📍 1. Boundary Survey

Determines exact property lines and corner locations based on deeds, plats, and monuments. Used for fence placement, title verification, and legal boundary disputes. Must be performed by a Registered Land Surveyor (RLS).

📑 2. ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey

Required for commercial transactions involving title insurance. Prepared under national standards set by the NSPS and the American Land Title Association (ALTA). Includes boundaries, easements, encroachments, improvements, and zoning details.

🌄 3. Topographic Survey

Maps natural and man-made surface features, elevations, and contours for use in engineering design, grading, and drainage plans. Essential for civil and architectural projects, and often required by municipalities such as the City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department.

🔩 4. Construction Staking (Layout Survey)

Translates design drawings into field marks showing where to build roads, utilities, and structures. Used by contractors to ensure projects are built according to engineering plans with precise tolerances.

📐 5. Subdivision Plat & Record of Survey

Defines new parcels, easements, and rights-of-way for development or lot combinations. Required under Arizona Administrative Code R4-30 and recorded with your County Recorder’s Office.

🌊 6. FEMA Elevation Certificate & Floodplain Survey

Determines building elevations relative to base flood elevations (BFEs). Supports insurance rating and Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) requests.

🛰️ 7. Geodetic Control Survey

Establishes precise horizontal and vertical control networks based on the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) and State Plane Coordinate Systems. Used for mapping, infrastructure, and GIS accuracy across large areas.

🏗️ 8. Engineering & Design Survey

Provides detailed topographic and utility information to support civil design. Includes grading, road alignment, and structural layout data for engineers and planners.

🧱 9. As-Built Survey

Documents the final built conditions of a project after construction. Verifies that utilities, structures, and improvements were built as approved.

🏞️ 10. Environmental & Wetlands Survey

Locates environmental boundaries such as wetlands, floodways, and protected zones for compliance with EPA and local environmental regulations.

⚡ 11. Utility & Infrastructure Survey

Maps underground and overhead utilities for design coordination and damage prevention. May include ground-penetrating radar (GPR) or subsurface utility engineering (SUE) methods.

🧭 12. Route & Transportation Survey

Used in the design and construction of highways, pipelines, and railways. Establishes alignments, profiles, and cross-sections for linear projects managed by agencies like ADOT.

🌋 13. Mining & Geological Survey

Supports mineral extraction, pit design, reclamation, and volume analysis. Common in Arizona’s active mining regions.

🌅 14. Hydrographic Survey

Measures water bodies such as lakes, rivers, and reservoirs for depth, sediment, and shoreline mapping. Used by engineers and environmental agencies for water management.

🏘️ 15. Site Plan or Plot Plan Survey

Combines boundary and topographic data to create permit-ready site plans for residential and commercial construction.

📍 1. The Purpose of Land Surveying

Land surveying defines where property boundaries begin and end. It ensures structures, utilities, and improvements are placed accurately and legally on the ground.

Surveying data also forms the foundation for mapping, engineering, and infrastructure development across Arizona.

🧭 2. Common Types of Surveys

Each survey type serves a different purpose:

• Boundary Surveys – Define property lines and corners.
• Topographic Surveys – Map elevation, contours, and site features.
• ALTA/NSPS Surveys – Meet national standards for real estate and title insurance (NSPS Standards).
• Construction Staking – Mark design locations for builders and contractors.
• Subdivision & Platting – Create or modify property parcels per Arizona Administrative Code R4-30.
• FEMA Elevation Certificates – Document elevation data for flood insurance or Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) requests.

⚙️ 3. Modern Technology in Surveying

Today’s Arizona surveyors use GNSS Network RTK, aerial drones, LiDAR, and 3D modeling software to achieve centimeter-level accuracy.

Learn more about GNSS technology from the National Geodetic Survey (NOAA NGS).

⚖️ 4. Legal and Professional Standards

Surveying work must comply with Arizona’s Administrative Code R4-30-301 through R4-30-312, which define standards of practice, accuracy, and documentation for Registered Land Surveyors.

Survey maps are legal records that may be filed with your County Recorder’s Office.

🏠 1. Buying or Selling Property

A Boundary or ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey verifies property lines, easements, and encroachments before closing.
It helps prevent costly disputes and gives buyers, sellers, and lenders confidence in the transaction.

🏗️ 2. Building a New Home or Structure

Local building departments and contractors often need a Site Plan or Topographic Survey to confirm setbacks, drainage, and grading prior to permitting or construction. Check with your city’s building department—such as City of Phoenix Planning & Development—for permit survey requirements.

🚧 3. Installing Fences, Walls, or Driveways

A Boundary Survey ensures new improvements stay within your property limits — avoiding conflicts with neighbors and zoning violations. Arizona’s Title 33 – Property Law governs property boundaries and encroachments.

📐 4. Subdividing or Combining Parcels

When splitting or merging lots, a Record of Survey or Subdivision Plat is required.
These must be prepared by an RLS in compliance with Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R4-30-301 through R4-30-312.

📏 5. Resolving Boundary Disputes

If monuments, fences, or legal descriptions don’t match, a Boundary Retracement Survey re-establishes the true property corners using public records and field evidence. Arizona’s Board of Technical Registration sets professional standards for survey accuracy and ethics.

🌎 6. Engineering, Development, or Drainage Projects

Civil engineers, architects, and planners rely on Topographic and Control Surveys to design grading, drainage, utilities, and structures with precise elevation data. These surveys are often tied to Arizona’s State Land Department GIS mapping for control points and benchmarks.

🌊 7. FEMA Floodplain & Elevation Certificates

If your property is near a flood zone, a surveyor can provide an Elevation Certificate to adjust insurance rates or support a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) through FEMA.

🛣️ 8. Easements & Right-of-Way

When creating or recording utility, access, or drainage easements, a Survey Plat or Exhibit defines the exact location and dimensions for legal documentation. These are typically recorded with your County Recorder’s Office.

🔩 9. Construction Layout or Staking

For contractors, surveyors provide Construction Staking to precisely mark where roads, foundations, and utilities are built according to engineering plans. This step is critical for municipal or ADOT-inspected projects (Arizona Department of Transportation).

🏜️ 1. Arizona’s Unique Landscape

Arizona’s mountains, canyons, deserts, and floodplains make accurate surveying critical. Precise elevation and coordinate data ensure that roads, utilities, and drainage systems work properly in challenging topography.

📏 2. Protecting Property Rights

Boundary surveys define legal property lines and prevent costly disputes between neighbors or developers. Under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 33, clear boundary documentation helps resolve ownership and easement conflicts.

🏗️ 3. Supporting Construction and Design

Every successful project — from residential homes to highways — begins with accurate survey control. Engineers and architects depend on topographic and construction staking surveys to ensure plans fit site conditions and meet municipal codes like those outlined by the City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department.

⚖️ 4. Meeting Legal and Regulatory Standards

Arizona requires surveys for subdivision plats, boundary resolutions, and infrastructure design under Arizona Administrative Code R4-30. Only a licensed Registered Land Surveyor (RLS) can legally certify property boundaries and elevation data.

🛰️ 5. Advancing Modern Technology

Arizona surveyors now use GNSS Network RTK, drones, and 3D scanning to achieve centimeter-level precision. These technologies make projects faster, safer, and more efficient — especially in remote or rugged areas. Learn more about GNSS accuracy from the National Geodetic Survey (NOAA NGS).

🏡 6. Ensuring Public Safety and Resilience

Surveying supports floodplain management, utility planning, and emergency response mapping. Accurate data helps agencies and homeowners mitigate risk in flood-prone or wildfire-prone regions, improving community safety and sustainability.