Boundary Survey in Utah:
Know Exactly Where Your Property Lines Are.
A boundary survey locates the legal lines and corners of your parcel on the
ground. We research the record, recover or set the corner monuments, and deliver
a stamped survey map and legal description you can build, buy, sell or settle a
dispute on. Performed by licensed Utah Professional Land Surveyors from our
Nephi office, statewide.
A boundary survey is a licensed surveyor's determination of where a
property's legal lines and corners actually sit on the ground.
The surveyor researches your deed, the adjoining deeds, recorded plats and prior
surveys; recovers the monuments that mark the corners; measures the parcel; and
reconciles what's on paper with what's on the land. Missing corners are set with
durable monuments, and the result is a stamped map of your boundaries, not an estimate.
That is different from a parcel map on a county website or a line you judge from
an old fence. Neither is a legal boundary determination. In Utah, only a licensed
Professional Land Surveyor can locate and certify a property boundary, and the
survey map must be filed with the county surveyor.
A boundary survey ties the recorded deed to physical corners: found monuments are
recovered, missing ones are set, and each line gets a bearing and distance.
Common reasons
When You Need a Boundary Survey
These are the situations that most often send Utah owners, buyers and builders to
a boundary survey. If yours isn't listed, call and describe the project. We'll tell
you if a different survey fits better.
Transactions
Buying or Selling Property
Confirm what's actually included before closing. Lenders and title companies often ask for one.
Construction
Fence, Garage or Addition
Make sure the improvement sits inside your lines and respects setbacks. See our fence line guide.
Many Utah jurisdictions want a current survey for a permit, and a shed or driveway may already cross a line.
How it works
How to Get a Boundary Survey in Utah
Every boundary survey follows the same core sequence. Most of the professional
judgment happens in steps 2 and 4, where the record and the evidence on the
ground have to be reconciled.
1Records & deed researchWe pull your deed, adjoining deeds, recorded plats and prior surveys from the county to understand the legal description and its history.
2Deed analysis & controlThe surveyor analyzes the description against Public Land Survey System (PLSS) corners and ties the work to a known control framework.
3Fieldwork & monument recoveryThe field crew searches for existing pins, pipes and markers, then measures the parcel and the evidence along adjoining lines.
4Boundary resolutionWe reconcile the record with the measured evidence to resolve the true position of each line and corner.
5Set corners & draft the mapMissing corners are set with marked monuments, and we prepare the survey map and legal description.
6Stamp, deliver & fileA licensed PLS reviews and stamps the survey. You receive the map, legal description and digital files; the map is filed with the county surveyor.
How long does it take?
A straightforward platted lot can often be turned around in a couple of weeks. Rural
parcels with heavy research or difficult access take longer. Tell us your deadline and
we'll give you a realistic date, or see our survey timeline guide.
Why rural Utah parcels take more work
Many Utah Descriptions Were Written Long Before Anyone Set a Pin.
Metes-and-bounds acreage in Juab, Sanpete, Millard and Sevier counties often traces
back to old deeds, fence lines and section corners. Resolving those lines takes
records research and field evidence, not just a GPS reading, which is why
local experience matters.
What you receive
A Survey You Can Build, Close or Defend On.
The value of a boundary survey is that it holds up. Every deliverable below is
prepared to Utah standards and backed by a licensed surveyor's stamp.
Located & set cornersEvery corner recovered or re-set with a durable, marked monument, so the lines exist on the ground.
Survey mapThe parcel with bearings, distances, monuments and adjoining features.
Legal descriptionWritten boundary language suitable for deeds, title work and recording.
Encroachments & easementsFences, structures and visible easement evidence that cross or affect a line.
PLS stamp & county filingSealed by a licensed Utah PLS and filed with the county surveyor.
Digital filesPDF plus CAD (DWG/DXF) on request for your engineer, architect or title company.
Cost follows the research, fieldwork and drafting the parcel requires. These are
current Utah planning ranges; every job is quoted as a fixed fee in writing before
work starts.
Parcel type
Typical Utah cost
What drives it
Platted subdivision lot
$800 – $2,500
Recorded plat and nearby monuments usually make research and fieldwork efficient.
Rural, metes-and-bounds or acreage
$2,500 – $6,000+
Older descriptions, more county research, longer lines and more corners to set.
Two parcels of the same size can differ a lot in cost. These are the variables we
look at when we price your survey.
RecordsClean vs. oldRecent plat vs. century-old deed
MonumentsFound vs. lostExisting pins speed everything up
ParcelLot vs. acreageLine length and number of corners
TerrainOpen vs. ruggedSlope, brush, snow and access
DeadlineFlexible vs. rushClosing and permit dates
Keeps cost down
Send What You Have
A deed, plat, title report or prior survey can shorten research. See the checklist below.
Keeps it predictable
Fixed Fee in Writing
You get a defined scope and fee before any fieldwork. Travel outside our core counties is shown as a line item.
Saves a second trip
Combine Surveys
If you'll design or build, adding a topographic survey during the same visit is usually cheaper than ordering it later.
The cost of "close enough"
Why an Accurate Boundary Survey Matters
Boundary work is the one survey where being slightly wrong is expensive. A faulty line can lead to:
Property-line disputes. Inaccurate lines are the most common source of neighbor disagreements, and the hardest to unwind once something is built.
Construction in the wrong place. A building or fence that encroaches or violates a setback can mean tear-out and rebuild.
Financial loss. Legal fees, remediation, or a parcel smaller than assumed.
Title complications. Encroachments or easements that surface later can affect saleability and value.
The simple fix:
a survey performed and sealed by a licensed surveyor who resolves the boundary correctly the first time.
Utah requirements
Is a Boundary Survey Required, and Who Can Do One?
A boundary survey isn't always mandatory, but it's frequently needed, and Utah law is
specific about who may perform one and what happens to the map afterward.
Who
Only a Licensed Surveyor
Utah requires a land surveyor licensed under the state's Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors Licensing Act. That licensure gives the survey standing for recording, permits and disputes.
Filing
Map Filed Within 90 Days
When a boundary is established or re-established, the surveyor must file the survey map with the county surveyor within 90 days. It becomes a public record the next surveyor can rely on.
Monuments
Marked Corners
Monuments a licensed surveyor sets must be durably marked with the firm's registered name or "L.S." and the surveyor's registration number, so anyone can trace who set them.
When it's effectively required:
lenders and title companies commonly ask for a survey on a purchase, and many Utah
jurisdictions want a current survey before issuing a building permit. Check with your
lender or city, or ask us.
Plan around the calendar
When to Schedule Your Boundary Survey
We survey year-round, but Utah's seasons affect how quickly monuments can be found
and how busy field crews are. Planning ahead is the easiest way to protect a
closing or construction date.
Winter
Doable, With Caveats
Snow and frozen ground can hide or bury monuments and slow corner searches, especially on rural parcels.
Spring
Book Early
Building season starts and demand rises. Order before your fence, addition or foundation work is scheduled.
Summer
Peak Field Season
Best ground conditions and longest days, but also the busiest months. Give yourself lead time.
Fall
Good Window
Vegetation dies back and conditions are usually good before snow. A strong time for rural acreage.
Get an accurate quote faster
What to Send When You Request a Quote
You don't need all of these. The first two are enough to start; the rest help us
confirm scope and can reduce research time.
Property address or parcel numberSo we can pull the county record.
What you're trying to doFence, addition, sale, split, dispute, permit or not sure.
Your deedThe legal description is where research starts.
Recorded plat or prior surveyEspecially helpful for subdivision lots.
Title reportShows easements and exceptions we should look for.
DeadlineClosing, permit or construction dates.
Access notesGates, dogs, snow, or neighbor access we should know about.
Known issuesMissing pins, a fence in question, or a neighbor concern.
We're based in Nephi, so Juab, Utah, Sanpete, Millard and Sevier counties are core
territory. We also travel to the Wasatch Front, eastern Utah and southern Utah;
travel is shown as a line item in your quote.
Our office
1451 S. Main, Nephi, UT
Ludlow Engineering and Land Surveying was founded in Nephi in 1975 and is now in
its second generation, with Professional Land Surveyors and Professional
Engineers on staff.
The Boundary Is Usually the First Step, Not the Last.
Because our surveyors and engineers work together, the same team that locates your
lines can prepare the topographic survey, site plan, lot split or civil design that
comes next, without starting over with a new firm.
Your countyCounty recorder & county surveyor
Deeds, recorded plats, filed survey maps and corner records for your parcel and its neighbors.
Direct answers
Boundary Survey FAQ
The questions Utah property owners ask us most before ordering a boundary survey.
How much does a boundary survey cost in Utah?
A platted subdivision lot typically runs $800–$2,500. Rural, metes-and-bounds or large acreage parcels run $2,500–$6,000+ because they take more research and field time. Boundary plus topographic usually runs $2,000–$4,500. Complex or disputed work is quoted individually, and every job is a fixed fee in writing.
How long does a boundary survey take?
A straightforward platted lot can often be turned around in a couple of weeks. Rural parcels with heavy county research or difficult access take longer. Tell us your deadline and we'll give you a realistic date.
What's the difference between a boundary survey and an ALTA survey?
A boundary survey locates your property lines and corners. An ALTA/NSPS survey is a commercial boundary-and-title survey prepared to a national standard, with Table A items and certifications that lenders and title insurers require. For most residential needs, a boundary survey is the right choice.
Do I legally need a licensed surveyor?
Yes. In Utah, only a licensed Professional Land Surveyor can locate and certify a property boundary, and the survey map must be filed with the county surveyor. A neighbor's fence or a county parcel map is not a legal boundary determination.
Can you find corners that were never set or are missing?
Yes. We research the record, tie in to PLSS section corners and prior surveys, measure the evidence on the ground, and re-establish the corner in its correct position with a marked monument.
Will a survey settle a dispute with my neighbor?
A boundary survey establishes where the legal line is, which resolves most disagreements before they escalate. If a formal dispute is underway, a stamped survey and legal description is the evidence your position rests on.
Is the survey recorded?
Utah law requires the surveyor to file the survey map with the county surveyor within 90 days of establishing or re-establishing a boundary. It becomes a public record. A new legal description may also be recorded with a deed when needed.
Do you serve my area of Utah?
We're based in Nephi and work statewide. Utah, Juab, Sanpete, Sevier and Millard counties are core territory, and we regularly travel to the Wasatch Front and southern Utah. Travel is shown as a line item in the quote.
Related services
Where Boundary Surveys Fit in Our Services
This page covers boundary and property-line surveys. These pages cover the broader survey types, costs and next steps.
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