Buying or selling property
Confirm exactly what you're buying before closing. Title companies and lenders often ask for one, especially on acreage and older lots.
Boundary & property line surveys · Utah · Since 1975
Boundary Survey in Utah. Know Exactly Where Your Property Lines Are.
A licensed Utah surveyor researches the record, recovers or sets your corners, and delivers a stamped map that's filed with the county. Boundary surveys from $1,025, quoted as a fixed fee before we start.
1975Surveying Utah since
1,729Boundary surveys since 2000
$1,025+Recorded subdivision lot
90 daysCounty filing required by law
The short answer
What a Boundary Survey Is.
A boundary survey (often called a property line survey) is a licensed surveyor's determination of where a parcel's legal lines and corners sit on the ground. The surveyor researches your deed, the adjoining deeds, plats and prior surveys, recovers the monuments that exist, measures the parcel, and resolves the record against the evidence. Missing corners are set, and you get a stamped map, not an estimate.
A county parcel map or a line judged from an old fence isn't a legal boundary. In Utah only a licensed Professional Land Surveyor can certify one, and the map is filed with the county.
- Best forHomeowners, buyers, builders and landowners who need the legal lines
- You receiveStamped map, legal description and marked corners
- Typical time1–3 weeks for most residential lots
- Not the right survey ifA commercial lender needs an ALTA/NSPS survey
01 · When
When You Need a Boundary Survey
If you're about to buy, build, fence, split or settle a question about a line, the survey comes first.
Building a fence, garage or addition
Know the improvement is inside your lines and meets setbacks before the concrete is poured.
Lost or uncertain corners
Corners that were never set, were pulled up, or can't be found are recovered or re-established and marked.
A question with a neighbor
A stamped survey establishes the legal line early, before a disagreement becomes expensive.
Splitting land or moving a line
The boundary is the starting point for a lot split, a lot-line adjustment or a subdivision plat.
A building permit
Many Utah cities and counties want a current survey before they review a permit, and it may reveal encroachments that already exist.
02 · The terms
Property Line Survey, Boundary Survey or ALTA?
People use several names for the same survey. Here's how they line up.
| What you might call it | What it is | Who usually asks for it |
|---|---|---|
| Property line survey / lot survey | Everyday names for a boundary survey of a home or lot. | Homeowners, buyers, fence and garage projects. |
| Boundary survey | The licensed survey that locates, marks and maps the property lines and corners, and is filed with the county. | Owners, title companies, attorneys, cities. |
| ALTA/NSPS survey | A commercial title survey to a national standard, with Table A items and lender certifications. | Commercial lenders and title insurers. See ALTA surveys. |
| Topographic survey | Elevations, contours and site features for design. Often paired with a boundary survey. | Architects, engineers, builders. See topographic surveys. |
03 · The process
How a Utah Boundary Survey Is Done
Six steps from your call to a filed survey. A straightforward platted lot is often finished in about two weeks.
Deed & record research
Your deed, the adjoining deeds, the recorded plat and prior surveys and corner records from the county.
Description analysis
We analyze the description against the Public Land Survey System and tie the work to a known control framework.
Monument recovery
The crew searches for pins, pipes, section corners, fences and walls, and measures the evidence along every line.
Boundary resolution
The surveyor reconciles the record with what was found on the ground and decides where each line and corner legally sits.
Set corners & draft
Missing corners are set with monuments marked with the surveyor's license number, and the map and legal description are drafted.
Stamp, deliver & file
A Utah PLS reviews and stamps the survey; you receive the map, description and digital files, and the map is filed with the county surveyor.
Rural metes-and-bounds acreage in Juab, Sanpete, Millard and Sevier counties often traces to old deeds, fence lines and section corners, and needs records research and field evidence, not just GPS. More: how long a survey takes.
04 · Deliverables
What You Receive
Every Ludlow boundary survey includes the following.
- Located and set corners, each recovered or set with a durable monument marked with the surveyor's license number.
- A survey map with bearings, distances, monuments and adjoining features.
- A legal description for deeds, title work and recording.
- Encroachments and easements: fences, structures and visible easement evidence along the lines.
- A PLS stamp and county filing, sealed by a Utah Professional Land Surveyor and filed with the county surveyor.
- Digital files: PDF, with CAD (DWG/DXF) on request.
05 · Cost
Boundary Survey Cost in Utah (2026)
Planning ranges for typical parcels. Every job is quoted as a fixed fee in writing, with travel outside our core counties shown as its own line.
| Parcel | Typical cost | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded subdivision lot | $1,025–$1,800 | A recorded plat and nearby monuments keep research and fieldwork efficient. |
| Older town lot | $1,800–$2,500+ | Pioneer townsite plats, old deeds and fences off the record line. |
| 1–5 acres | $2,000–$4,000 | Longer lines, more corners, more county research. |
| 5–20 acres | $3,500–$6,500 | Section-corner recovery, terrain and access. |
| 20+ acres or ranch land | $5,000+ | Size, number of corners and distance between section corners. |
| Boundary + topographic survey | Quoted together | One visit is usually cheaper than ordering the topo later. |
| Disputed or lost-corner work | Quote-based | Conflicting records, missing monuments or litigation need more analysis. |
What changes the price
- Records: a recent plat vs. a century-old deed.
- Monuments: pins found vs. corners lost.
- Parcel: a lot vs. acreage; line length and number of corners.
- Terrain: open ground vs. slope, brush, snow and access.
- Deadline: flexible vs. rush for a closing or permit.
How to keep it down
- Send your deed, plat, title report or prior survey. It shortens research.
- Add a topographic survey on the same visit if you'll be building.
- Tell us about known corners, gates and access before the crew arrives.
Compare all survey types: Utah survey cost guide.
06 · From our files
Thousands of Surveys Since 1975. Here's What They Look Like.
Our tracked records alone hold 1,729 boundary surveys since 2000, and 1,241 survey maps filed with Utah counties. A few recent jobs show the range.
1,729Boundary surveys since 2000
1,241Survey maps filed with counties
10Utah counties
269In Nephi alone
A pioneer townsite lot
Nephi's original townsite blocks were platted generations before modern equipment. On lots like these the deeds, the plat and the fences rarely agree exactly, so the answer comes from weighing old records against the monuments we can still find.
Farm and ranch ground
Rural Sanpete parcels are described from section corners. The work starts with recovering those corners, then measuring along fence lines that may have stood for a century.
A recorded subdivision lot
Lots on a recorded subdivision plat are usually the fastest and least expensive boundary surveys, when the original pins are still in the ground. Often they are, just buried.
Boundary for a parcel split
A split starts with the parent parcel's boundary. Getting it right first means the new descriptions close, the county approves the split, and the next survey agrees with ours.
Pioneer plats need patience.
Nephi, Manti, Mount Pleasant and Ephraim were laid out as townsites with large blocks. We've surveyed 269 boundaries in Nephi and 134 in Mount Pleasant; on those old lots, fences a few feet off the record line are normal.
Mining claims are their own world.
Around Eureka and the Tintic district, where we've done 100 boundary surveys, parcels are patented mining claims described by mineral survey, not sections. They take specific research. See Eureka land surveying.
Every filed survey helps the next.
In the towns where we've worked most, corners and maps from earlier jobs shorten the search on yours. It's one reason local experience lowers the price.
The pins are often still there.
On recorded subdivisions, original corners are frequently in place, just buried under landscaping or gravel. Finding them is faster and cheaper than re-establishing them.
07 · Utah rules
Is a Boundary Survey Required, and Who Can Do One?
What Utah law requires of a boundary survey.
- Licensed surveyors only. Boundary surveys must be performed by a Professional Land Surveyor licensed under Utah's Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors Licensing Act (Utah Code Title 58, Chapter 22).
- Filed within 90 days. The surveyor files a map with the county surveyor within 90 days of establishing or re-establishing a boundary (Utah Code § 17-73-504), making it a public record.
- Marked corners. Monuments the surveyor sets carry the surveyor's license number, so the next surveyor knows who set them.
- Effectively required when a lender or title company asks for one on a purchase, or a city or county wants a current survey before a permit.
Why accuracy matters
A line in the wrong place leads to neighbor disputes, a garage or fence built over the line, tear-out and rebuild, legal fees, or a smaller parcel than you paid for, and it can cloud the title when you sell.
If a fence and the record line disagree, Utah courts have recognized long-standing fences as the boundary in some circumstances. A survey shows exactly where both are. If it matters, talk to a real estate attorney before you move a fence. Guides: fences and property lines · lost corners · line disputes.
08 · Timing
When to Schedule a Boundary Survey
Fieldwork happens year-round, but the season affects how fast corners can be found.
Doable, with caveats. Snow and frozen ground can hide monuments, especially on rural parcels.
Book early. Demand climbs as building season starts.
Best conditions and longest days, and the busiest months. Allow lead time.
A strong window, especially for acreage, as vegetation dies back before the snow.
What to send for a quote
- Property address or parcel number
- What you're doing: fence, addition, sale, split, permit or question with a neighbor
- Your deed, recorded plat or a prior survey
- A title report, if you have one
- Your deadline, and access notes (gates, dogs, snow)
You can attach documents right on our quote form.
After the boundary survey
- Building: add a topographic survey and site plan, then construction staking.
- Dividing land: the boundary feeds a lot-line adjustment or subdivision plat.
- Commercial deal: lenders and title insurers usually need an ALTA/NSPS survey.
09 · Where we work
Boundary Surveys Across Utah
Our office is at 1451 S. Main in Nephi, in the center of the state. Most of our boundary work is in the counties below, and we travel statewide.
County and city pages: Juab County · Nephi · Sanpete County · Utah County · Payson · Millard County · Sevier County · Wasatch County · Salt Lake City · Eureka
- Utah Code § 17-73-504Map filing within 90 days of establishing or re-establishing a boundary.
- Utah DOPLLicense lookup for any Utah Professional Land Surveyor.
- BLM General Land Office recordsOriginal township plats and field notes for the Public Land Survey System.
- County recorder & surveyorDeeds, plats, filed survey maps and corner records.
10 · Direct answers
Boundary Survey Questions, Answered.
How much does a boundary survey cost in Utah?
A recorded subdivision lot typically runs $1,025 to $1,800, and an older town lot $1,800 to $2,500 or more. Parcels of 1 to 5 acres usually run $2,000 to $4,000, 5 to 20 acres $3,500 to $6,500, and larger tracts $5,000 and up. Every Ludlow survey is a fixed fee in writing before work starts.
How long does a boundary survey take?
Most residential boundary surveys are finished in one to three weeks from approval. Rural parcels with heavy research, missing corners or snow cover take longer. Tell us your deadline when you order.
Is a property line survey the same as a boundary survey?
Yes. "Property line survey," "property survey" and "lot survey" are everyday names for a boundary survey: the licensed survey that locates and marks your property lines and corners.
What's the difference between a boundary survey and an ALTA survey?
A boundary survey locates the lines and corners. An ALTA/NSPS survey is a commercial title survey to a national standard, with Table A items and certifications for lenders and title insurers. Most residential needs call for a boundary survey.
Do I need a licensed surveyor?
Yes. Only a Professional Land Surveyor licensed in Utah can locate and certify a boundary, and the map must be filed with the county surveyor. A county parcel map or an old fence is not a legal boundary.
Can you find corners that were never set or are missing?
Yes. We research the record, tie to section corners and prior surveys, measure the evidence in the field, and re-establish the corner with a monument marked with the surveyor's license number.
Will a survey settle a dispute with my neighbor?
A survey establishes where the record line is and where fences and buildings sit relative to it, which resolves most disagreements early. If a fence has stood in the wrong place for many years, talk to a real estate attorney about your rights.
Is the survey recorded?
Yes. Utah law requires the surveyor to file a map with the county surveyor within 90 days of establishing or re-establishing a boundary (Utah Code § 17-73-504), so it becomes a public record.
Do you survey near me?
We're in Nephi, in the center of Utah, and survey statewide. Most of our boundary work is in Juab, Sanpete, Utah, Millard and Sevier counties, and we regularly travel to the Wasatch Front and beyond, with travel shown as its own line on the quote.
Keep reading: boundary surveys explained · what a land survey is · property-line adjustments · our project record
Licensed Utah surveying · Since 1975
Know Exactly Where Your Property Lines Are.
Send the address or parcel number and what you're planning. We'll confirm the scope, send a fixed fee and give you the next field date, usually within one business day.
Experience Advanced Technology and Expertise from Your Land Surveyor
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Who's behind this page
Licensed Utah Surveyors & Engineers Since 1975.
Ludlow Engineering has surveyed and engineered Utah property for 51 years. Every survey and plan is prepared under a licensed professional, not handed off.
Daryl Penrod
Professional Land SurveyorState of Utah No. 5331527
Directs our boundary, topographic, ALTA and subdivision surveys.
J. Brett Ludlow
Professional EngineerState of Utah
Stamps our site plans, foundation designs and civil engineering.
Travis Ludlow
Partner & Managing MemberMBA
Managing Member of Ludlow Engineers and Associates
Since 197551 years, family-run in Nephi
5,606projects tracked since 2000
1,200+survey maps filed with Utah counties
19 countiesacross Utah where we've worked
Our boundary survey record
1,729 boundary survey projects since 2000, in 10 Utah counties.
Most recent: Oct 2026.
Recent projects
- Boundary surveyPayson, Utah County
- Boundary surveySevier, Sevier County
- Boundary surveyProvo, Utah County
- Boundary surveyManti, Sanpete County
- Boundary surveyMount Pleasant, Sanpete County
Counts come from Ludlow Engineering's project records (2000–present, updated Oct 2026). Client names are never shown.