Frequently Asked Questions

A land survey is the professional measurement and mapping of real property. A licensed land surveyor researches deeds, plats, and public records, then performs field work to locate physical evidence, establish or verify boundaries, and create a legally defensible document describing the property. In Arizona, only a Registered Land Surveyor (RLS) licensed by the Arizona Board of Technical Registration (AZBTR) may perform land surveys.

Common reasons include: buying or selling property; resolving a boundary dispute with a neighbor; building a fence, structure, or addition near a property line; obtaining a building permit; splitting a parcel; obtaining title insurance for a commercial property; construction staking for a new build; designing drainage or site improvements; documenting improvements for record drawings or permits; and adverse possession or easement disputes. If your project involves the legal location of land, a survey is almost certainly required.

A boundary survey establishes the legal limits of a property — where the lines are, where the corners are, and what the deed describes. It produces a legal document showing property dimensions and monument locations. A topographic survey maps the physical surface of the land — elevations, contours, drainage features, utilities, and improvements. Topo surveys are used for site design, grading, drainage engineering, and permitting. Both surveys often work together: engineers need the boundary for a legal framework and the topo for design data.

Survey costs vary based on property size, terrain, location, type of survey, complexity of title history, and how much field research is required. A simple residential boundary survey may start in the low hundreds; an ALTA/NSPS survey for a commercial transaction may run several thousand. AZGPS provides free quotes — contact us with your property address and survey type and we’ll give you a straightforward number.

Turnaround depends on the survey type and complexity. A straightforward residential boundary survey typically takes a few days of combined field work and office processing. More complex surveys — ALTA/NSPS, large parcels, disputed boundaries, or those requiring extensive records research — may take one to several weeks. We’ll give you a realistic timeline with your quote and stay in contact throughout the project.

You do not need to be present during field work. However, for boundary disputes or complex situations, being available to walk the property with the surveyor can be very helpful. We communicate clearly before, during, and after the project. If you have questions about what was found or want to understand the results, we’re happy to walk you through it.

In Arizona, only a Registered Land Surveyor (RLS) licensed by the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration (AZBTR) may legally perform boundary surveys and sign survey documents. Surveying firms must also hold a firm registration number. You can verify any surveyor’s license at the AZBTR website at btr.az.gov. AZGPS is licensed firm #26605; Travis Thompson holds an Arizona RLS license.

Before hiring any land surveyor, you can — and should — verify their license and firm registration through the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration (AZBTR). This protects you legally: survey work performed by an unlicensed or lapsed individual has no legal standing and could create serious title and property issues.

How to look up an individual surveyor:

Go to the AZBTR License Search. Select Individual, enter the surveyor’s name or RLS number, and click Search. A valid Arizona Registered Land Surveyor (RLS) will show an Active license status. If the status shows Expired, Suspended, or Revoked — do not hire them.

How to look up a surveying firm:

Select Business on the AZBTR search page and enter the firm name or registration number. Surveying firms must hold a current firm registration in addition to employing a licensed RLS. An active firm registration confirms the company is legally authorized to perform survey work in Arizona.

Why it matters:

• Only a licensed RLS can sign and seal survey documents that carry legal weight in Arizona.
• Surveys performed without a valid license or firm registration are not legally defensible and may be rejected by title companies, lenders, and courts.
• License verification protects you from fraudulent or unqualified operators — especially important for boundary disputes, property transactions, and construction projects.
• The Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S. § 32-2101 et seq.) require all land surveying to be performed by or under the direct supervision of a licensed RLS.

AZGPS verification: Travis Thompson holds Arizona RLS License #48482 and AZGPS LLC holds AZBTR Firm Registration #26605. Both are active and verifiable directly on the AZBTR website. You can also search the AZBTR License Search at any time to confirm current status.

Verify the surveyor holds a valid Arizona RLS license and firm registration. Look for local experience — a surveyor familiar with your county’s records, plat structures, and physical conditions will produce better results faster. Ask about communication: will they explain what they found, not just hand you a plat? Ask for references or reviews from similar project types. Price is a factor, but the cheapest survey is rarely the best value when the result has legal consequences.

The more you share, the more accurate the quote. Provide: the property address or Assessor Parcel Number (APN); the type of survey you think you need; a brief description of what you’re trying to accomplish; your timeline; and any existing survey documents, title reports, or deeds you have. If you’re not sure what type of survey you need, just describe your project — we’ll identify the right service and explain why.

Possibly, depending on the survey’s age, scope, and what you need it for. A boundary survey from five years ago may still be useful for reference, but lenders and title companies typically require a current survey for ALTA/NSPS purposes. For construction or permitting, confirm with your engineer or agency whether an existing survey meets their requirements. When in doubt, call us — we can review what you have and advise whether a new survey is necessary.

AZGPS is based in Florence and serves Pinal, Maricopa, Pima, Yavapai, and Gila counties. This covers the greater Phoenix metro area, Tucson, Casa Grande, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Prescott, Globe, Payson, and surrounding communities. If your project is outside these areas, contact us — we travel for the right project.

An ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey is a comprehensive boundary and title survey that meets the nationally uniform Minimum Standard Detail Requirements jointly adopted by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). These surveys are primarily used in commercial real estate transactions and are required by most lenders and title insurance companies when issuing an ALTA title policy — the standard used for commercial property purchases and financing.

The current governing document is the 2021 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys, which became effective February 23, 2021, replacing the 2016 standards. The standards are updated approximately every five years. Any ALTA survey prepared under a contract executed on or after February 23, 2021 must comply with the 2021 standards. Note: 2026 standards have been released and will take effect February 23, 2026 — AZGPS stays current with all standard updates.

At minimum, an ALTA survey must include: a complete boundary survey of the property; location of all improvements, easements, rights-of-way, and encroachments; evidence of access; location of utilities and utility poles on or within 10 feet of the property; water features; adjoining parcel identification; and a certification statement. Optional “Table A” items — such as flood zone determination, building square footage, parking counts, utility locate markings, and offsite easements — can be added based on the lender’s and title company’s requirements.

Key changes in the 2021 standards include: surveyors must now show utility locate markings (not just underground utilities) as evidence of easements; easement summaries on the plat are limited to survey-related matters, reducing scope creep from non-survey title exceptions; surveyors are required to notify the title insurer if they find a recorded easement not listed in the title commitment; the wetlands delineation Table A item was deleted; and the underground utilities item was revised to provide two specific options for sources of utility evidence — client-provided plans or private utility locate markings coordinated by the surveyor.

ALTA surveys are typically ordered by the buyer, lender, or title company in a commercial real estate transaction. To perform the survey, the surveyor needs: a copy of the current title commitment (including Schedule B-II exceptions); the legal description of the property; any existing survey documents; a list of any Table A optional items required by the lender or title insurer; and permission to access the property. Providing a complete title commitment is essential — the surveyor must address the specific exceptions listed on Schedule B-II.

The Arizona Boundary Survey Minimum Standards are the mandatory technical and documentation standards all licensed Arizona land surveyors must follow when performing boundary surveys. They were adopted by the Arizona Professional Land Surveyors (APLS) and incorporated into the Arizona Administrative Code by the AZBTR. The standards define what constitutes a boundary survey, how monuments must be set and described, what a Record of Survey must contain, and the minimum precision required for measurements. Compliance is not optional — it is required under Arizona law.

Under the Arizona Minimum Standards, a boundary survey drawing must include at minimum: sufficient mathematical ties to controlling monuments so another surveyor can retrace the work; the surveyor’s statement that the work was performed by or under their direct supervision; a legend explaining all symbols and abbreviations; a list of reference documents used; the surveyor’s Arizona registration number and firm number; the date of the survey; the legal description; and all monuments set or found, including their description and condition. When setting a monument is impractical, the surveyor must document the reason and show ties to the nearest corner.

Arizona standards require that new or replacement monuments be made of metal or durable material, be at least 16 inches in length, at least ½ inch in diameter, and have the surveyor’s Arizona registration number affixed or stamped into the body of the monument. Monuments must provide a degree of permanency consistent with the surrounding terrain. At Public Land Survey System section and quarter section corners, applicable state statutes govern the monumenting requirements.

A Record of Survey (ROS) is a formally prepared and recorded survey map that documents boundary locations, monuments set or found, and the surveyor’s professional opinion on the boundary location. Arizona Revised Statutes and the AZBTR standards specify when an ROS must be recorded — generally when new monuments are set, when there is a discrepancy from existing recorded information, or when the survey affects the public record. Not every survey requires an ROS, but when one is required, it must meet the full Minimum Standards and be recorded with the County Recorder.

The AZGPS network runs on the Trimble Pivot Platform with VRS3Net — the same enterprise-grade infrastructure used by state geodetic networks and national CORS networks worldwide. The Pivot Platform manages all incoming GNSS data streams, performs atmospheric modeling, and generates network-processed RTK corrections. The VRS3Net engine creates a Virtual Reference Station within meters of each rover’s position, delivering customized corrections that account for ionospheric, tropospheric, and orbital errors at that specific location.

Under normal operating conditions, the network delivers horizontal accuracy of 1–2 cm and vertical accuracy of 2–3 cm in real time RTK mode. Post-processed static sessions using CORS RINEX data can achieve sub-centimeter accuracy. Actual results depend on your receiver quality, satellite geometry, atmospheric conditions, and cellular connectivity. For control work, we recommend multiple independent sessions and redundant checks regardless of network accuracy.

The AZGPS network supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS constellations. Corrections are delivered in RTCM 3.x (including MSM messages) and CMR+ formats. Access is via standard NTRIP protocol on port 2101. If your receiver or data collector requires a specific correction format or NTRIP version, contact Travis to confirm compatibility before subscribing.

Yes. AZGPS offers a 7-day free trial with full network access. This lets you evaluate coverage, accuracy, and initialization times in your actual work areas before committing to a subscription. Visit our subscription page to start your trial. Credentials are delivered within 24 hours of signup.

In Trimble Access, go to Settings → Survey Styles → [your style] → Rover Data Link. Set the Type to Internet connection. Under GNSS Correction Source, tap New and set Use NTRIP to Yes. Enter the AZGPS server IP address and port 2101, your NTRIP username and password, and optionally pre-enter the mountpoint name. Under GNSS Internet Source, select Receiver internet (using the receiver’s internal SIM or modem) or Controller internet (using the data collector’s cellular connection). Save the survey style. When you start a survey, Trimble Access will connect to the NTRIP server and display available mountpoints — select the appropriate AZGPS mountpoint for your coverage area. You should achieve an RTK Fixed solution within seconds of selecting the mountpoint. Verify that Base data age reads approximately 1.0 seconds in the status screen to confirm active corrections.

You will need: Server address (provided in your credentials email); Port: 2101 (standard NTRIP); Username and password (from your subscription credentials); and Mountpoint (select from the list after connecting, or pre-enter the name). Trimble Access will automatically negotiate NTRIP version 2.0 if the server supports it. If you experience connection issues, try enabling Use NTRIP v1.0 in the correction source settings as a fallback. If TLS encryption is required, enable Use TLS encryption — this uses port 2105 instead of 2101.

Enable the mobile hotspot on your phone. Connect your Trimble data controller (or the receiver’s Wi-Fi, if it has one) to the hotspot network. In Trimble Access, set the GNSS Internet Source to Controller internet, then configure the Windows or Android network settings on the controller to connect to your phone’s hotspot SSID and password. For receivers with internal Wi-Fi (such as the R10/R12), you can also connect the receiver itself to the hotspot by accessing the receiver’s web interface and configuring it as a Wi-Fi client under Network settings. Once connected, select Receiver internet – Wi-Fi as the GNSS internet source in Trimble Access. This approach keeps the data connection on the receiver side and allows you to disconnect the controller from the receiver after setup — required if you’re working with a remote base or moving between stations.

Receiver internet means the GNSS receiver itself connects to the internet via its own internal cellular modem or Wi-Fi radio and receives NTRIP corrections directly without going through the controller. This is the preferred configuration because it allows you to physically disconnect the data collector from the receiver after setup and still maintain NTRIP corrections in the field. Controller internet routes corrections through the data collector’s cellular or Wi-Fi connection. This works but requires the controller to remain connected to the receiver throughout the survey. If you need to take the controller away from the pole during field work, you must use Receiver internet.

Work through these steps: (1) Verify your device has an active cellular or Wi-Fi internet connection — open a browser on the controller or check the receiver’s status page. (2) Confirm you are using the correct server address and port 2101. (3) Check your NTRIP username and password for typos — credentials are case-sensitive. (4) If using Receiver internet via Wi-Fi hotspot, verify the receiver is connected to the hotspot and not in Access Point mode. (5) Try switching between NTRIP v2.0 and v1.0 — some networks or routers prefer one over the other. (6) Check your carrier’s APN settings — some carriers require specific APN configuration for data to pass through correctly on the receiver’s SIM. (7) Try connecting on a different cellular carrier or Wi-Fi network to rule out a carrier-specific issue. If none of these resolve the problem, call Travis directly at (480) 516-9295 — he can usually diagnose the issue over the phone in minutes.

Yes. Any GNSS receiver with NTRIP client capability can connect to the AZGPS network. Confirmed compatible equipment includes Trimble, Leica, Topcon, Hemisphere, CHC, and Carlson. The network outputs RTCM 3.x (including MSM) and CMR+ — the most widely supported correction formats. Configure your receiver’s NTRIP client with the server address, port 2101, your credentials, and the appropriate mountpoint. For equipment-specific configuration questions, contact Travis — he’s familiar with most major receiver workflows.

AZGPS subscriptions support 1–10 simultaneous user seats. Each seat allows one rover to connect at the same time using the same subscription credentials. When you subscribe, select the number of concurrent connections your crew needs. If you need to add seats later, contact us to upgrade your subscription. Each rover uses the same server address, port, and mountpoint — only the concurrent connection count determines how many can operate simultaneously.

Yes. AZGPS maintains a web server with compressed RINEX, 24-hour RINEX, and raw DAT files available for download for post-processed static surveys. These files allow you to process static GNSS observations against network base data using Trimble Business Center, Leica Infinity, or other post-processing software to achieve sub-centimeter accuracy for control monument establishment. Contact Travis for access to the CORS download portal.