvements. Surveys are prepared by licensed land surveyors and serve as the authoritative record for real estate transactions, construction, and legal disputes.

Different survey types answer different questions. A boundary survey establishes where a property begins and ends. A topographic survey records elevations and natural features. An ALTA/NSPS survey is the comprehensive product used in commercial real estate closings. Each has its own scope, deliverable, and price range.

Boundary surveys

A boundary survey establishes the legal limits of a parcel. The surveyor researches the deed and surrounding parcels, locates physical evidence of the corners (existing pins, monuments, fences), measures the geometry, and sets new monuments where needed.

The deliverable is a plat — a scaled drawing showing the property lines, the bearings and distances of each line, the monuments found and set, and any encroachments. The plat is stamped and signed by the licensed surveyor.

Boundary surveys are commonly required for fence construction, property splits, easement disputes, and any project where the exact location of the line matters.

Topographic surveys

A topographic survey records the three-dimensional shape of the land — elevations of the ground surface, location of natural features such as streams and tree lines, and the location of improvements like buildings, driveways, and utilities.

The deliverable is a topographic map or a CAD file containing contour lines, spot elevations, and a planimetric base. This is the foundation a civil engineer or architect uses to design site grading, stormwater systems, septic systems, and building locations.

Topographic surveys are routinely required before any meaningful site design work — they are a precondition for septic design, grading permits, and stormwater plans on most non-trivial sites.

ALTA/NSPS land title surveys

An ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey is the comprehensive survey product used in commercial real estate transactions. It is performed under the joint standards published by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS).

The survey combines boundary, easement research, encroachments, improvements, and a long list of optional Table A items (utilities, zoning, flood-zone classification, parking counts, and others) into a single certified plat.

Title insurance companies, lenders, and buyers in commercial deals frequently require an ALTA/NSPS survey before closing.

Construction and staking surveys

Construction staking takes a designed site plan and physically marks the design on the ground — building corners, roadway centerlines, utility locations, drainage features — so the contractor can build to the plan with measurable accuracy.

As-built surveys do the reverse: after construction, the surveyor records what was actually built and produces an as-built drawing for the owner, the local jurisdiction, or the title company.

Both are recurring services that surveyors provide alongside boundary and topographic work, particularly on larger development projects.

Who can perform a land survey

Land surveys must be performed under the direct supervision of a licensed Professional Land Surveyor (PLS or RLS, depending on state). Licensing is administered state-by-state and typically requires a combination of education, supervised experience, and examinations.

Survey technicians and crew chiefs do much of the field and drafting work, but the final plat must be sealed by the licensed surveyor before it is legally valid.

How a survey fits into a project

For a residential property purchase, a boundary survey is often ordered during the closing process so the buyer knows what they are actually buying.

For new construction, the typical sequence is: boundary survey → topographic survey → site design (civil engineering and septic design) → permits → construction staking → final inspection and as-built.

Surveyors are tightly integrated with environmental consultants, septic designers, and civil engineers — each discipline builds on the survey data the previous one produced.

How ServGround fits in

ServGround manages the business workflow around survey work — client intake, parcel and project tracking, proposals, contracts, installment invoicing, and payment-gated delivery of the stamped survey plat. Surveyors stay in their existing field and drafting tools (Carlson, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Trimble) and use ServGround for everything else — the intake, the paperwork, the payments, the client communication.

See land surveying software

This article is for educational purposes only. Requirements vary by jurisdiction. Consult your state's licensing board or local authority for specific requirements that apply to your project.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a land survey cost?: Pricing depends on parcel size, terrain, the type of survey, the availability of prior surveys, and the amount of research needed in deed and plat records. There is no national rate — each licensed surveyor sets pricing based on the scope of the specific job.
How long does a boundary survey take?: A straightforward residential boundary survey may take a few days to a couple of weeks from contract to final plat: title research, field work, drafting, internal review, and stamping. Complex or large parcels and ALTA/NSPS surveys take longer because of the additional research and documentation required.
Do I need a new survey if there is already a recorded plat?: Sometimes the recorded plat is sufficient — lenders, title companies, and buyers vary on whether they will accept an older plat. If the question is "where exactly is the line on the ground right now?", a new boundary survey gives an authoritative answer; a recorded plat from decades ago may not reflect current physical evidence.
What is the difference between a surveyor and a civil engineer?: A licensed surveyor measures and documents the existing site — the boundaries, the topography, and what is already on the ground. A civil engineer designs new improvements — grading, drainage, utilities, roads — typically using the surveyor's data as the input. The two disciplines often work together on the same project.
Are land surveys public records?: Recorded plats — those filed with the county register of deeds — are public records and can be obtained from the local courthouse. Surveys prepared for a private client (such as a stake-out for a fence) are typically not public unless they are recorded.