How Much Does a Land Survey Cost in 2025?
A professional land survey costs $543 on average, but your land surveyor will estimate your cost depending on the lot size, the type of survey, terrain, and labor.
Key cost factors include lot size, property dimensions, terrain, and location.
Common types of land surveys include boundary, topographic, and mortgage surveys.
Expect to pay toward the high end of the price range for a larger lot size and complex survey.
You’ll need an official land survey document to buy, sell, or modify a property.
Gather previous surveys, deeds, and titles to share with your land surveyor.
This article was created using automation technology and thoroughly fact-checked and edited by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.
Whether you’re buying a home, planning to build a fence, or adding a new guest bedroom, land survey costs range from $376 to $768, with an average of $543. Factors like property size, shape, terrain, and survey type all affect the final bill. Most homeowners pay $1,500 to $3,500 per acre. A certified land surveyor can define your legal property lines, ensuring your project starts on solid ground.
Land Survey Cost Factors
A pro will evaluate each detail of your project to estimate the most accurate cost possible for your land survey, from the type of survey to the size of the property and labor rates.
Property Survey Costs by Type
There are multiple types of land surveys to choose from, depending on your goals.
| Property Survey Type | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Boundary | $1,200–$5,500 |
| Topographic | $2,000–$6,500 |
| Mortgage | $1,500–$4,500 |
| New construction | $1,800–$6,500 |
| Fence | $1,000–$3,200 |
| ALTA | $2,500–$10,000 |
| As-built | $1,600–$3,800 |
Boundary survey: A boundary survey is the go-to service to mark property lines and avoid future disputes, costing $1,200–$5,500. It’s useful to confirm where you can build or to make sure you’re not accidentally putting up a fence on your neighbor’s land.
Topographic survey: If your property includes hills, trees, streams, or other natural features, this survey maps out the shape and elevation of your land. Expect to spend $2,000–$6,500 on top of the cost of hiring a landscape architect.
Mortgage survey: This survey details what’s included with the property you’re financing. Homeowners spend $1,500–$4,500 for this service, which verifies property lines, easements, and potential zoning issues before closing the deal.
New construction survey: Surveys for new construction homes map out the entire building site and create a plot plan to ensure your new build follows property lines, elevation guidelines, and zoning requirements. These complex surveys cost $1,800–$6,500.
Fence survey: If you want to install a backyard fence for your pets, a fence survey will confirm you’re building within your property boundaries. This type of survey costs $1,000–$3,200 and helps you avoid encroaching on a neighbor’s land.
ALTA survey: An American Land Title Association (ALTA) survey follows strict national standards and provides a detailed property report. These are required for commercial real estate deals, property sales with title issues, or when lenders need extra assurance. ALTA surveys take more time and cost $2,500–$10,000 on average.
As-built survey: If you’re tackling a home addition, an as-built survey verifies that the finished construction matches the original plans. This three-dimensional representation costs $1,600–$3,800 and captures the layout, dimensions, and placement of new structures. This method is more accurate than blueprints and plans.
Lot Size
The size of your property plays a big role in survey cost. If your home is under an acre, a land survey can cost $1,000 or less. Pricing for one acre can start at $1,500 and go up. In some cases, larger properties come with a smaller cost per acre compared to smaller lots.
Still, land prices vary quite a bit depending on the size and the type of terrain. Steep slopes, rocky ground, or heavily wooded areas can drive up the cost, while flat, easy-to-build-on lots tend to be more affordable per acre.
| Lot Size by Acreage | Average Reported Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,500–$3,500 |
| 5 | $2,500–$4,400 |
| 10 | $3,600–$6,500 |
| 25 | $5,500–$12,000 |
| 50 | $10,000–$25,000 |
Property Dimensions and Shape
Properties with unusual shapes or additional sides can increase your survey costs. Surveyors may charge an extra $50 for each side beyond the standard four. Complex dimensions require more time and precision to survey accurately.
Accessibility and Terrain
Smooth, open terrain without trees or obstructions tends to cost less to survey than wooded or hilly areas. If your property has challenging terrain, like dense vegetation or steep slopes, you might pay an additional $100 per 10,000 square feet.
Labor
Land surveyors charge based on acreage or the survey type, so your costs will depend on the specifics of the job. On average, land surveyors charge $220 to $450 per hour, but prices range with the scope and size of the crew.
The hourly rate for research to obtain property records costs between $85 and $160. Surveyors offer more than just locating property lines—they can provide legal boundary descriptions, create individual plot maps, and pinpoint utility lines. Considering these additional services while they’re on-site can add value to your project.
Location
The price of a new land survey is impacted by where you live. If you live in a rural area, you will most likely spend less than in an urban area.
| Location | Average Survey Cost |
|---|---|
| New York | $1,400–$6,000 |
| Texas | $1,100–$4,200 |
| California | $1,200–$5,600 |
| Ohio | $900–$3,800 |
| Colorado | $1,200–$5,600 |
| Florida | $800–$3,600 |
Additional Cost Factors
Depending on your goals for a land survey, you may need to consider some additional costs when putting together a budget.
Property Line Adjustments
A property line adjustment is a legal process by which a property’s boundary lines are changed or adjusted. For example, you can combine two adjacent lots into a single lot by removing the property line that separates them, or you can change four contiguous lots into three by adjusting their lot lines. You can also adjust property lines to reconfigure the shapes of two or more lots.
Property line adjustments cannot be used to create more lots. For example, if you have a single large lot and want to create two lots out of it, you’ll have to go through your municipality’s subdivision process.
Recertification vs. Resurveying
If you’re working with an old survey, you’ll likely need a recertification to confirm boundaries. Recertification negates the need for a new land survey and cuts costs by 50% or more.
However, this cannot be done without incurring additional costs, as the professional surveyor is extending their potential legal liability to new, additional parties. Additionally, the surveyor may need to do additional work to comply with updated legal and professional standards. Some professionals may insist on resurveying the property instead of simply recertifying prior work.
Pre-Existing Survey Markers
Existing survey markers like fences, monuments, or tree lines can speed up the surveying process. If these markers are hard to find, the surveyor may need extra time (and you might incur additional fees) to reestablish your property’s boundaries.
Sectionalized Land Survey Work
Sectionalized land surveys are more common in rural areas. Unlike standard land surveys, the surveyor surveys one square mile (640 acres) rather than only the property. The surveyor may also need to survey other sections due to the parcel’s proximity to those included on government plat documents. The scope of this work will likely incur additional fees that vary widely from region to region, especially if these vast swaths of land include difficult-to-survey terrain.
Budgeting for a Land Survey
Official land surveys require a licensed professional, especially if you need documentation for sales, building home additions, or other activities. However, there are still several steps you can take to help your survey stay budget-friendly:
Gather existing documentation: Your land survey will go faster if you provide your surveyor with copies of previous land surveys, deeds, and titles.
Prepare the property: The surveyor needs to walk the property lines, which can take longer if the area is difficult to access. Clear brush, vehicles, or other obstructions around the property lines and markers.
Check credentials: Before hiring a surveyor, check that their license and insurance are current. If you have a property with difficult terrain, consult your surveyor in advance to make sure they work with your type of property.
Compare quotes: Reach out to multiple professional land surveyors in your area to compare prices.
How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data
No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. We surveyed thousands of real customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
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