The hook
Boundary surveying lives in the courthouse. Recorded deeds, plats, easements, tax maps, and surveys of record are the documentary source of truth — long before any monument is found in the ground. Knowing what each document type is for, and where to find it, is the research half of boundary work.
Memorize these
Concepts that show up on the exam
Deed
The legal instrument that transfers title to real property. Contains the legal description, grantor (seller), grantee (buyer), and consideration. Recorded in the county recorder's office.
Recorded plat
A surveyor-prepared map of a subdivision, recorded with the county. Establishes the lots, blocks, easements, and dimensions. Subsequent deeds in the subdivision reference the plat by book and page.
Chain of title
The unbroken sequence of recorded conveyances from the original sovereign grant to the current owner. A title insurance commitment summarizes this chain.
Tax map / parcel map
County assessor's map showing parcels for tax purposes. Often digital (GIS). Useful as a search index but NOT authoritative for boundaries — accuracy is typically 5-50 ft.
Survey of record
A previously recorded boundary survey of the subject parcel or its neighbors. Some jurisdictions REQUIRE recording of new surveys; others make it optional. Always check.
Easement
A right to use someone else's land for a specific purpose (utility, access, drainage). Recorded as a separate instrument with its own description. Easements transfer with the land.
Encumbrance
Any limitation on a property's title — easements, mortgages, liens, restrictive covenants, leases. Listed on title commitments.
Public Land Survey System (PLSS) records
BLM-maintained records of the original government surveys: field notes, original plats, monument descriptions. The starting point for any work in PLSS country.
- 1Get the subject deedLatest recorded deed for the parcel. Read the legal description carefully; note the recording info (book / page / date / instrument number).
- 2Pull the recorded plat (if applicable)If the deed references a plat, get a copy. The plat dimensions and monuments are often the controlling evidence.
- 3Search adjoiner deedsGet the deeds for parcels touching the subject. Check for conflicts, gaps, overlaps. Senior/junior rights between adjoiners are common.
- 4Search prior surveysAny previously recorded survey of the subject or adjoiners. Don't reinvent — build on prior work where credible, document where you disagree.
- 5Tax + GISQuick context on parcel layout, ownership, neighbors. Useful sketch background; never authoritative.
- 6Title commitment (if available)If working under contract for an ALTA, the title commitment lists every encumbrance. Plot each on the survey.
Don't fall for these
What trips people up
Trusting the tax map for boundaries
Tax maps are graphical indexes for billing, not surveys. They are routinely off by tens of feet. Use them to FIND parcels, not to LOCATE them.
Stopping at the latest deed
The current deed may simply re-describe an older deed by reference. To understand the boundary, you often need to follow the chain back to the original conveyance — sometimes 100+ years.
Missing recorded easements
An unrecorded easement won't appear in the recorder's index, but a recorded one is binding even if you didn't see it. Always check the title commitment AND search the recorder for easements affecting the parcel.
Test yourself
How well did it stick?
A quick 5-question check on Public Records and Descriptions. See where you stand and what to review.