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ALTA survey standards are a nationwide uniform set of standards developed by a joint effort of the American Land Title Association and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. The ALTA surveys are designed to satisfy the requirements of corporations, lenders and title companies, when dealing with commercial properties. An ALTA survey is also known as boundary survey that has been jointly prepared and adopted by the ALTA/ACSM.

For a survey of real property and the map of the survey to be acceptable to a title insurance company, certain specific information shall be presented for the clear understanding between the client, the title insurance company (insurer), and the surveyor. The requirements are mentioned below:

1. The client shall request the survey or arrange for the survey to be requested and shall provide a written authorization to proceed with the survey from the person responsible for paying for the survey. Unless specifically authorized in writing by the insurer, the insurer shall not be responsible for any costs associated with the preparation of the survey.

2. The map of survey shall bear the name, telephone number, address and signature of the land surveyor who performed the survey, his official seal and the registration number, the date the survey was completed, the dates of all of the surveyor’s revisions and the caption "ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey" with the certification.

3. An "ALTA/ACSM LAND TITLE SURVEY" shall be in accordance with the then-current "Accuracy Standards for Land Title Surveys" ("Accuracy Standards") as adopted, from time to time by the National Society of Professional Surveyors and the American Land Title Association and incorporated herein by reference.

4. On the map of an "ALTA/ACSM LAND TITLE SURVEY," the survey boundary shall be drawn to a convenient scale. A graphic scale, shown in feet or meters or both, shall be included.

5. When a property to be surveyed for title insurance purposes contains a natural water boundary, the surveyor shall measure the location of the boundary according to appropriate surveying methods and note on the plat or map the date of the measurement and the caveat that the boundary is subject to change due to natural causes and that it may or may not represent the actual location of the limit of title.

About the Author:
Armando Dupont, a professional land surveyor started his career in surveying in 1977 and has extensive experience in managing personnel and projects. His experience includes: topographic surveys, 3d laser scanning, construction and control surveying, preparation of tract and parcel maps, earth work calculation and quantities, targeting and control for photogrammetry, and land title surveys in accordance with the American Land Title Association and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. Mr. DuPont founded Calvada Surveying in 1989 and is a licensed Professional Land Surveyor in the State of California.