Connecticut land survey rules
Connecticut's State Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors has twelve members appointed by the Governor.
Who licenses land surveyors in Connecticut
Land surveyors are licensed under Chapter 391 of the Connecticut General Statutes, Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.
The board's rules are in the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies: section 20-300 for engineers and land surveyors, and section 20-300b, the minimum standards for surveys and maps.
Sources: Board: State Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors; Governing law: General Statutes Chapter 391
Who may survey
Mapping boundary lines and topographic conditions for property development is land surveying, and those documents must be sealed by a licensed land surveyor (RCSA 20-300-10b).
A license that is not renewed becomes invalid after its expiration date, and practicing on it is illegal (RCSA 20-300-11).
A company practices land surveying through a certificate of registration from the Department of Consumer Protection, practicing through the licensed land surveyors it lists.
A land surveying LLC or professional corporation must be at least two-thirds owned by Connecticut licensed land surveyors.
A licensed surveyor may sign and seal documents for a registered firm only after the department has received and processed the firm's form naming that licensee.
Sources: Boundary mapping must be sealed by a licensed land surveyor; Firms need a certificate of registration; Two-thirds ownership by licensed surveyors; A named licensee signs and seals for the firm
Minimum standards for a boundary survey
A Connecticut property survey shows the boundaries in relation to all boundary monuments found or set, recorded easements and any apparent encroachments, among other features (RCSA 20-300b-2).
On a property survey, monuments must be set at the boundary corners and at intervals of no more than 600 feet along the lines between them (RCSA 20-300b-2).
Every survey needs at least three monuments or markers, and every point along the boundary must be within 600 feet of one (RCSA 20-300b-13).
Property and boundary surveys must meet horizontal accuracy Class AA, A-1 or A-2 (RCSA 20-300b-2 and 20-300b-11).
A survey giving the surveyor's boundary opinion must include a search of the property's chain of title with deeds going back at least 40 years, except a dependent resurvey (RCSA 20-300b-16).
The first note on a survey map must state the standards the survey was prepared to, the type of survey and the boundary determination category (RCSA 20-300b-18).
Survey maps must carry the statement 'To my knowledge and belief this map is substantially correct as noted hereon' (RCSA 20-300b-20).
A sealed map for a client or for filing with the town clerk under General Statutes 7-31 must state that it is substantially correct to the accuracy shown (RCSA 20-300-10).
Sources: Property survey shows monuments, easements and encroachments; Maps for town clerks show their accuracy
Checking a surveyor's license
Check a Connecticut land surveyor's or surveying firm's license in the state's eLicense License Lookup (elicense.ct.gov), which the state keeps current and treats as a primary source of verification.
Source: State eLicense License Lookup
Filing a complaint
Complaints about a land surveyor are forwarded to the Commissioner of Consumer Protection for investigation (RCSA 20-300-14a).
The Department of Consumer Protection takes complaints about professionals it licenses, filed online or by mail, email or fax.
To ask whether there are complaints against a surveyor or firm, call the Department of Consumer Protection toll free at 1-800-842-2649.
Sources: Complaints are investigated by Consumer Protection; File online or by mail, email or fax; Ask about complaints by phone
Common questions
What must a boundary survey include in Connecticut?
A Connecticut property survey must show the boundaries in relation to all monuments found or set, recorded easements and apparent encroachments, with at least three monuments, monuments set at the corners and no point on the boundary more than 600 feet from one. It must meet Class AA, A-1 or A-2 horizontal accuracy and include a chain of title search going back at least 40 years, and the map's first note states the standards, the type of survey and the boundary determination category.