When you need a licensed land surveyor (and how to find one)

Hire a licensed land surveyor before you rely on where a property line is, how big a lot is, or exact ground elevations: building, adding on, fencing, grading, buying or selling, splitting a lot, or applying for most permits. Free GIS maps, including Basesheet's, show assessor tax lines that are often 5 to 50 ft off the legal boundary. They are not surveys and not certified site plans. Find a surveyor licensed in your state and check the license with your state's board.

Situations that need a survey

Building anything new, or adding on, near a setback or property line
A fence, wall, driveway or landscaping on or near the line
Most building, grading and land-use permits that ask for a site plan
Buying, selling or financing property, especially if the lender or title company asks
Splitting, combining or adjusting lots
Grading and drainage work that depends on real spot elevations
Any disagreement with a neighbor about where the line is

Which survey to ask for

Boundary survey: finds and marks the legal property lines and corners.
Topographic survey: adds ground elevations, contours and features such as trees, walls and utilities. Designers usually want this with the boundary.
ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey: the detailed national standard used in most commercial transactions.
Plot plan or certified site plan: many permit offices want a plan prepared or certified by a licensed professional. Ask your permit office exactly what it needs.

How to find and check a surveyor

Ask your permit office, title company, architect or neighbors who they use locally.
Check the license with your state's board. The NCEES directory of licensing boards links to each state's board, and most boards have a license lookup.
Get two or three quotes. Price depends on lot size, terrain, records and how many corners need to be set, so it varies widely.

What to have ready

The address and parcel number
Your deed and any old survey or plat
What you're planning to do, so the surveyor quotes the right scope

Where Basesheet fits

Basesheet compiles public GIS data for early design and feasibility: deciding whether a site is worth pursuing, and what survey scope to order. It is not a survey, not a certified site plan and not for permit submission.

Everything here is planning-level public data. Confirm boundaries, topography, wetlands and flood status with a licensed surveyor and the right specialists before design decisions depend on them.

Basesheet does all of this for any US address in about 30 seconds, free, with no account.

Build a base plan

Updated October 2026.