The short answer
- Start with why you need the survey. A fence, a home purchase, flood insurance and a new building each call for a different type.
- Look for an existing survey or plat first, then gather your deed and any title documents for the surveyor.
- Hire a land surveyor licensed in your state, agree on the scope and price in writing, and make the property easy to access on survey day.
On this page
Step 1: Know why you need the survey
The reason for the survey decides which kind to order. Ordering the wrong one is the most common and most expensive mistake, so start here.
- Putting up a fence or settling a line question with a neighbor
- A boundary survey, often with the line staked or flagged
- Buying, selling or refinancing a home
- A property (mortgage) survey that shows the house and improvements — confirm with your lender or title company
- Getting or renewing flood insurance
- A FEMA elevation certificate
- Designing a house, addition, pool or drainage fix
- A topographic survey, usually combined with the boundary
- Buying or financing commercial property
- An ALTA/NSPS land title survey
- Dividing one parcel into two
- A lot split survey and the drawings your city or county requires
| If you're… | You probably need |
|---|---|
| Putting up a fence or settling a line question with a neighbor | A boundary survey, often with the line staked or flagged |
| Buying, selling or refinancing a home | A property (mortgage) survey that shows the house and improvements — confirm with your lender or title company |
| Getting or renewing flood insurance | A FEMA elevation certificate |
| Designing a house, addition, pool or drainage fix | A topographic survey, usually combined with the boundary |
| Buying or financing commercial property | An ALTA/NSPS land title survey |
| Dividing one parcel into two | A lot split survey and the drawings your city or county requires |
Tip: If a lender, title company, engineer or city asked for the survey, ask them for their requirements in writing and pass them to the surveyor.
Step 2: Check for an existing survey
You may already have useful records. Look through your closing packet — buyers often receive a copy of the survey used at closing. Your title company may also have one on file.
Your county's register or recorder of deeds keeps recorded plats and deeds, and many counties put them online. A recorded plat shows how the subdivision was laid out, but it isn't a survey of your lot as it is today. Online parcel (GIS) maps are handy for a rough picture, but their lines can be off by several feet and can't be used to place a fence.
Step 3: Gather what the surveyor will ask for
- The property address and parcel or tax ID number
- Your deed, or at least its legal description
- Any earlier survey, plat or closing documents
- The title commitment, if you're buying or refinancing
- Requirements from your lender, title company, HOA or city permit office
- Your deadline, such as a closing date or permit appointment
Step 4: Hire a licensed land surveyor
Only a professional land surveyor licensed in your state can legally establish property lines and sign a survey. In Kansas, surveyors are licensed by the State Board of Technical Professions; in Missouri, by the board that oversees architects, engineers and land surveyors. Your state board can confirm that a surveyor's license is active.
Describe the job clearly and ask what the quote includes: new corner pins if any are missing, staking or flagging, certification to your lender or title company, recording, and how many copies or file formats you'll receive. Get the scope, price and schedule in writing before work starts.
Tip: Survey Coordinator does the finding for you: send one request and we'll match it with a licensed surveyor who works in your county and handles that type of survey.
Step 5: Get ready for survey day
- Unlock gates and make sure the crew can reach every corner of the lot
- Keep dogs and other pets inside
- Point out any pins or markers you know about — and don't move or remove them
- Give neighbors a heads-up that a crew may walk along the shared line
- Ask whether you need to be home; often you don't
Step 6: What the surveyor does
Much of the work happens before anyone visits. The surveyor researches your deed, the plat and your neighbors' records, then plans where to look for monuments.
In the field, the crew measures with GPS and survey instruments, searches for existing corner pins, and compares what they find with the records. If corners are missing, the surveyor may set new pins. Wooden stakes or bright flagging may be left to mark corners or a line. Back in the office, the surveyor resolves any differences, drafts the drawing and signs it under their license.
Step 7: Read your survey
Your survey is a scaled drawing with notes. The parts to look at first:
- Boundary lines with bearings (directions) and distances
- Corner monuments, marked as found or set
- Buildings, fences, driveways and other improvements, with distances to the lines
- Easements, such as utility or drainage strips
- Anything that crosses a line (an encroachment)
- Notes, the flood zone if shown, and the surveyor's seal and signature
Tip: If something on the drawing is unclear, ask the surveyor. Explaining the results is part of the job.
Step 8: After the survey
Keep the signed copies with your property records and send copies to whoever asked for the survey. If the survey shows a problem — a fence over the line or a shed in an easement — the drawing is the starting point for a conversation with your neighbor, title company or city. For a dispute, talk with a real estate attorney.
Common questions
Can I survey my own property?
You can measure your yard, but only a licensed professional land surveyor can legally establish property lines and sign a survey. A homemade measurement won't hold up with a city, lender, title company or neighbor.
Are online county parcel maps accurate enough?
They're good for a rough idea of where a lot sits, but GIS parcel lines are approximate. Don't use them to place a fence or settle a dispute.
Do I need to be home during the survey?
Usually not, as long as the crew can reach the whole property. Ask the surveyor when you schedule.
Will the surveyor go onto my neighbor's property?
Surveyors sometimes need to check markers on adjoining lots. It's courteous to let neighbors know a crew may be working along the shared line.
How long does it take to get a property survey?
It depends on the survey type, the property, the weather and the surveyor's schedule. Share your deadline when you request the survey so the surveyor can tell you whether they can meet it.