ALTA/NSPS land title surveys · Utah · 2026 standard

ALTA Surveys in Utah. Title Surveys Lenders and Title Insurers Accept.

ALTA/NSPS land title surveys to the 2026 standard for commercial purchases, refinances and development, from single lots to 300-acre tracts. 170 ALTA surveys since 2000, signed by a Utah PLS, quoted as a fixed fee.

Surveys signed by Daryl Penrod, PLS · Utah No. 5331527170 ALTA surveys in 14 Utah counties

Request an ALTA Quote → See Real ALTA Surveys

Ludlow Engineering drone orthomosaic of a resort property in Midway, Utah, mapped for an ALTA/NSPS survey — Our drone map of a Midway resort, flown for its 2026 ALTA

170ALTA surveys since 2000

14Utah counties

$3,000+Fixed-fee ALTA quotes

3–6 wksFrom full title commitment

The short answer

What an ALTA Survey Is.

An ALTA/NSPS land title survey is a boundary survey done to the national standard lenders and title insurers rely on. It locates the boundary and improvements, plots every easement and exception from the title commitment, and adds the optional Table A items your lender selects, such as zoning, parking, flood zone or utilities, with a certification to the buyer, lender and title insurer.

It's usually required for commercial purchases and refinances. Most homes need only a boundary survey.

Standard2026 ALTA/NSPS, effective Feb 23, 2026
Typical cost$3,000–$8,000+, fixed fee
Typical time3–6 weeks from the title commitment
What changed2026 vs. 2021 standards

01 · From our files

Three 2026 ALTA Surveys, Start to Finish

Real ALTA/NSPS surveys we signed this year under the new 2026 standard: a multifamily financing, a 310-acre rural tract and a mountain resort. Click any drawing to see it full size.

Ludlow Engineering 2026 ALTA/NSPS land title survey of a two-lot apartment site in Section 17, T3S R4W, Tooele, Utah — ALTA/NSPS survey, Section 17, T3S R4W, SLB&M · click to enlarge

2026 standard · Tooele County · multifamily

A 10.66-acre apartment community, two lots

New three-story apartment buildings on two lots, with the survey certified to the owner, the lender and its agency investor, and the title insurer. The Schedule B exceptions (utility, gas, power and communication easements and plat notes) are each plotted and keyed to the drawing, and parking was counted stall by stall: 450 spaces across both lots.

10.66 acTwo lots, 464,493 sq ft
450 stallsItem 9 parking count
Zone XItem 3 flood zone
Item 20New 2026 encroachment summary

Table A items

2
3
4
6(a)
6(b)
7(a)
8
9
13
16
18
20

Ludlow Engineering ALTA/NSPS land title survey of 310 acres in Sections 26, 27, 34 and 35, T13S R2W, Juab County, Utah, with power line easements and 2-foot contours — ALTA/NSPS survey, Sections 26, 27, 34 & 35, T13S R2W, SLB&M · click to enlarge

2026 standard · Juab County · rural land

310 acres across four sections

Rural ALTAs start with section corners. Our crew recovered BLM brass caps from the 1980s and 1990s, set rebar at every property corner, and plotted three 150-foot transmission-line easements and a recorded right-of-way across 310 acres, with 2-foot contours. Schedule B also flagged a possible lack of legal access, the kind of issue an ALTA exists to surface.

310.48 ac13.5 million sq ft
4 sectionsBLM corners recovered
Item 52-ft contours
Item 11Utility evidence

Table A items

1
2
3
4
5
8
11(a)
11(b)
13
18

Ludlow Engineering ALTA/NSPS survey of a 15-acre resort in Midway, Wasatch County, Utah — The ALTA/NSPS survey · click to enlarge

Drone orthomosaic of the same Midway, Utah resort flown by Ludlow Engineering — Our drone orthomosaic of the same site · click to enlarge

2026 standard · Midway · resort

A 15-acre resort, surveyed on the ground and from the air

A conference center, hotel, villas, tennis courts and 412 parking spaces across several recorded resort plats, with water rights, a pond and a golf course. Our drone mapped the whole site while the crew surveyed the boundary and improvements, so every feature on the plat could be checked against current imagery.

14.99 ac652,827 sq ft
412 stallsItem 9 parking count
Resort zoneItem 6(a) from city letter
DroneOrthomosaic of the site

Table A items

4
5
6(a)
7(a)
7(b)(1)
8
9
13
16
18
20

02 · When

When You Need an ALTA Survey

If a lender or title insurer is involved in a commercial deal, you probably need one.

Commercial purchase

Lenders and title insurers want the boundary, access, easements and encroachments documented before closing.

Refinance

Agency and commercial lenders often require a current ALTA certified to them, as on the Tooele apartments above.

Extended title coverage

The title insurer removes the standard survey exception only with an ALTA in hand.

Large or rural land deals

Access, power lines and section-corner evidence on acreage, like the 310-acre Juab tract.

Development & due diligence

Zoning, setbacks, parking, flood zone and utilities before you design or buy.

Portfolio & hospitality

Resorts, apartments and multi-parcel sites with several recorded plats, like the Midway resort.

03 · Choosing

ALTA vs. Boundary vs. Topographic Survey

Three different questions, three different surveys.

Survey	Answers	Typically ordered by	Typical cost
ALTA/NSPS	Boundary plus title exceptions, Table A items and lender certification	Commercial lenders, title insurers, buyers	$3,000–$8,000+
Boundary	Where the lines and corners are	Owners, buyers, cities	From $1,025
Topographic	Elevations and features for design	Architects, engineers	$1,500–$4,500

04 · Before fieldwork

What to Send With Your ALTA Request

A complete package is the fastest way to an accurate fixed fee and an on-time survey.

The title commitment with all Schedule B exception documents
The lender's Table A list and any survey requirements
Certification parties: buyer or owner, lender, title insurer
A zoning report or letter if Item 6 is ordered
Any prior survey, site plan or recorded plat
Your closing date and site access contacts

Attach everything to our quote form. Table A help: 2026 Table A checklist.

Table A items we're asked for most

Item	What it adds
3	Flood zone from FEMA mapping
4	Gross land area
6(a)/(b)	Zoning and setbacks from a zoning report
7(a)	Building dimensions
8	Substantial features observed
9	Parking stall counts
11	Underground utility evidence
13	Adjoining owners
16 & 18	Recent earthwork; offsite easements
20	New 2026 encroachment summary table

05 · Process

How a Ludlow ALTA Survey Works

Five steps, with your lender and title officer in the loop.

01 / SCOPE

Scope & fixed fee

Table A items, certification parties and deadline confirmed in a written proposal.

02 / RECORDS

Title & records

Every Schedule B document reviewed and plotted; deeds, plats and prior surveys researched.

03 / FIELD

Fieldwork

Boundary and improvements by GNSS and total station; drone mapping on large sites; utility evidence when ordered.

04 / DRAFT

Draft for review

A draft plat to your lender, title officer and attorney before anything is signed.

05 / FINAL

Sign & deliver

Signed and sealed by a Utah PLS with the 2026 certification, delivered as PDF and CAD.

06 / RECORD

County filing

Boundary work filed with the county as Utah law requires, within 90 days.

06 · Cost

ALTA Survey Cost in Utah (2026)

Planning ranges. Your quote is a fixed fee for your property and Table A list, with travel shown separately.

Property	Typical cost	What drives it
Small commercial lot, under 2 acres	$3,000–$5,500	Table A list, building count, record quality.
Standard commercial, about 2–10 acres	$5,000–$8,000	Parking and building detail, number of exceptions.
Large tracts, resorts, multifamily and industrial	$8,000+	Acreage, recorded plats, section corners, drone mapping.
Item 11 underground utilities	Quoted	Private locator time and number of systems.

Most ALTAs take 3–6 weeks from receipt of the full title commitment. More: ALTA costs and what lenders expect · drone ALTA surveys · ALTA surveys in Utah County.

07 · Five decades

Thousands of Surveys Since 1975. What Utah ALTAs Taught Us.

170 ALTA/NSPS surveys since 2000, from Salt Lake City commercial lots to multi-section tracts in Emery County, built on the same boundary work we've done in Utah since 1975.

Utah38
Salt Lake27
Sanpete19
Juab19
Uintah9
Millard6
Summit3
Emery2
Beaver2
Iron2

Lesson 01

Rural ALTAs are won at the section corner.

On acreage, the boundary depends on recovering the right PLSS corners first. On the 310-acre Juab tract we recovered BLM caps on four sections before the first line was drawn.

Lesson 02

Power and canal easements are everywhere.

Transmission corridors, canal and ditch rights and old pipeline grants cross central Utah land. Each one in Schedule B gets plotted, or noted if it can't be.

Lesson 03

Count the parking twice.

Lenders and zoning reviewers compare Item 9 stall counts to code. On the Tooele apartments we counted 450 stalls by type, covered, uncovered and accessible.

Lesson 04

Resorts are many plats, not one parcel.

The Midway resort spans several recorded plats, condo projects and water rights. Untangling them on one drawing is what makes the title insurer comfortable.

08 · Direct answers

ALTA Survey Questions, Answered.

What is an ALTA survey?

An ALTA/NSPS land title survey is a boundary survey done to a national standard set by the American Land Title Association and the National Society of Professional Surveyors. It shows the boundary, improvements, easements and title exceptions, plus any optional Table A items the lender or buyer selects, so a title insurer can issue coverage without a survey exception.

How much does an ALTA survey cost in Utah?

Most ALTA/NSPS surveys we do run $3,000 to $8,000. Large tracts, many Table A items, underground utility work or complex resort and industrial sites run more. Every Ludlow quote is a fixed fee.

How long does an ALTA survey take?

Most take three to six weeks from receipt of the full title commitment and its exception documents. Missing documents and scope changes are the most common causes of delay.

What do you need to quote an ALTA survey?

The property address or parcel numbers, the title commitment with Schedule B documents, the lender's Table A requirements, the names for the certification and your closing date. You can attach them to our quote form.

Who chooses the Table A items?

The client, usually with the lender, title company and counsel. Table A items are optional unless a law or regulation requires one. Get the list in writing before the proposal is final.

Which ALTA standard do you use?

The 2026 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys, effective February 23, 2026. See our guide to what changed from 2021.

What's the difference between an ALTA survey and a boundary survey?

Both locate the boundary. An ALTA adds the title commitment's easements and exceptions, a prescribed certification to the lender and insurer, and optional Table A items like zoning, parking, utilities and flood zone. Residential purchases usually need only a boundary survey.

Does an ALTA survey include utilities and topography?

Not automatically. Underground utility evidence is Table A Item 11 and contours are Item 5; both are added when ordered.

Can you use a drone on an ALTA survey?

Yes. Our drone maps large sites, and under the 2026 standard imagery used for Table A Item 15 requires a written agreement with the client. The boundary itself is always surveyed on the ground.

Do you work directly with my lender and title company?

Yes. We coordinate the Table A list, certification language and draft review with your lender, title officer and attorney.

Licensed Utah surveying · Since 1975

Send the Title Commitment. We'll Scope the ALTA.

Send the address, your lender's Table A list and the title commitment. We'll confirm the 2026 scope and send a fixed fee, usually within one business day.

Request an ALTA Quote →Call (435) 623-0897

ALTA Surveys in Utah. Title Surveys Lenders and Title Insurers Accept.

What an ALTA Survey Is.

Three 2026 ALTA Surveys, Start to Finish

A 10.66-acre apartment community, two lots

310 acres across four sections

A 15-acre resort, surveyed on the ground and from the air

When You Need an ALTA Survey

Commercial purchase

Refinance

Extended title coverage

Large or rural land deals

Development & due diligence

Portfolio & hospitality

ALTA vs. Boundary vs. Topographic Survey

What to Send With Your ALTA Request

Table A items we're asked for most

How a Ludlow ALTA Survey Works

Scope & fixed fee

Title & records

Fieldwork

Draft for review

Sign & deliver

County filing

ALTA Survey Cost in Utah (2026)

Thousands of Surveys Since 1975. What Utah ALTAs Taught Us.

Rural ALTAs are won at the section corner.

Power and canal easements are everywhere.

Count the parking twice.

Resorts are many plats, not one parcel.

ALTA Survey Questions, Answered.

Send the Title Commitment. We'll Scope the ALTA.

Recommended Pages

Licensed Utah Surveyors & Engineers Since 1975.

Daryl Penrod

J. Brett Ludlow

Travis Ludlow

Our ALTA/NSPS survey record

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