PS Exam Preparation

Comprehensive preparation for the NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam. 5 modules covering all 5 exam domains with 50 in-depth topics.

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Lesson 8

Survey Maps, Plats & Reports

Learning Objectives

After completing this topic, you should be able to:

Identify the required elements of a professional survey plat
Describe the content and format requirements for boundary survey maps
Explain ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey requirements and standards
Understand record of survey content and filing obligations
Prepare written survey reports that document findings and opinions
Distinguish between different map types and their purposes
Apply proper cartographic standards for survey maps

Overview

Survey maps, plats, and reports are the primary deliverables of professional surveying. They communicate the results of field work, computations, and professional analysis to clients, agencies, attorneys, title companies, and future surveyors. The quality and completeness of these documents directly reflect the surveyor's competence and professionalism.

Each type of survey document serves a specific purpose and must meet specific content requirements. The professional surveyor must understand not only what information to include but how to present it clearly, unambiguously, and in compliance with applicable standards and regulations.

Key Concepts

Types of Survey Maps

Figure PS.2.38 — Boundary plat / ROS / ALTA / Subdivision plat

Map Type	Purpose	Filing
Boundary survey plat	Depicts property boundaries, monuments, dimensions	Typically delivered to client, may trigger ROS
Record of survey	Documents field survey findings per statutory requirements	Filed with county surveyor/recorder
Subdivision map (tentative)	Proposes lot layout for agency review	Submitted to approving agencies
Subdivision map (final/parcel)	Creates legal subdivision, recorded document	Recorded with county recorder
ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey	Comprehensive boundary/title survey for commercial transactions	Delivered to client, lender, title company
Topographic map	Shows ground surface configuration and features	Delivered to client, used for design
Construction survey plan	Shows staking and layout information	Used by construction team
As-built survey	Documents constructed improvements	Delivered to client and agencies

Boundary Survey Plat Elements

Figure PS.2.36 — Sample plat with all standard elements called out

A professional boundary survey plat should contain, at minimum:

Title Block and Administrative Information

Element	Description
Title	Clear identification of the survey type and property
Legal description	Complete legal description of the property surveyed
Client name	Name of the party who commissioned the survey
Surveyor information	Name, license number, seal, signature, date
Scale	Graphic and numeric scale
North arrow	Orientation reference with basis of bearings identified
Date of survey	Date(s) of field work
Sheet information	Sheet number of total sheets

Technical Content

Element	Description
Monuments found	Type, size, condition, and position of all monuments found
Monuments set	Type, size, and position of all monuments set
Boundary dimensions	Bearings and distances for all boundary lines
Curve data	Radius, arc length, chord bearing and distance, delta angle
Basis of bearings	Reference for all bearings shown (recorded map, GNSS, etc.)
Adjoining properties	Identification and relationship to adjacent parcels
Easements	Recorded easements affecting the property
Encroachments	Improvements or features crossing boundary lines
Area	Computed area of the property
Legend	Explanation of symbols used on the plat
Notes	Relevant information not otherwise shown graphically

Cartographic Standards

Professional survey maps should follow accepted cartographic conventions:

Convention	Standard
Line weights	Boundary lines heavier than topographic features; dimension lines lighter
Text orientation	Readable from bottom or right side of sheet
Monument symbols	Standardized symbols distinguishing found vs. set monuments
Curve data tables	Organized presentation of curve elements
Dimension placement	Bearing and distance along the line they describe
Scale selection	Sufficient to show all required detail legibly
Sheet size	Standard sizes per jurisdiction requirements

ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys

The ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey is governed by the jointly adopted standards of the American Land Title Association and the National Society of Professional Surveyors. These surveys serve commercial real estate transactions by providing comprehensive boundary, title, and site information.

Minimum Standard Detail Requirements

The current ALTA/NSPS standards require:

Requirement	Description
Positional tolerance	Relative Positional Precision (RPP) of 2 cm (0.07 feet) + 50 ppm at 95% confidence for boundary points
Boundary	Complete boundary survey with dimensions and closure
Title commitment	Survey must reflect current title commitment or policy
Easements	All easements from the title commitment must be shown or noted
Evidence of possession	Fences, walls, hedges, occupation lines
Improvements	Buildings, structures, and other improvements on the property
Access	Evidence of access to public right-of-way
Rights of way	Adjacent streets, roads, and highways
Utilities	Observed utility features (poles, meters, manholes)
Certification	Specific certification language to named parties

Table A Optional Items

The ALTA/NSPS standards include Table A, a list of optional items that may be requested by the client, lender, or title company. Selected examples:

Item	Description
Zoning	Current zoning classification, setback requirements, compliance
Flood zone	Flood zone designation and base flood elevation
Parking	Number and type of parking spaces
Wetlands	Wetland delineation or identification
Offsite easements	Easements benefiting the property but located on adjacent land
Building areas	Gross building area, floor area
Height	Building height per local code definition
Utilities	Underground utilities from plans and/or utility locate
Exterior dimensions	Measured exterior building dimensions

ALTA/NSPS Certification

The survey must contain a specific certification identifying the surveyor, the client, and any other parties to whom the survey is certified (lender, title company, etc.). The certification attests that the survey was prepared in accordance with the minimum standard detail requirements.

Record of Survey

The record of survey (ROS) is a filed document that serves the public interest by documenting survey evidence and findings. While specific requirements vary by jurisdiction, the ROS generally must show:

Content Requirements

Element	Description
All monuments	Found, set, reset, replaced, or removed -- with type, size, and location
Bearing and distance	For all surveyed lines
Basis of bearings	Reference for directional measurements
Relationship to adjacent surveys	Connection to adjoining recorded maps and surveys
Property identification	Legal description and/or assessor parcel number
Date of survey	When the field work was performed
Surveyor seal, signature, date	Authentication by the responsible surveyor
Filing trigger	Statement explaining why the ROS is required
Coordinate system	Grid coordinates if applicable

Filing Procedures

The typical ROS filing process:

Surveyor prepares the map in compliance with format requirements
Map is submitted to the county surveyor for review
County surveyor examines the map for compliance and technical accuracy
Corrections are made if needed
County surveyor accepts the map (or issues certificate of acceptance)
Map is filed with the county recorder and assigned a recording number
A copy is retained in the county surveyor's files

Survey Reports

Figure PS.2.37 — Eight essential survey-report sections

Written survey reports provide narrative documentation of the surveyor's findings, analysis, and opinions. While a map or plat conveys the graphic results, the report explains the reasoning and evidence behind the boundary determination.

Report Components

Component	Content
Purpose and scope	What was the survey commissioned to accomplish
Records research	Documents examined, sources consulted, findings
Field evidence	Monuments found, condition, agreement with records
Analysis	How evidence was weighed, discrepancies resolved, boundary established
Opinion	The surveyor's professional opinion on boundary locations
Exceptions and qualifications	Limitations on the survey, unresolved issues, areas not surveyed
Encumbrances	Easements, encroachments, and other conditions affecting the property
Recommendations	Suggested actions (monument setting, further research, quiet title)

When Reports Are Needed

Written reports are particularly valuable for:

Complex boundary determinations with conflicting evidence
Properties with significant encroachments or disputes
ALTA/NSPS surveys with extensive title exceptions
Surveys where the boundary opinion may be challenged
Retracement surveys in areas with inadequate monumentation
Expert witness situations where the surveyor's reasoning must be documented

Common wrong path — ALTA certification can be modified to protect the surveyor. The ALTA/NSPS certification language is prescribed by the standards and cannot be materially modified without losing the "ALTA/NSPS" label. Surveyors occasionally try to add disclaimers like "to the best of my knowledge" or "subject to verification of the title commitment" — language intended to reduce personal exposure. Those additions usually invalidate the ALTA certification: the title company won't accept it, the client won't get title insurance relying on it, and the entire point of an ALTA survey is compromised. The correct approach: meet the ALTA minimum standards, certify in the prescribed language, and manage liability through insurance (E&O) and contract (limitation of liability), NOT through certification modifications. Exam questions test this by showing a scenario where a surveyor adds disclaiming language; the correct response is that the modification defeats the purpose of the ALTA certification.

Quick retrieval check — try before reading on.

▶A client asks you to certify an ALTA/NSPS survey to them, their lender, and the title company, but specifies that the certification should state "to the best of my knowledge and belief, subject to the surveyor's assumptions regarding record data." Can you comply with this request?

No — that modification substantially weakens the certification and likely invalidates it as an ALTA/NSPS-compliant document. The prescribed ALTA/NSPS certification language is not aspirational or suggested — it is what an "ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey" means. The title company and lender rely on that specific language to extend title insurance coverage based on the survey; adding "to the best of my knowledge and belief" converts the certification from a warranty to an opinion, and the title insurer may refuse to provide survey-related coverage.

Professional response: (1) Explain to the client that the prescribed certification is a condition of ALTA/NSPS compliance; (2) offer to perform the survey to the standards and certify in the prescribed form; (3) manage liability through your professional liability (E&O) insurance and a contractual limitation of liability clause with the client; (4) if the client insists on modified certification language, clarify that the product will not be an ALTA/NSPS survey and should not be represented as such. Changing the certification is not a compromise — it eliminates the ALTA/NSPS status of the deliverable.

Map Drafting and Presentation

Digital Drafting Standards

Figure PS.2.39 — Six cartographic drafting standards

Modern survey maps are prepared digitally using CAD software. Professional standards require:

Consistent use of layers for different types of information
Standard line types (solid for boundaries, dashed for easements, etc.)
Appropriate text sizes for legibility at the plotted scale
Clean, uncluttered presentation with logical information hierarchy
Compliance with jurisdictional format requirements (sheet size, margins, title block location)

Common Symbols

Survey maps use standardized symbols that should be defined in a legend:

Symbol	Meaning
Solid circle	Monument found
Open circle	Monument set
Triangle	Control point
Square	Calculated position (not monumented)
Cross in circle	Section corner
Dashed line	Easement
Chain line	Centerline
Crosshatch	Building footprint

Symbol conventions vary by region and firm. The critical requirement is that all symbols used on the map are defined in the legend.

Quality Control for Deliverables

Before issuing any survey document, the surveyor should verify:

Mathematical closure of all boundary traverses
Consistency between legal description and graphic depiction
Agreement between dimensions on the map and computed values
Correct identification of all monuments (found vs. set, type, and condition)
Complete showing of all easements from the title commitment (for ALTA/NSPS)
Proper seal, signature, and date
Compliance with all format and content requirements
Legibility at the plotted scale
Correct basis of bearings and coordinate references

Exam Tips

ALTA/NSPS surveys require a Relative Positional Precision (RPP) of 2 cm (0.07 feet) + 50 ppm at 95% confidence
The basis of bearings must always be stated on a survey map
Records of survey must identify why filing is required (the statutory trigger)
Found monuments and set monuments should be clearly distinguished using different symbols
Survey reports are essential for documenting the reasoning behind boundary opinions
All symbols on a map must be defined in a legend
Easements from the title commitment must be shown or addressed on an ALTA/NSPS survey
The surveyor's seal and signature authenticate the document and represent professional responsibility