Only a Professional Land Surveyor duly licensed by the Nevada State Board of Registration is legally permitted to perform land surveys in the State of Nevada.

Most active Land Surveyors are listed in the yellow pages of the telephone book, or a listing may be obtained from the Nevada Association of Land Surveyors.

A Land Surveyor is an integral part of a professional team composed of attorneys, engineers, architects, planners and landscape architects.  Some land surveying companies offer comprehensive services including some, or all of the above.

Choose a Land Surveyor in whose skill and judgment you can put your trust. A Land Surveyor should not be selected by price alone.  Competency is of first importance.  Your selection should be made when you are sure that the professional you have chosen has all of the facts, and is completely aware of your requirements and/or the requirements of the governmental agency having jurisdiction over the property.

Land Surveyors, like other professionals, vary in knowledge and ability.  The experiences expressed by clients has shown that the majority of Land Surveyors provide competent work for a fair fee.

The cost for most land surveying work is determined, based on the following variables:

1. Type of survey:

Costs may increase as the required precision and scope of the survey increases.

2. Record Search:

This varies by (a) the number of parcels involved; and (b) the number of past transactions. ( This necessary step is complicated by the casual manner in which land transactions have been handled in the past, resulting in many vague, incomplete, and often contradictory legal descriptions and land records. )

3. Size and Scope of Property:

An irregularly shaped parcel has more corners to monument than a rectangular parcel containing the same area.

4. Sectionalized Survey Work:

The could require the survey of the entire section (640 acres ±) in which the land being surveyed lies, regardless of the area of the parcel. In some cases, a survey of more than one section is required, depending on the location of the parcel in question in relation to the sections shown on the government plat.

5. Terrain:

A level parcel of land is easier to survey than a mountain parcel.

6. Vegetation:

Branches, brush, and small trees must frequantly be cleared to afford a line of sight for the Surveyor. Shrubs, flowers, and trees on home sites are normally not disturbed, but may require additional field time to perform work around them.

7. Accessability:

The time to perform the survey work varies with the distance to, and the difficulty in reaching the corners of the site.

8. Amount of Existing Evidence on Property:

Existing evidence such as iron, wood, or stone monuments, old fences and occupation lines, witness trees, etc. aid the Surveyor. Their absence may compound difficulties involved in retracing the original survey.

9. Local Knowledge of Property:

Someone pointing out accepted occupation lines and monumentation is a considerable aid to the Surveyor.

10. Difficulties with Neighbors:

When neighbors are cooperative, an otherwise difficult or impossible boundary line location may be established by boundary line agreement.

11. Time of Year:

In summer, foliage may present problems making traversing difficult. In winter, weather may slow travel to and on site, and sometimes conceal field evidence.

12. Title Company Requirements:

Title companies may require considerably more documentation than is normally required by the average land owner.

13. Record of Survey or other maps:

A Record of Survey map is generally required to be prepared and recorded to memorialize the field work and document the nature of property corners found or set. If your land is being subdivided, a Parcel Map or Subdivision Plat will be required.

Q: Will a Land Surveyor tell me what I own?

A: No, it is your responsibilty to furnish the land surveyor with a legal description, current title report, or policy concerning the parcel that you want surveyed. He/she will then locate the property corners on the ground, marking the corners with physical monuments, and provide you with a record of survey map showing the results of the survey. He/she will also disclose the areas that are in conflict so that the title company and/or attorney can resolve any problems.

Q: Will I be shown if there are any encroachments on the property?

A: Yes, although you should instruct the Land Surveyor to show the encroachments in the area of particular concern to you.

Q: Will I be shown if there are any easements on my property?

A: Yes, if you instruct the Surveyor to do so, and provide a current title report or title policy to use for this purpose. He/she will supply a map, plate, or exhibit showing this information.

Q: How will I be shown what has been surveyed?

A: Corners of the property will be marked with steel rods, pipes, or other such monuments with the Professional Land Surveyor's license number indicated thereon. The corners of the parcel will be pointed out to you, if requested. A record of survey or corner record will be filed when these monuments are set, indicating dimensions of property lines, monuments, and other relative data as required by state law.

Q: Should I explain why I want a survey made?

A: Yes, if the Surveyor knows why you want a survey, he/she can recommend the type of survey you need, and how much detail should be shown on the map, plat, or exhibit.

Q: Why are there conflicting boundary and easement lines?

A: It is often true that boundary/ easement line disputes, gaps, and overlaps are a result of legal descriptions which were originally written and recorded without the benefit of the services of a competent Land Surveyor. It is important to have these lines properly described and surveyed, if necessary, when property or easement lines are created or changed. Any newly created or adjusted boundary lines requires processing through the local governmental agency as required by state law.