There’s no set expiration date on this documentation
A land survey can record crucial information about your property, including its boundaries, features, topography, and buildings. But land surveys aren’t valid forever—you need to survey periodically as the property’s features change or if you need recent records for legal or construction purposes. Learn how long land surveys are good for and what factors influence how often you need a survey.
While land surveys don’t technically expire, they’re considered valid for five to 10 years as long as no major changes have been made to the property during that time. Surveys for certain purposes like new construction or mortgage approval may need to be performed more recently in order to meet local codes or bank requirements.
While five to 10 years is a good rule of thumb for land survey or boundary survey accuracy, a few factors can affect how long a survey is good for.
The type of survey conducted may influence how long it’s good for. When comparing a boundary survey and a topographic survey, the boundary survey may be good for longer, since it establishes the outer legal boundaries of a property, while a topographic survey records the three-dimensional features of a property, which can change over time.
If you’re building new construction or looking to purchase property, you may need a very recent survey. Mortgage lenders may require buyers to pay for a land survey before purchasing a property, and municipalities can require a survey to be conducted immediately before building on a property to comply with local codes.
Any time there’s changes to your property or its boundaries, any older survey is no longer accurate. Building new structures on your property may necessitate a new plot plan, doing significant landscaping means topographical surveys need to be updated, and boundary disputes that result in a change in property lines need to be recorded with a new survey.
There are several situations that require you to hire a land surveyor for an updated land survey. Have your property resurveyed if:
You’re adding buildings or other permanent features to the property
Your mortgage company requires a recent survey
Your property boundaries are unclear or in dispute
You significantly change the topography of your property
Many land surveying companies will guarantee the documentation of their work for a specified amount of time. The specific length of time will vary by state or company, so ask your local land surveyor how long they guarantee their documentation. Keep in mind that you’ll need to pay an additional land survey cost if you make changes to your property—the original survey will no longer be accurate and the surveying company’s guarantee will no longer apply.
Surveys completed by licensed surveyors can be recorded with a local surveying records office, and in most cases, they will be. Filing survey reports categorize them as legal documents, and they can be used whenever legal documentation of your property’s boundaries is needed. While you’re not required to file survey documents, it’s a good idea to do so.
ALTA/ACSM surveys are the most comprehensive type of land survey and, as such, tend to be the most expensive. These surveys have standardized guidelines and reports and are used in many kinds of real estate transactions to ensure consistent and accurate information is available for properties.
A land survey can take anywhere from a few hours to a month or more, depending on the size of the property, the type of survey, the property’s accessibility and topography, and the availability of historical property records. A simple boundary survey to determine a fence line can be completed in a day while surveying 50 acres of undeveloped woodlands may take weeks or longer.
