What's the Difference Between a Boundary Survey and an ALTA/NSPS Survey?

A boundary survey does one job: it establishes where your property lines and corners actually sit, based on the legal description, recorded plats, and physical evidence found on site. It's the survey most people picture when they think of "getting a property surveyed," and it's usually enough for residential situations like settling a fence-line question, adding a deck, or confirming a lot before a small addition.

An ALTA/NSPS survey is a different, more comprehensive standard, jointly defined by the American Land Title Association and the National Society of Professional Surveyors. It starts with the same boundary work, then adds a much wider set of documented conditions: easements, encroachments, utility locations, improvements, zoning classification, flood zone status, and parking or access details, depending on which optional items are requested. It follows a strict, standardized format specifically so lenders, title insurers, and buyers across the country can rely on it the same way regardless of which surveyor produced it.

The practical difference shows up in why each one gets ordered. A boundary survey answers "where exactly is my property line." An ALTA survey answers a longer list of questions a lender or title company needs answered before they'll issue a policy on a commercial transaction, which is why it's the standard for buying, selling, or financing commercial real estate rather than a residential lot.

Not sure which one your project actually calls for? Read the companion piece: When Do You Need an ALTA Survey Instead of a Standard Boundary Survey?