What is the purpose of a land survey?

A land survey precisely identifies a parcel's legal boundaries and maps its key physical features. Surveyors take field measurements against the legal description and recorded plats to mark property corners, then document structures, easements, and any encroachments. The survey settles boundary questions, guides construction and fencing, and is often required by lenders and title companies at closing.

What is included in a land survey?

A land survey includes a scaled drawing and the surveyor's certified report. It shows the measured boundary lines and lot dimensions, property corners, the legal description and parcel number, structures and improvements, recorded easements, and any encroachments crossing a boundary. More detailed surveys also note access, utilities, and setback lines depending on the survey type ordered.

What's the difference between a boundary survey and an ALTA survey?

A boundary survey establishes and physically marks the property lines — enough for fences or basic disputes. An ALTA/NSPS land title survey follows nationally adopted standards from the American Land Title Association and the National Society of Professional Surveyors, mapping boundaries, easements, improvements, access, and title matters for commercial deals. The ALTA is more comprehensive and costlier; the boundary survey is the common residential type.

What is an easement on a property survey?

An easement is a legal right someone else holds to use part of your property — commonly utility companies running lines, or a neighbor's right of access. Surveys map easements so you know where you can't build and what rights burden the land. Easements transfer with the property, so they affect future owners too.

How long should I keep a property survey?

Permanently. A survey doesn't expire and remains relevant for as long as you own the property — for boundary disputes, planning improvements, fencing, and informing future buyers. Because re-surveying is expensive, keeping the existing one saves money and gives you authoritative boundary evidence whenever a question comes up.

Property

Property Survey

A property survey (land survey) is a licensed surveyor's drawing and report mapping a parcel's exact boundaries, dimensions, and features. It shows the legal boundary lines, structures, easements, and encroachments, and is used to settle boundary questions, build, install fences, or close on real estate.

The current ALTA/NSPS Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for Land Title Surveys took effect February 23, 2026, superseding all prior versions.

Source: NSPS — 2026 ALTA/NSPS Standards

Written & maintained by the Granite team · Last updated June 2026

Overview

A licensed land surveyor produces a survey by measuring the parcel against its legal description and recorded plats. The result — a scaled drawing plus the surveyor's certification — establishes where your property legally begins and ends, and reveals easements (rights others have to cross or use part of your land) and any encroachments.

Survey types vary: a boundary survey marks property lines, an ALTA/NSPS land title survey is the detailed, nationally standardized version lenders and title companies require for commercial deals, and a mortgage/location survey confirms structures sit within the lines. Lenders often require one at closing.

When you’ll get your Property Survey

You bought or are closing on real property
You're building, adding on, or installing a fence
You have a boundary dispute with a neighbor
A lender or title company requires a survey
You need to confirm easements or check for encroachments

What’s on your Property Survey

These are the fields Granite reads and extracts automatically the moment you upload one.

Surveyor: The licensed surveyor or firm that performed and certified the survey.
Survey Type: Boundary, ALTA/NSPS, or mortgage/location survey — each serves a different purpose.
Boundary Lines & Dimensions: The measured property lines and lot dimensions.
Easements: Rights others hold to use part of the land (utilities, access).
Encroachments: Structures or features crossing a boundary line.
Legal Description & Parcel: The legal description and parcel/APN the survey maps.

How long to keep it

Keep your property survey permanently.

A survey doesn't expire and stays relevant for the life of your ownership — settling boundary disputes, planning improvements, installing fences, and informing future buyers. Re-surveying is expensive, so keeping the existing survey saves the cost and gives you authoritative boundary evidence whenever a question arises.

How Granite handles your Property Survey

Granite reads your property survey — surveyor, survey type, boundaries, easements, and parcel — and files it with your property documents. When a neighbor questions a fence line, you're planning an addition, or a buyer asks for boundary records, the survey is one search away, sparing you the cost and wait of ordering a new one.

FAQ

Property Survey: common questions

What is the purpose of a land survey?: A land survey precisely identifies a parcel's legal boundaries and maps its key physical features. Surveyors take field measurements against the legal description and recorded plats to mark property corners, then document structures, easements, and any encroachments. The survey settles boundary questions, guides construction and fencing, and is often required by lenders and title companies at closing.
What is included in a land survey?: A land survey includes a scaled drawing and the surveyor's certified report. It shows the measured boundary lines and lot dimensions, property corners, the legal description and parcel number, structures and improvements, recorded easements, and any encroachments crossing a boundary. More detailed surveys also note access, utilities, and setback lines depending on the survey type ordered.
What's the difference between a boundary survey and an ALTA survey?: A boundary survey establishes and physically marks the property lines — enough for fences or basic disputes. An ALTA/NSPS land title survey follows nationally adopted standards from the American Land Title Association and the National Society of Professional Surveyors, mapping boundaries, easements, improvements, access, and title matters for commercial deals. The ALTA is more comprehensive and costlier; the boundary survey is the common residential type.
What is an easement on a property survey?: An easement is a legal right someone else holds to use part of your property — commonly utility companies running lines, or a neighbor's right of access. Surveys map easements so you know where you can't build and what rights burden the land. Easements transfer with the property, so they affect future owners too.
How long should I keep a property survey?: Permanently. A survey doesn't expire and remains relevant for as long as you own the property — for boundary disputes, planning improvements, fencing, and informing future buyers. Because re-surveying is expensive, keeping the existing one saves money and gives you authoritative boundary evidence whenever a question comes up.

Sources

This page is checked against primary and authoritative sources:

Keep your Property Survey in one place.

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