Minimum Standards of Practice


	Minimum Standards Of Practice MINIMUM STANDARDS OF PRACTICE as approved by The Board of Texas Land Surveying effective Sept. 1, 1992; including amendments. (Click HERE for complete Texas Administrative Code, Title 22, Part 29 - Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying.) Following are the Minimum Standards for Professional Land Surveyors as adopted by the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveyors. Any instrument carrying the seal and signature of a Professional Land Surveyor must comply with the Professional Land Surveying Practices Act and Board Rules. 663.13. Introduction The Board establishes these minimum standards of practice to better serve the general public in regulating the practice of professional surveying in Texas. Professional surveying performed in Texas, unless otherwise specifically exempted herein, shall meet or exceed the requirements of these standards. The Board considers any survey, the purpose of which is to delineate, segregate, separate, or partition any interest in real property of any kind, under these standards. Source Note: The provisions of this §663.13 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544; amended to be effective May 9, 1999, 24 TexReg 3348. 663.15. Precision (a) The actual relative location of corner monuments found or set within the corporate limits of any cities in Texas shall be reported within a positional tolerance of 1:10,000 + 0.10 feet. (b) The actual relative location of corner monuments found or set within the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of any cities in Texas shall be reported within a positional tolerance of 1:7,500 + 0.10 feet. (c) The actual relative location of corner monuments found or set in all rural areas outside extraterritorial jurisdiction areas of all cities in Texas shall be reported within a positional tolerance of 1:5,000 + 0.10 feet. (d) Areas, if reported, shall be produced, recited, and/or shown only to the least significant number compatible with the precision of closure. (e) Survey measurement shall be made with equipment and methods of practice capable of attaining the tolerances specified by these standards. (f) Positional tolerance of any monument is the distance that any monument may be mislocated in relation to any other monument cited in the survey. Source Note: The provisions of this §663.15 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544. *668.16. Boundary Construction* a) When delineating a property or boundary line as an integral portion of a survey, the surveyor shall respect junior/senior property rights, footsteps of the original surveyor, intent of the parties involved, the proper application of the rules of dignity or the priority of calls, and applicable statutory and case law of Texas. (b) Appropriate deeds and/or other documents including those for adjoining parcels shall be relied upon for the location of the boundaries of the subject parcel(s). (c) A land surveyor assuming the responsibility of performing a land survey also assumes the responsibility for such research of adequate thoroughness to support the determination of the location of intended boundaries of the land parcel surveyed. The surveyor may rely on record data related to the determination of boundaries furnished for the registrants' use by a qualified provider, provided the registrant reasonably believes such data to be sufficient and notes, references, or credits the documentation by which it is furnished. (d) All boundaries shall be connected to identifiable physical monuments related to corners of record dignity. In the absence of such monumentation the surveyor's opinion of the boundary location shall be supported by other appropriate physical evidence which shall be explained in a surveyor's report. Source Note: The provisions of this §663.16 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544; amended to be effective September 20, 1998, 23 TexReg 9343. 663.17. Monumentation (a) All monuments set by registered professional land surveyors shall be set at sufficient depth to retain a stable and distinctive location and be of sufficient size to withstand the deteriorating forces of nature and shall be of such material that in the surveyor's judgment will best achieve this goal. (b) When delineating a property or boundary line as an integral portion of a survey (survey being defined in the Act, §1071.002 (6) or (8), the land surveyor shall set, or leave as found, sufficient, stable and reasonably permanent survey markers to represent or reference the property or boundary corners, angle points, and points of curvature or tangency. All survey markers shall be shown and described with sufficient evidence of the location of such markers on the surveyors' plat. If the land surveyor shall prepare a written description of the surveyed premise, he/she shall include in that written description: (1) reference to and a description of the survey markers as shown on the plat; and (2) the seal and signature of a registered or licensed surveyor. (c) All metes and bounds description prepared for easements shall be tied to physical monuments of record related to the boundary of the affected tract. If the surveyor chooses to monument the easement or is directed to do so by his/her client, such monumentation shall be in compliance with subsection (b) of this section. (d) Where practical, all monuments set by Professional Land Surveyors to delineate or witness a boundary corner shall be marked in a way that is traceable to the responsible registrant or associated employer. Source Note: The provisions of this §663.17 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544; amended to be effective September 20, 1998, 23 TexReg 9343; amended to be effective January 10, 1999, 24 TexReg 139; amended to be effective January 27, 2004, 29 TexReg 636 663.18. Certification (a) The registered professional land surveyor shall apply his/her seal to all documents representing professional surveying as defined in the Act. (b) If the surveyor certifies, or otherwise indicates, that his/her product or service meets a standard of practice in addition to that promulgated by the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying, then the failure to so meet both standards may be considered by the board, for disciplinary purposes, to be misleading the public. (c) Preliminary documents released from a surveyor's control shall identify the purpose of the document, the surveyor of record and the surveyor's registration number, and the release date. Such preliminary documents shall not be signed or sealed and shall bear the following statement in the signature space: "Preliminary, this document shall not be recorded for any purpose." Preliminary documents released from the surveyor's control which include this text in place of the surveyor's signature need not comply with the other minimum standards promulgated in this chapter. Source Note: The provisions of this §663.18 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544; amended to be effective March 13, 2002, 27 TexReg 1789 663.19. Plat/Description/Report For the purposes of these rules the word "report" shall mean any or all of the following survey plat, descriptions, or separate narratives. (1) All reports shall delineate the relationship between record monuments and the location of boundaries surveyed, such relationship shall be shown on the survey plat, if a plat is prepared, and/or separate report and recited in the description with the appropriate record references recited thereon and therein. (2) Every description prepared for the purpose of defining boundaries shall provide a definite and unambiguous identification of the location of such boundaries and shall describe all pertinent monuments found or placed. (3) Every survey plat prepared shall be to a convenient scale and shall provide a definite and unambiguous representation of the location of the surveyed land according to its record description. Where material discrepancies are found between the record and the conditions discovered, the surveyor shall apprise his/her client in the following manner. (A) If a plat of survey is prepared, the surveyor shall: (i) make specific reference to the discrepancy on the plat of survey; or (ii) make a general reference to the discrepancy on the plat of survey and a specific reference to a report of survey which more specifically describes the discrepancy. (B) If a survey plat is not prepared, the surveyor shall notify his/her client of any material discrepancy by report of survey or other written notice. (4) Courses shall be referenced by notation upon the survey plat to an identifiable line for directional control. (5) The survey plat shall bear the firm name, surveyor's name, address, and phone number of the land surveyor responsible for the land survey, his/her official seal, his/her original signature (see §661.46 of this title (relating to Seal and Stamps)), and date surveyed. (6) Boundary monuments found or placed by the surveyor shall be described upon the survey plat, including those controlling monuments to which the survey may be referenced. The surveyor shall note upon the survey plat which monuments were found and which monuments were placed as a result of his/her survey. (7) A reference shall be cited on the plat to the record instrument that defines the location of adjoining boundaries. The cited instrument need not be the current ownership, but shall be the document containing the description of the boundaries being re-established. (8) When appropriate, reference shall be cited in the prepared description to the record instrument that defines the location of adjoining boundaries. The cited instrument need not be the current ownership, but shall be the document containing the description of the boundaries being re-established. (9) If any report consists of more than one part, each part shall note the existence of the other part or parts. Source Note: The provisions of this §663.19 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544; amended to be effective September 20, 1998, 23 TexReg 9343. Home Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved, TSPS	Choose Your Path & Make Your Mark in Land Surveying! Visit SurveyTexas.org to learn more!

Minimum Standards Of Practice

MINIMUM STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
as approved by The Board of Texas Land Surveying effective Sept. 1, 1992; including amendments.

(Click HERE for complete Texas Administrative Code, Title 22, Part 29 - Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying.)

Following are the Minimum Standards for Professional Land Surveyors as adopted by the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveyors. Any instrument carrying the seal and signature of a Professional Land Surveyor must comply with the Professional Land Surveying Practices Act and Board Rules.

663.13. Introduction

The Board establishes these minimum standards of practice to better serve the general public in regulating the practice of professional surveying in Texas. Professional surveying performed in Texas, unless otherwise specifically exempted herein, shall meet or exceed the requirements of these standards. The Board considers any survey, the purpose of which is to delineate, segregate, separate, or partition any interest in real property of any kind, under these standards.

Source Note: The provisions of this §663.13 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544; amended to be effective May 9, 1999, 24 TexReg 3348.

663.15. Precision

(a) The actual relative location of corner monuments found or set within the corporate limits of any cities in Texas shall be reported within a positional tolerance of 1:10,000 + 0.10 feet.

(b) The actual relative location of corner monuments found or set within the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of any cities in Texas shall be reported within a positional tolerance of 1:7,500 + 0.10 feet.

(c) The actual relative location of corner monuments found or set in all rural areas outside extraterritorial jurisdiction areas of all cities in Texas shall be reported within a positional tolerance of 1:5,000 + 0.10 feet.

(d) Areas, if reported, shall be produced, recited, and/or shown only to the least significant number compatible with the precision of closure.

(e) Survey measurement shall be made with equipment and methods of practice capable of attaining the tolerances specified by these standards.

(f) Positional tolerance of any monument is the distance that any monument may be mislocated in relation to any other monument cited in the survey.

Source Note: The provisions of this §663.15 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544.

668.16. Boundary Construction

a) When delineating a property or boundary line as an integral portion of a survey, the surveyor shall respect junior/senior property rights, footsteps of the original surveyor, intent of the parties involved, the proper application of the rules of dignity or the priority of calls, and applicable statutory and case law of Texas.

(b) Appropriate deeds and/or other documents including those for adjoining parcels shall be relied upon for the location of the boundaries of the subject parcel(s).

(c) A land surveyor assuming the responsibility of performing a land survey also assumes the responsibility for such research of adequate thoroughness to support the determination of the location of intended boundaries of the land parcel surveyed. The surveyor may rely on record data related to the determination of boundaries furnished for the registrants' use by a qualified provider, provided the registrant reasonably believes such data to be sufficient and notes, references, or credits the documentation by which it is furnished.

(d) All boundaries shall be connected to identifiable physical monuments related to corners of record dignity. In the absence of such monumentation the surveyor's opinion of the boundary location shall be supported by other appropriate physical evidence which shall be explained in a surveyor's report.

Source Note: The provisions of this §663.16 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544; amended to be effective September 20, 1998, 23 TexReg 9343.

663.17. Monumentation

(a) All monuments set by registered professional land surveyors shall be set at sufficient depth to retain a stable and distinctive location and be of sufficient size to withstand the deteriorating forces of nature and shall be of such material that in the surveyor's judgment will best achieve this goal.

(b) When delineating a property or boundary line as an integral portion of a survey (survey being defined in the Act, §1071.002 (6) or (8), the land surveyor shall set, or leave as found, sufficient, stable and reasonably permanent survey markers to represent or reference the property or boundary corners, angle points, and points of curvature or tangency. All survey markers shall be shown and described with sufficient evidence of the location of such markers on the surveyors' plat. If the land surveyor shall prepare a written description of the surveyed premise, he/she shall include in that written description:

(1) reference to and a description of the survey markers as shown on the plat; and

(2) the seal and signature of a registered or licensed surveyor.

(c) All metes and bounds description prepared for easements shall be tied to physical monuments of record related to the boundary of the affected tract. If the surveyor chooses to monument the easement or is directed to do so by his/her client, such monumentation shall be in compliance with subsection (b) of this section.

(d) Where practical, all monuments set by Professional Land Surveyors to delineate or witness a boundary corner shall be marked in a way that is traceable to the responsible registrant or associated employer.

Source Note: The provisions of this §663.17 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544; amended to be effective September 20, 1998, 23 TexReg 9343; amended to be effective January 10, 1999, 24 TexReg 139; amended to be effective January 27, 2004, 29 TexReg 636

663.18. Certification

(a) The registered professional land surveyor shall apply his/her seal to all documents representing professional surveying as defined in the Act.

(b) If the surveyor certifies, or otherwise indicates, that his/her product or service meets a standard of practice in addition to that promulgated by the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying, then the failure to so meet both standards may be considered by the board, for disciplinary purposes, to be misleading the public.

(c) Preliminary documents released from a surveyor's control shall identify the purpose of the document, the surveyor of record and the surveyor's registration number, and the release date. Such preliminary documents shall not be signed or sealed and shall bear the following statement in the signature space: "Preliminary, this document shall not be recorded for any purpose." Preliminary documents released from the surveyor's control which include this text in place of the surveyor's signature need not comply with the other minimum standards promulgated in this chapter.

Source Note: The provisions of this §663.18 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544; amended to be effective March 13, 2002, 27 TexReg 1789

663.19. Plat/Description/Report

For the purposes of these rules the word "report" shall mean any or all of the following survey plat, descriptions, or separate narratives.

(1) All reports shall delineate the relationship between record monuments and the location of boundaries surveyed, such relationship shall be shown on the survey plat, if a plat is prepared, and/or separate report and recited in the description with the appropriate record references recited thereon and therein.

(2) Every description prepared for the purpose of defining boundaries shall provide a definite and unambiguous identification of the location of such boundaries and shall describe all pertinent monuments found or placed.

(3) Every survey plat prepared shall be to a convenient scale and shall provide a definite and unambiguous representation of the location of the surveyed land according to its record description. Where material discrepancies are found between the record and the conditions discovered, the surveyor shall apprise his/her client in the following manner.

(A) If a plat of survey is prepared, the surveyor shall:

(i) make specific reference to the discrepancy on the plat of survey; or

(ii) make a general reference to the discrepancy on the plat of survey and a specific reference to a report of survey which more specifically describes the discrepancy.

(B) If a survey plat is not prepared, the surveyor shall notify his/her client of any material discrepancy by report of survey or other written notice.

(4) Courses shall be referenced by notation upon the survey plat to an identifiable line for directional control.

(5) The survey plat shall bear the firm name, surveyor's name, address, and phone number of the land surveyor responsible for the land survey, his/her official seal, his/her original signature (see §661.46 of this title (relating to Seal and Stamps)), and date surveyed.

(6) Boundary monuments found or placed by the surveyor shall be described upon the survey plat, including those controlling monuments to which the survey may be referenced. The surveyor shall note upon the survey plat which monuments were found and which monuments were placed as a result of his/her survey.

(7) A reference shall be cited on the plat to the record instrument that defines the location of adjoining boundaries. The cited instrument need not be the current ownership, but shall be the document containing the description of the boundaries being re-established.

(8) When appropriate, reference shall be cited in the prepared description to the record instrument that defines the location of adjoining boundaries. The cited instrument need not be the current ownership, but shall be the document containing the description of the boundaries being re-established.

(9) If any report consists of more than one part, each part shall note the existence of the other part or parts.

Source Note: The provisions of this §663.19 adopted to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5544; amended to be effective September 20, 1998, 23 TexReg 9343.

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