Who Can Legally Survey Land in Arkansas?
In Arkansas, only a Licensed Land Surveyor (LLS) can legally establish property boundaries, sign survey plats, and certify boundary locations for use in legal proceedings or real estate transactions. The LLS credential is issued by the Arkansas State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors (ASBEPLS) under Arkansas Code Title 17, Chapter 48.
The license requires passing two national exams, completing four years of experience under a licensed professional, and meeting continuing education requirements for renewal. Every surveyor in our Arkansas directory is sourced directly from ASBEPLS licensing records, so you can be confident every listed firm holds a current Arkansas license.
What to Look for in an Arkansas Land Surveyor
County-Specific Experience
Arkansas has 75 counties, and survey conditions vary significantly across them. A surveyor who works primarily in Pulaski County (Little Rock metro) may not know the PLSS monument conditions in Polk County in the Ouachita Mountains, where original iron pins were set in the late 1800s and may not have been recovered in decades. Ask specifically how many surveys the firm has completed in your county in the past two years.
Terrain Expertise
The Ozark and Ouachita mountains present specific challenges: steep slopes, dense timber, rocky terrain, and older deeds tied to natural features long since changed. Surveyors who work regularly in northwest and west-central Arkansas develop fieldwork approaches and equipment setups suited to those conditions. Delta and coastal plain surveyors face different challenges around drainage systems and agricultural land patterns.
License Verification
You can verify any Arkansas LLS license through ASBEPLS. Every surveyor in our directory is already sourced from that database, giving you confidence that each listing represents a currently licensed professional.
How to Get the Best Survey Quote
Before calling surveyors, have your parcel's legal description or county assessor parcel number ready. Providing these details up front lets surveyors pull existing records and give you a more accurate estimate. Describe why you need the survey: fence installation, boundary dispute, real estate transaction, or new construction. The purpose affects what the surveyor needs to deliver.
Get at least two quotes and compare what each includes. A lower-priced quote that excludes new corner monument setting may not serve you as well as a slightly higher quote that sets permanent pins. Ask each firm how long delivery takes, what format the finished plat will be in, and what could cause the final cost to exceed their estimate.
What a Completed Arkansas Survey Includes
A standard boundary survey in Arkansas includes a deed and title review, PLSS research at the county recorder, fieldwork to locate or set corner monuments, and a finished plat drawn and sealed by the LLS. The plat shows bearings and distances for each boundary line, corner monument descriptions, any encroachments or easements found, and the surveyor's certification statement.
The signed and sealed plat is a legal document in Arkansas and can be recorded at the county circuit court clerk's office. Recording provides public notice of your surveyed boundary.
Find licensed surveyors in your county at our Arkansas directory.