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ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey (2016 Standards)
Formerly known as ALTA/ACSM Surveys, the 2016 revision of requirements was compiled by committee of ALTA and NSPS members (American Land Title Association and National Society of Professional Surveyors, respectively).
The new standards do not go into effect until February 2016, we can nonetheless conduct our surveys according to them if the client desires; the 2011 ALTA/ACSM Standards are nonetheless default until then.
While the most visible change is the name (this is due to a merger between ACSM and NSPS), there are two key classes of changes: changes that provide additional guidance for the surveyor, and changes to the options that are available to the client (Table A):
- Additional guidance for the surveyor:
- Clearer requirements for the surveyor's preliminary research.
- Better definition of precision with which features must be identified.
- How to locate and depict abutting roads.
- Requirement to justify a new description, if one was prepared by the surveyor.
- Changes to Table A:
- Observed utility features are now mandatory, and not just a Table A option.
- The names of neighboring properties/owners is not longer mandatory; it's now a Table A option.
- Clarifying zoning documentation requirements when addressing zoning issues (Item 6).
- "Use of site as waste dump" option is removed (formerly Item 18), replaced by option for requesting "substantial areas of refuse" (Item 8).
- Item 19 (wetlands) is removed.
- Item 20b (monumentation of apurtenant easements) is removed.
For all changes, please feel free to compare the 2011 ALTA/ACSM requirements and the 2016 ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey requirements .
Please note that the above documents are owned and copyrighted by the American Land Title Association and by the National Society of Professional Surveyors , and are presented here for reference only.