Colorado law governs who can legally survey land, what surveyors must produce and record, and how disputes about property boundaries are resolved. Property owners in Colorado don’t need to understand every statute, but knowing the basics helps you make smarter decisions about when to hire a surveyor and what you can expect from the process.
Who Can Legally Survey Land in Colorado
Under Colorado Revised Statutes Title 12, Article 25, only a licensed Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) or someone working under the direct supervision of a PLS may perform boundary surveys, set survey monuments, or produce survey plats intended for recording in Colorado.
The Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers, and Professional Land Surveyors, operating under DORA, administers PLS licensing. Candidates must complete a qualifying degree or equivalent experience, work under a licensed PLS for at least four years, and pass both the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying and Principles and Practice of Surveying examinations. The PLS seal on a survey plat is the legal certification that the work meets Colorado’s standards.
Hiring an unlicensed person to survey your property produces a document with no legal standing. It cannot be recorded, used in court, or relied upon for a boundary determination.
Survey Plat Recording Requirements
Under C.R.S. 38-51, Colorado requires survey plats to be prepared according to specific technical standards and recorded with the county clerk and recorder in certain circumstances. Key requirements include:
- Plats must show the basis of bearings, a north arrow, scale, legal description, surveyor’s certification, and the PLS seal and signature
- Subdivision plats must be recorded before any lots in a subdivision can be conveyed
- Any survey that creates a new lot, splits an existing parcel, or establishes a lot line adjustment typically requires a recorded plat
- Not all boundary surveys require recording; a survey performed solely to establish corners for a fence line does not automatically require a recorded plat
Recording fees and specific requirements vary by county. Your surveyor can advise whether your particular survey requires recording and what the county-specific process involves.
Survey Monuments and Their Legal Protection
Survey monuments, including iron pins, rebar, and aluminum survey caps set by licensed surveyors, are legally protected in Colorado. Under C.R.S. 18-4-508, intentionally removing, altering, or destroying a survey monument is a criminal offense. This reflects the public interest in maintaining an accurate and permanent system of property boundaries.
Property owners who discover that survey monuments on their property have been disturbed, covered by construction, or removed should hire a licensed surveyor to re-establish the corners. Do not assume a monument is in the right place just because it has been there for decades. Over time, ground movement, construction activity, and careless landscaping can shift or bury monuments.
Adverse Possession in Colorado
Colorado recognizes adverse possession, the legal doctrine by which a person can acquire title to land they have openly and continuously occupied under a claim of right. Under C.R.S. 38-41-101, the statutory period for adverse possession in Colorado is 18 years. The occupying party must demonstrate open, notorious, exclusive, hostile, and continuous possession for the full period.
Survey evidence is relevant in adverse possession cases to show the location of the disputed area and its relationship to legal boundaries. If you believe a neighbor is occupying part of your property, getting a boundary survey is a sound first step before taking any legal action.
Boundary Disputes Under Colorado Law
When neighbors disagree about where a property line runs, the first step is usually commissioning a boundary survey from a licensed PLS. If the survey result is disputed, the parties may pursue resolution through:
- Quiet title action (C.R.S. 38-44): A legal proceeding to establish title or boundary; the court reviews deeds, plats, survey evidence, and witness testimony to issue a judgment defining the boundary.
- Boundary by acquiescence: Colorado courts may recognize a boundary line that both neighbors have treated as the actual boundary for a long period, even if it differs from the legal description.
- Mediation: Many Colorado counties offer or require mediation before a boundary dispute reaches court.
Boundary disputes are expensive and slow. A licensed survey upfront, before building a fence or starting construction near a property line, is far less costly than litigation after the fact.
When a Survey Is Required in Colorado
Colorado does not require a survey for most routine real estate transactions. However, a survey is legally required in specific circumstances:
- Subdividing land into new parcels (requires a recorded subdivision plat)
- Applying for certain building permits in flood zones (county planning departments may require an elevation certificate)
- Creating a condominium (requires a condominium plat)
- Some title insurance situations where a lender or title company requires boundary evidence
Beyond legal requirements, a survey is strongly recommended when buying rural or mountain property, building near a property line, or any time a neighbor dispute about the boundary has arisen.
Finding a Surveyor for Your Colorado Property
To find a licensed land surveyor in Colorado, browse our directory by county. Every surveyor listed is sourced from Colorado state licensing records and holds an active PLS license. Search by your county to find surveyors who know local records and terrain.