Missouri land survey rules
The board sits in the Department of Commerce and Insurance; its rules are Division 2030 of Title 20 of the Code of State Regulations.
Who licenses land surveyors in Missouri
Land surveying is defined in section 327.272 RSMo, part of Chapter 327, which the Missouri Revisor of Statutes publishes.
The minimum standards are 20 CSR 2030-16, adopted under sections 327.041 and 327.272 RSMo.
Sources: Board: Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, and Professional Landscape Ar; Governing law: Chapter 327 RSMo
Who may survey
Section 327.281 RSMo bars anyone, including an elected county surveyor, from practicing as a professional land surveyor without a Missouri license.
Board rule 20 CSR 2030-11.020 says only a surveyor with a current, active license may practice.
Under section 327.401 RSMo the right to practice belongs to the individual licensee and cannot be transferred.
Corporations that practice land surveying must obtain a certificate of authority for each profession they offer (section 327.401 RSMo).
Sources: No practice without a license; License must be current and active; The right to practice is personal
Minimum standards for a boundary survey
Every Missouri boundary survey must be based on the property description taken from the public records (20 CSR 2030-16.030).
The surveyor must set semipermanent monuments or confirm existing ones at every exterior corner of the tract.
The plat must identify controlling corner monuments found and exterior corners found or set.
Material differences between record and measured dimensions, and between surveyed lines and lines of possession such as fences, mowed lines and walls, must be shown.
The client receives a plat with each sheet signed and sealed by the surveyor in responsible charge; that plat is the official one.
Filing a complaint
Board rule 20 CSR 2030-1.010 says anyone may contact the board to register a complaint involving land surveying.
The rule lists the board's mailing address and phone for information and complaints.
Board meetings normally include reviewing complaints.
Source: Complaints go to the board
Common questions
What must a boundary survey include in Missouri?
Every Missouri boundary survey must be based on the property description taken from the public records (20 CSR 2030-16.030).