What Is an ALTA Survey? Complete Guide to ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys
Quick Answer
An ALTA/NSPS land title survey is a comprehensive property survey that meets the minimum standards set by the American Land Title Association and the National Society of Professional Surveyors. It is the most detailed survey type available and is required for most commercial real estate transactions.
If you are involved in a commercial real estate transaction in Florida, your lender or title company has likely mentioned the need for an ALTA survey. This type of survey provides the most thorough property documentation available and is essential for title insurance underwriting.
This guide explains what an ALTA survey is, what it covers, and why it matters for your transaction.
What Is an ALTA/NSPS Survey?
An ALTA/NSPS survey (often called simply an "ALTA survey") is a land title survey conducted according to minimum standards jointly established by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). The current standards are the 2026 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements, which took effect February 23, 2026 and superseded the 2021 standards.
These standards ensure that every ALTA survey provides a consistent, comprehensive picture of a property regardless of where in the United States it is performed. This makes ALTA surveys the preferred choice for commercial lenders, title companies, and institutional investors.
In Florida, ALTA surveys must be performed by a licensed Professional Surveyor and Mapper (PSM) under Florida Statute Chapter 472.
What Does an ALTA Survey Include?
Every ALTA/NSPS survey includes these minimum requirements:
- Boundary determination: The precise location and dimensions of all property lines, established through field measurements and research of recorded documents.
- Improvements: All buildings, structures, paved areas, and other improvements on the property, including their relationship to the boundaries.
- Easements: All recorded easements, rights-of-way, and servitudes identified in the title commitment, shown on the survey plat.
- Encroachments: Any improvements that cross property lines, whether from the subject property onto adjacent property or vice versa.
- Access: Evidence of access to a public road or right-of-way.
- Zoning: The property's zoning classification and basic compliance information (when Table A Item 6 is selected).
- Flood zone: The FEMA flood zone designation for the property (when Table A Item 3 is selected).
- Title commitment reconciliation: The surveyor must review the title commitment and address each exception on the survey plat.
Table A Optional Items
The ALTA/NSPS standards include a list of optional survey items called "Table A." Buyers and lenders select which Table A items they need based on the property and transaction type. The table below summarizes items drawn from the twenty in the 2026 Table A (source: 2026 ALTA/NSPS Minimum Standard Detail Requirements, effective 23 February 2026):
| Item | Description | What It Adds |
|---|---|---|
| Item 1 | Monuments placed (or a reference monument or witness) at all major corners of the boundary | Permanent physical markers you can find again |
| Item 2 | Address(es) of the surveyed property, if disclosed in the documents provided or observed in the field | Confirms the street address against the legal description |
| Item 5 | Vertical relief, with the source of information, contour interval, datum and originating benchmark | Site topography for drainage and grading review |
| Item 6(a) and 6(b) | Zoning classification, setbacks, height and floor space area restrictions and parking requirements listed from a zoning report or letter the client supplies — and, under 6(b), the setbacks depicted graphically where they need no interpretation by the surveyor | Puts the client's zoning report on the plat. Neither part applies without that report |
| Item 7(a) | Exterior dimensions of all buildings at ground level | The measured building footprint |
| Item 8 | Substantial features observed in the process of conducting the fieldwork — parking lots, billboards, signs, swimming pools, landscaped areas, substantial areas of refuse | Site detail beyond the buildings the standard already requires |
| Item 11(a) and 11(b) | Evidence of underground utilities, from plans and reports the client provides (11a) and from markings under a private utility locate request (11b) | A view of buried services. Without excavation their exact position cannot be depicted with certainty |
| Item 18 | Plottable offsite (appurtenant) easements disclosed in documents provided to or obtained by the surveyor | Maps easements over neighboring land that serve this property |
| Item 19 | Professional liability insurance carried by the surveyor in a stated minimum amount, in effect throughout the contract term | A contractual insurance floor. The certificate is furnished on request, not shown on the plat |
Each additional Table A item increases the scope of work and the cost of the survey. Your title company or attorney will typically specify which items are required for your transaction.
When Do You Need an ALTA Survey?
ALTA surveys are most commonly required in these situations:
- Commercial property purchases: Lenders require ALTA surveys for commercial mortgage underwriting to assess risk.
- Refinancing commercial property: Updated surveys may be required when refinancing, especially if the property has been improved.
- Title insurance: Title companies use ALTA surveys to identify and evaluate survey-related exceptions to coverage.
- Development due diligence: Before developing a commercial site, an ALTA survey reveals constraints that affect building plans.
- Multi-family residential: Apartment complexes, condominiums, and planned unit developments often require ALTA surveys.
ALTA Survey vs. Boundary Survey
A standard boundary survey locates property lines and corners. An ALTA survey does everything a boundary survey does and adds title commitment reconciliation, improvement location, easement identification, flood zone determination, and optional Table A items.
Think of it this way: a boundary survey answers "where are my property lines?" while an ALTA survey answers "what are all the rights, restrictions, and physical conditions that affect this property?"
For a detailed side-by-side breakdown, see our ALTA vs Boundary Survey comparison guide.
ALTA Survey Costs in Florida
An ALTA survey is quoted per project, and for good reason: two commercial sites of identical acreage can be completely different jobs depending on what their title commitments contain. The cost is driven by:
- Number of Table A items selected — the single biggest lever you control. Item 11 (utilities) and Item 6 (zoning) in particular add real scope.
- Complexity of title exceptions — every recorded easement in the commitment has to be plotted or explained. A commitment with 40 exceptions is a different job from one with 6.
- Property size, improvements and tenancy — buildings to dimension, parking to count, occupants to coordinate site access with.
- Local government research requirements — zoning verification varies substantially between Florida jurisdictions.
- Timeline — expedited delivery carries a premium.
What we can tell you honestly is what professional survey time costs in Florida. Published Florida government contracts for 2024–2026 put a two-person survey crew at $129.80 to $281.00 per hour, a project surveyor at $120.00 to $267.08 per hour, and a senior licensed PSM at $135.99 to $382.97 per hour (source: negotiated rates in Florida city, county, special-district and FDOT contracts, 2024–2026). An ALTA survey consumes considerably more of the senior and office hours than a boundary survey does, because the title reconciliation and drafting are professional-level work.
These are general ranges, not quotes. What a survey costs is set by the work it takes — boundary research, fieldwork, recovering or establishing the applicable property corners, marking the accessible corners, and preparing a signed and sealed survey. Your figure will vary with the number of parcels, scope, location, access, vegetation, travel, and existing monumentation.
The fastest way to get a real number: send us the title commitment and your Table A selections along with the address. Commercial ALTA survey demand is highest in Miami, Tampa, and Orlando due to their active commercial real estate markets.
Need an ALTA Survey in Florida?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does ALTA stand for in surveying?
ALTA stands for the American Land Title Association. An ALTA survey follows minimum standards jointly established by ALTA and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) to provide a comprehensive property survey suitable for title insurance underwriting.
How long does an ALTA survey take to complete?
A typical ALTA survey in Florida takes 7 to 14 business days from the date of authorization. Complex properties or those requiring extensive Table A items may take 3 to 4 weeks. Rush service is available for an additional fee.
Who pays for the ALTA survey?
In Florida commercial transactions, the buyer typically pays for the ALTA survey. However, this is negotiable and the responsibility can be assigned to either party in the purchase contract.
Can I use an old ALTA survey?
Most lenders and title companies require a current ALTA survey (completed within the past few months) or an updated survey. An old survey may be "recertified" if no changes have occurred, which costs less than a new survey but still requires a site visit.
What is the difference between an ALTA survey and a title search?
A title search examines public records to identify ownership history, liens, and recorded encumbrances. An ALTA survey is a physical measurement of the property that shows where boundaries, improvements, and easements are located on the ground. Both are needed for a complete picture of the property.
Do I need an ALTA survey for a residential property?
ALTA surveys are not typically required for standard residential purchases. A boundary survey or location survey usually satisfies residential lender requirements. However, high-value residential transactions, waterfront properties, or properties with complex easements may benefit from an ALTA survey.
What are Table A items on an ALTA survey?
Table A items are optional survey requirements listed in the ALTA/NSPS standards that can be selected based on the needs of the transaction. They include items like monument placement, zoning compliance reporting, building dimensions, utility locations, and flood zone certification.