Finding a Land Surveyor in Yakima County
Yakima County spans the central Washington valley and its surrounding foothills, from urban Yakima and Selah in the north to the agricultural communities of Wapato, Sunnyside, Grandview, and Mabton in the south. The county's survey market reflects this dual character: urban residential boundary work in the Yakima metro competes for capacity with large agricultural parcel surveys, irrigation easement mapping, and flood zone elevation certificates in the valley corridor. Matching your project with a firm that has relevant local experience produces better results and more reliable pricing.
Where to Search for Surveyors
Our Yakima County Directory
Our directory lists licensed Washington Professional Land Surveyors serving Yakima County, organized by location and service type. Use it to shortlist firms and compare before requesting written quotes.
Washington State Department of Licensing
The Washington DOL license lookup at dol.wa.gov is the official tool for verifying PLS credentials. Search by surveyor name or license number to confirm active status and absence of disciplinary history. Washington law under RCW 18.43 requires all boundary survey work to be performed and certified by a licensed PLS.
Washington Society of Professional Land Surveyors
The Washington Society of Professional Land Surveyors (WSPS) at wsps.org maintains a member directory of active Washington survey professionals. Member firms have demonstrated engagement with continuing professional standards.
Yakima County Public Resources
Yakima County Assessor
The Yakima County Assessor at yakimacounty.us/assessor provides parcel records, ownership data, and tax information for all properties in the county. Pull your parcel identification number here before contacting surveyors. It is the single most useful piece of information for speeding up the quoting process.
Yakima County GIS Portal
The Yakima County GIS portal at yakimacounty.us/gis provides interactive parcel mapping with recorded boundary data, ownership, and flood zone overlays. You can view your parcel boundaries and proximity to flood zones before engaging a professional. The GIS data reflects recorded plats and is useful for orientation, but is not a substitute for a licensed survey when legal accuracy or lending requirements are involved.
Yakima County Auditor
Recorded surveys, plats, and subdivision maps are filed with the Yakima County Auditor. Surveyors research these records during the office phase of your project. If you want to know whether prior survey work exists for your parcel before spending money on a new survey, the auditor's office can assist with a records search.
Questions to Ask When Getting Quotes
Contact at least three licensed surveyors and give each the same information. Provide your property address, parcel number, approximate acreage or lot size, and the purpose of the survey. For agricultural land, be specific about irrigation easements or water rights issues relevant to your needs. Ask each firm:
- Do you have experience with properties in this specific part of the county, whether Yakima city, Selah, or the agricultural south valley?
- Are there existing survey monuments or recorded plat documents for my parcel or neighboring properties?
- Does this scope require filing a Record of Survey with the county auditor under Washington RCW 58.09?
- What is your current lead time from contract to field work?
- Are county recording fees included in the quoted price?
Survey Types Common in Yakima County
Residential boundary surveys are the most frequent work in Yakima, Selah, and Union Gap, covering fence disputes, building permits, and property sales. Agricultural boundary surveys for orchard, vineyard, and farmland parcels generate substantial work in Wapato, Sunnyside, and Grandview, often involving Bureau of Reclamation original survey records and irrigation district easement mapping. Elevation certificates are needed regularly along the Yakima River corridor and in flood-prone areas of the valley. ALTA/NSPS surveys are required for commercial real estate transactions in the Yakima urban core and along Highway 82 commercial corridors.
Protecting Yourself Before Hiring
Verify every surveyor's PLS license at dol.wa.gov before signing anything. Confirm the firm carries professional liability insurance. Request all pricing and scope commitments in writing. For agricultural surveys with water rights or easement components, make sure the written scope explicitly covers all elements you need documented.
Find a Yakima County Surveyor
Our directory lists licensed surveyors serving all parts of Yakima County, from the Yakima metro to Selah, Wapato, Sunnyside, and Grandview. Search Yakima County land surveyors to compare firms and request quotes.