5J-17.052. Standards of Practice - Boundary Survey Requirements

(1) Boundaries of Real Property:

(a) The surveyor and mapper shall make a determination of the position of the boundary of real property in complete accord with the real property description shown on the survey map or report and map. In order to ensure adequate and defensible real property boundary locations:

1. Every parcel of land whose boundaries are surveyed shall be made to conform with the record boundaries of such land, taking into account relevant requirements of law concerning whether the survey is original or a resurvey.

2. Prior to making the survey, the licensee shall perform research of records with sufficient scope and depth to identify with reasonable certainty:

a. The location of the record boundaries,

b. Conflicting record and ownership boundary locations within, abutting or affecting the property or access to same,

c. None of the above is intended to require the surveyor to perform a title search.

3. A field survey shall be made locating monuments and evidence of occupation, appropriate or necessary and coordinate the facts of said survey with the analysis of the record boundaries.

(b) Monuments shall be set or held as marking the corners after a well-reasoned analysis by the licensee.

(c) All boundary surveys shall result in a map (hardcopy and/or digital) and it shall be stated on the map that the survey is a “Boundary Survey.”

(d) Any discrepancies between the survey map and the real property description shall be shown.

(e) Survey data shall be shown to positively describe the boundaries of the surveyed property. For portions of the property bounded by an irregular line, distances and directions to the irregular boundary shall be shown with as much certainty as can be determined or as “more or less,” if variable.

(f) Surveys of all or part of a lot(s) which is part of a recorded subdivision shall show the lot(s) and block numbers or other designations, including those of adjoining lots.

(g) Surveys of parcels described by metes and bounds shall show all information called for in the property description, including point of commencement, course bearings and distances, and point of beginning.

(h) When the results of the survey differ significantly from the record,or if a fundamental decision related to the boundary resolution is not clearly reflected on the plat or map, the surveyor shall explain this information with notes on the face of the plat or map.

(i) Surveys of parcels with water boundaries shall describe the feature located including, top of bank, edge of water, mean high water line, ordinary high water line and the method used to locate the water boundary. Water boundaries may be located in their approximate position as long as this is adequately depicted and explained with notes on the face of the plat or map.

(2) Boundary Monuments:

(a) The surveyor and mapper shall set monuments as defined herein, unless monuments already exist or cannot be set due to physical obstructions at corners.

(b) Every boundary monument set shall:

1. Be composed of a durable material,

2. Have a minimal length of 18 inches,

3. Have a minimum cross-section area of material of 0.20 square inches,

4. Be identified with a durable marker or cap bearing either the Florida license number of the surveyor and mapper in responsible charge, the certificate of authorization number of the business entity; or name of the business entity,

5. Be detectable with conventional instruments for finding ferrous or magnetic objects,

6. When a corner falls in a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, alternate monumentation may be used that is durable and identifiable,

7. When conditions require setting a monument on an offset, whenever possible, the location should be selected so the monument lies on a boundary line.

(c) All monuments, found or placed, must be described on the survey map. The corner descriptions shall state the size, material, and cap identification of the monument as well as whether the monument was found or set. Offset monuments shall be noted as such on the survey map along with the offset distance to the true corner. Building corners are acceptable as monuments so long as use of the building corners as monumentation is clearly noted on the map.

(d) For irregular boundaries such as a water body or maintained right of way, a dimensioned meander or survey closure line shall be used and monuments shall be set at the meander or survey closure line’s terminus points on real property boundary lines.

(e) A boundary survey updating a previous survey made by the same surveyor and mapper or business entity, and which is performed for the purpose of locating non-completed new improvements by measurements to the property lines or related offset lines placed on the property since the previous survey, need not have the property corners reset.

(f) Side ties to locate or set monuments shall be substantiated by multiple measurements.

(3) Boundary Inconsistencies:

(a) Potential boundary inconsistencies shall be addressed and shall be clearly indicated and explained on the survey map or in the report. Where evidence of inconsistency is found, the nature of the inconsistency shall be shown upon the survey map, such as:

1. Overlapping descriptions or hiatuses,

2. Excess or deficiency,

3. Conflicting boundary lines or monuments, or

4. Doubt as to the location on the ground of survey lines or property rights.

(b) Open and notorious evidence of boundary lines, such as fences, walls, buildings, monuments or otherwise, shall be shown upon the map, together with dimensions sufficient to show their relationship to the boundary line(s).

(c) All apparent physical use onto or from adjoining property must be indicated, with the extent of such use shown or noted upon the map.

(d) In all cases where foundations may violate deed or easement lines and are beneath the surface, failure to determine their location shall be noted upon the map or report.

(4) Rights-of-Way, Easements, and Other Real Property Concerns:

(a) All recorded public and private rights-of-way shown on applicable recorded plats adjoining or across the land being surveyed shall be located and shown upon the map.

(b) Easements shown on applicable record plats or open and notorious evidence of easements or rights-of-way on or across the land being surveyed shall be located and shown upon the map.

(c) When streets or street rights-of-way abutting the land surveyed are physically closed to travel, a note to this effect shall be shown upon the map.

(d) When location of easements or rights-of-way of record, other than those on record plats, is required, this information must be furnished to the surveyor and mapper.

(e) Human cemeteries and burial grounds located within the premises shall be located and shown upon the map when open and notorious, or when knowledge of their existence and location is furnished to the surveyor and mapper.

(5) Real Property Improvements:

(a) Location of fixed improvements pertinent to the survey shall be graphically shown upon the map and their positions shall be dimensioned in reference to the boundaries, either directly or by offset lines.

(b) When fixed improvements are not located or do not exist, a note to this effect shall be shown upon the map.

(c) When a boundary survey updating a previous boundary survey is made by the same surveyor or survey firm for purpose of locating non-completed new improvements, then property corners need not be reset; however, when a boundary survey is updating a previous survey made by the same surveyor or survey firm and is performed for purpose of locating completed new improvements then property corners must be recovered or reset. When a boundary survey updates a previous boundary survey made by a different surveyor or survey firm for the purpose of locating either non-completed or completed new improvements, then property corners must be recovered or reset.

(6) Descriptions/Sketch to Accompany Description:

(a) Descriptions written by a surveyor and mapper to describe land boundaries by metes and bounds shall provide definitive identification of boundary lines.

(b) When a sketch accompanies the property description, it shall show all information referenced in the description and shall state that such sketch is not a survey. The initial point in the description shall be tied to either a government corner, a recorded corner, or some other well-established survey point.

Rulemaking Authority 472.008, 472.027 FS. Law Implemented 472.027 FS. History–New 9-1-81, Formerly 21HH-6.04, Amended 12-18-88, Formerly 21HH-6.004, Amended 12-25-95, 5-13-96, 5-25-99, 4-4-06, 8-31-06, 8-18-08, Formerly 61G17-6.004, Amended 5-11-15, 11-13-17, 7-15-18.