The American Land Title Association and National Society of Professional Surveyors have finalized revisions to the Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys, with an effective date of Feb. 23, 2026. These revisions supersede the 2021 standards and will govern all surveys commenced on or after that date. The revised standards emphasize enhanced precision, transparency and uniformity in the surveying process.
This alert summarizes the principal changes and offers guidance on how real estate professionals should adapt their transaction practices.
Overview of the 2026 Revisions
The 2026 standards do not represent a wholesale rewrite of the survey requirements but instead refine existing provisions while introducing several updates. The revisions address measurement terminology, surveyor responsibilities, documentation requirements and the scope of optional Table A items.
Notably, the changes include:
- Redefining the definition of “Relative Positional Precision” to provide a better understanding of the definition among lenders, title insurers and other transaction participants
- Adding a new Table A Item 20 to include an encroachment summary table
- Updating the Table A numbering to account for the new Table A Item 20
- Revising surveyor requirements in obtaining source recorded documents
- Including more detailed descriptions of monument locations to include relationship of monuments to the ground surface
- Expanding utility location requirements
- Requiring surveyors to show evidence of possession or occupation along the property perimeter regardless of proximity to the boundary lines
- Requiring surveyors to include statements received from property owners or occupants regarding boundary or title issues
- Updating approved imaging technology
- Allowing for the expansion of certification to successors and assigns of the lender when requested
A more detailed summary of the changes may be found below.
Practical Recommendations
In light of the 2026 revisions, real estate professionals should consider the following steps.
Review survey order templates: Lenders and purchasers should update their standard Table A item checklists to reflect the revised numbering and to determine whether Item 20 should be included as a standard request.
Coordinate early with surveyors: Parties should communicate with surveyors at the outset of a transaction regarding the level of detail required and the specific Table A items needed. Early delivery of the title commitment and exception documents will facilitate timely completion of the survey.
Confirm compliance with 2026 standards: For surveys ordered on or after Feb. 23, 2026, parties should ensure that survey orders specifically reference the 2026 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements. For surveys ordered prior to Feb. 23, 2026, but finalized after that date, the parties may request that the survey reference the 2026 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements, but the surveyor may charge a fee for required revisions.
Evaluate internal policies: Lenders and institutional investors may wish to revise their internal survey guidelines to incorporate the 2026 standards and take advantage of the new standardized encroachment reporting format.
The 2026 ALTA/NSPS standards should enhance the quality of information available to transaction participants and streamline the survey review process. Please contact the authors if you have questions about how these changes may affect your transactions.
Detailed Summary of Changes
Refined Definition of Relative Positional Precision
One of the most significant technical revisions involves the definition of Relative Positional Precision, which serves as the primary indicator of measurement quality for ALTA/NSPS surveys. The revised definition retains consistency with established measurement methods while providing a more accessible explanation for parties who may be unfamiliar with surveying terminology. This change should facilitate better understanding among lenders, title insurers and other transaction participants regarding the precision of boundary determinations.
New Table A Item 20: Encroachment Summary Table
Perhaps the most consequential change for commercial transactions is the creation of a new Table A Item 20. When selected, this item requires the surveyor to compile a summary table identifying physical conditions and potential encroachments observed during the fieldwork. The surveyor must identify and locate the following conditions on the plat or map:
- Potential encroachments over boundary lines in either direction
- Encroachments into rights-of-way or easements
- Encroachments into setback areas
- Third-party use of the property without the benefit of an easement
- Property access available only through common ownership with an adjacent parcel
This standardized format replaces the varied approaches surveyors previously used when addressing encroachments. The new item should reduce the need for title insurers to request survey revisions to include encroachment statements, which has been a common practice. Notably, while surveyors must identify these conditions, they should not express legal opinions or opinions as to ownership.
Updated Table A Numbering
The addition of Item 20 has shifted the numbering of subsequent Table A items. Item 21 now serves as the catch-all provision for custom requests negotiated between the surveyor and client, such as airport conical zones (for protected airspace), building heights or internal tax parcel lines. Any additional negotiated items must be identified as 21(a), 21(b) and so forth. Transaction participants should review their standard survey order checklists and update item references accordingly.
Revised Records Research Requirements
The 2026 standards eliminate the prior requirement that title insurers furnish copies of adjoining property deeds. Surveyors must now independently obtain this information. The standards also clarify that surveyors must receive a copy of the current title commitment or other title evidence acceptable to the insurer.
Enhanced Monument Documentation
The revised standards now require surveyors to describe the relationship of monuments to the ground surface when documenting boundary markers. This includes noting whether monuments are flush with grade, below the surface or protruding above ground level. More detailed monument descriptions will assist future surveyors in retracing boundaries and evaluating the reliability of existing markers.
Expanded Utility Location Requirements
The standards now clarify that surveyors must identify other utility features on or within five feet of the property in addition to utility poles located on or within 10 feet of the surveyed property. Previously, no defined distance boundary was included for other utility features other than utility poles. This level of detail helps verify easement placement and assists developers and property owners in planning utility connections.
Evidence of Possession and Occupation
Surveyors must now note evidence of possession or occupation along the property perimeter regardless of proximity to the boundary lines. This requirement applies whether or not the possession or occupation appears to conflict with established boundaries.
Parol Statements
The revised standards require surveyors to include notation of any verbal statements made by interested landowners or occupants concerning title or boundary issues affecting the surveyed property. This documentation preserves potentially relevant information for title examination purposes.
Acceptance of Modern Surveying Technology
The 2026 standards include new language referencing practices generally recognized as acceptable by the surveying profession for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys. This approach accommodates emerging technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence and LiDAR without requiring the standards to enumerate specific tools or procedures.
Aerial and Satellite Imagery
The standards revise Table A Item 15 to clarify that certain features may be depicted using aerial or satellite imagery rather than conventional ground surveying, which would allow use of online aerial and satellite imaging. However, the surveyor and client must agree in writing regarding the imagery to be used and the surveyor should include a reference to where the imagery was found, along with the date. This distinction is important because remotely derived data may offer different levels of reliability than field-verified measurements.
Certification Changes
The certification language now expressly permits extension of the certification to successors and assigns of the lender when requested. Additionally, the standards acknowledge that administrative rules, in addition to statutes and local ordinances, may require recording of the plat or map.
For more information on land title surveys or related matters, contact the Real Estate Transactions Practice Group.