Surveying Processes and Penalties

Utah Code tit. 17, ch. 17-73, pt. 17-73-P5

in effect

Utah Code § 17-73-501 Setting monuments.

17-73-501. Setting monuments. (1) (a) When establishing a public land survey corner, the county surveyor or the county surveyor's designee shall set a monument of durable quality. (b) Wherever the nature of the ground will not allow the setting of a monument at the exact corner as described, then the county surveyor or the county surveyor's designee shall set a witness monument. (2) (a) Whenever possible, public land survey corners shall be witnessed by at least four references of durable quality. (b) All references shall be carefully described, and the bearings and distances noted in the report. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 13, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 17-73-502 Disturbed corners -- County surveyor to be notified -- Coordination with certain state agencies.

17-73-502. Disturbed corners -- County surveyor to be notified -- Coordination with certain state agencies. (1) A person who finds it necessary to disturb any established government survey monument or public land survey government corner location for any reason, including the improvement of a road, shall notify the county surveyor at least five business days before the day on which the person disturbs the government survey monument or public land survey government corner location. (2) (a) A county legislative body may enact an ordinance requiring a person to obtain a permit before performing construction work within 30 feet of an established government survey monument or public land survey government corner location. (b) A county legislative body shall ensure that an ordinance described in Subsection (2)(a) provides for an exemption from the permitting requirement if an emergency situation that poses a threat to public health or safety arises. (c) (i) A county may charge a fee for a permit described in Subsection (2)(a), in accordance with this Subsection (2)(c). (ii) The fee described in Subsection (2)(c)(i) may not exceed $400 per government survey monument or public land survey government corner location. (iii) If the construction work disturbs the government survey monument or public land survey government corner location related to the permit: (A) the permit holder is responsible for the necessary construction work and installation of the government survey monument or public land survey government corner location; and (B) the county shall provide to the permit holder the necessary monument for the permit holder's work described in Subsection (2)(c)(iii)(A). (d) A county shall provide a system allowing a person to apply electronically for and the county to approve or deny electronically a permit described in Subsection (2)(a). (3) A person may not perform any construction work within 30 feet of a government survey monument or public land survey government corner location unless the person obtains any permit the county requires before beginning construction work within 30 feet of the government survey monument or public land survey government corner location, together with any additional permits that applicable law may require. (4) A person who produces drawings or plans for construction work to be performed within 30 feet of a government survey monument or public land survey government corner location shall show, on the face of the drawings or plans: (a) the government survey monument or public land survey government corner location; and (b) an accompanying note exhibiting compliance with Subsections (1) and (3). (5) A person who finds a monument that needs rehabilitation shall notify the county surveyor within five business days after the day on which the person finds the monument. (6) The county surveyor or the county surveyor's designee shall: (a) consistent with federal law or rule, reconstruct or rehabilitate the monument for the corner by lowering and witnessing the corner or placing another monument and witness over the existing monument so that the monument: (i) is left in a physical condition to remain as permanent a monument as is reasonably possible; and (ii) may be reasonably located at all times in the future; and (b) file the record of each reconstruction or rehabilitation in accordance with Subsection (6)(a). (7) (a) The county may, by ordinance, establish a civil penalty for a violation of: (i) any provision of Subsection (3) or (4); or (ii) any ordinance that the county adopts under Subsection (2). (b) It is a defense to the civil penalty described in Subsection (7)(a) if the violation related to an emergency situation that posed a threat to public health or safety. Amended by Chapter 105, 2026 General Session

Utah Code § 17-73-503 Removal, destruction, or defacement of monuments or corners as infraction -- Costs.

17-73-503. Removal, destruction, or defacement of monuments or corners as infraction -- Costs. (1) A person may not willfully or negligently remove, destroy, or deface any government survey monument, corner, or witness corner. (2) Any person who violates this section is guilty of an infraction and is additionally responsible for: (a) the costs of any necessary legal action; (b) the costs of reestablishing the survey monument, corner, or witness corner; and (c) any civil penalty that the county establishes for a violation of: (i) any provision of this section; or (ii) any ordinance that the county adopts under Section 17-73-502. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 13, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 17-73-504 Map of boundary survey -- Procedure for filing -- Contents -- Marking of monuments -- Record of corner changes -- Penalties.

17-73-504. Map of boundary survey -- Procedure for filing -- Contents -- Marking of monuments -- Record of corner changes -- Penalties. (1) (a) (i) Each professional land surveyor making a boundary survey of lands within this state to establish or reestablish a boundary line shall file a map of the survey that meets the requirements of this section with the county surveyor or designated office within 90 days of the establishment or reestablishment of a boundary. (ii) A professional land surveyor who fails to file a map of the survey as required by Subsection (1)(a)(i) is guilty of an infraction. (iii) Each failure to file a map of the survey as required by Subsection (1)(a)(i) is a separate violation. (b) The county surveyor or designated office shall file and index the map of the survey. (c) The map shall be a public record in the office of the county surveyor or designated office. (2) This type of map shall show: (a) the location of survey by quarter section and township and range; (b) the date of survey; (c) the scale of drawing and north point; (d) the distance and course of all lines traced or established, giving the basis of bearing and the distance and course to two or more section corners or quarter corners, including township and range, or to identified monuments within a recorded subdivision; (e) all measured bearings, angles, and distances separately indicated from those of record; (f) a written boundary description of property surveyed; (g) all monuments set and the monuments' relation to older monuments found; (h) a detailed description of monuments found and monuments set, indicated separately; (i) the surveyor's seal or stamp; and (j) the surveyor's business name and address. (3) (a) The map shall contain a written narrative that explains and identifies: (i) the purpose of the survey; (ii) the basis on which the lines were established; and (iii) the found monuments and deed elements that controlled the established or reestablished lines. (b) If the narrative is a separate document, it shall contain: (i) the location of the survey by quarter section and by township and range; (ii) the date of the survey; (iii) the surveyor's stamp or seal; and (iv) the surveyor's business name and address. (c) The map and narrative shall be referenced to each other if they are separate documents. (4) The map and narrative shall be created on material of a permanent nature on stable base reproducible material in the sizes required by the county surveyor. (5) (a) Any monument set by a licensed professional land surveyor to mark or reference a point on a property or land line shall be durably and visibly marked or tagged with the registered business name or the letters "L.S." followed by the registration number of the surveyor in charge. (b) If the monument is set by a licensed land surveyor who is a public officer, it shall be marked with the official title of the office. (6) (a) If, in the performance of a survey, a surveyor finds or makes any changes to the section corner or quarter-section corner, or their accessories, the surveyor shall complete and submit to the county surveyor or designated office a record of the changes made. (b) The record described in Subsection (6)(a) shall: (i) be submitted within 45 days of the corner visits; and (ii) include the surveyor's seal, business name, and address. (7) The Utah State Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors Examiners may revoke the license of any professional land surveyor who fails to comply with the requirements of this section, according to the procedures in Title 58, Chapter 1, Division of Professional Licensing Act. (8) Each federal or state agency, board, or commission, special district, special service district, or municipal corporation that makes a boundary survey of lands within this state shall comply with this section. Amended by Chapter 105, 2026 General Session

Utah Code § 17-73-505 Corner perpetuation and filing -- Establishment of corner file -- Preservation of map records -- Filing fees -- Exemptions.

17-73-505. Corner perpetuation and filing -- Establishment of corner file -- Preservation of map records -- Filing fees -- Exemptions. (1) (a) Any land surveyor making a boundary survey of lands within this state and utilizing a corner shall, within 90 days, complete, sign, and file with the county surveyor of the county where the corner is situated, a written record to be known as a corner file for every public land survey corner and accessory to the corner which is used as control in any survey by the surveyor, unless the corner and its accessories are already a matter of record in the county. (b) Where reasonably possible, the corner file shall include the geographic coordinates of the corner. (c) A surveyor may file a corner record as to any property corner, reference monument, or accessory to a corner. (d) Corner records may be filed concerning corners used before the effective date of this section. (2) The county surveyor of the county containing the corners shall have on record as part of the official files maps of each township within the county, the bearings and lengths of the connecting lines to government corners, and government corners looked for and not found. (3) The county surveyor shall make these records available for public inspection at the county facilities during normal business hours. (4) Filing fees for corner records shall be established by the county legislative body consistent with existing fees for similar services. All corners, monuments, and their accessories used before May 1, 1995 shall be accepted and filed with the county surveyor without requiring the payment of the fees. (5) When a corner record of a public land survey corner is required to be filed under the provisions of this section and the monument needs to be reconstructed or rehabilitated, the land surveyor shall contact the county surveyor in accordance with Section 17-73-502. (6) A corner record may not be filed unless it is signed by a land surveyor. (7) All filings relative to official cadastral surveys of the Bureau of Land Management of the United States of America performed by authorized personnel shall be exempt from filing fees. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 13, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 17-73-506 Amendment of survey maps or narratives by affidavit of corrections.

17-73-506. Amendment of survey maps or narratives by affidavit of corrections. (1) Any survey map or narrative filed under the provisions of this chapter may be amended by an affidavit of corrections: (a) to show any courses or distances omitted from the map or narrative; (b) to correct an error in the description of the real property shown on the map or narrative; or (c) to correct any other errors or omissions where the error or omission is ascertainable from the data shown on the map or narrative as recorded. (2) (a) The affidavit of correction shall be prepared by the licensed professional land surveyor who filed the map or narrative. (b) In the event of the death, disability, or retirement from practice of the surveyor who filed the map or narrative, the county surveyor may prepare the affidavit of correction. (c) The affidavit shall set forth in detail the corrections made. (d) The seal and signature of the licensed professional land surveyor filing the affidavit of correction shall be affixed to the affidavit. (3) The county surveyor having jurisdiction of the map or narrative shall certify that the affidavit of correction has been examined and that the changes shown on the map or narrative are changes permitted under this section. (4) Nothing in this section permits changes in courses or distances for the purpose of redesigning parcel configurations. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 13, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 17-73-507 Final plats of local entity boundary actions -- County surveyor approval of final plat -- Plat requirements.

17-73-507. Final plats of local entity boundary actions -- County surveyor approval of final plat -- Plat requirements. (1) Upon request and in consultation with the county recorder, the county surveyor of each county in which property depicted on a plat is located shall determine whether the plat is a final local entity plat. (2) (a) If a county surveyor determines that a plat meets the requirements of Subsection (3), the county surveyor shall approve the plat as a final local entity plat. (b) The county surveyor shall indicate the approval of a plat as a final local entity plat on the face of the final local entity plat. (3) A plat may not be approved as a final local entity plat unless the plat: (a) contains a graphical illustration depicting: (i) in the case of a proposed creation or incorporation of a local entity, the boundary of the proposed local entity; (ii) in the case of a proposed annexation of an area into an existing local entity, the boundary of the area proposed to be annexed, which may include non-contiguous areas; (iii) in the case of a proposed adjustment of a boundary between local entities, the boundary of the area that the boundary adjustment proposes to move from inside the boundary of one local entity to inside the boundary of another local entity; (iv) in the case of a proposed withdrawal or disconnection of an area from a local entity, the boundary of the area that is proposed to be withdrawn or disconnected; (v) in the case of a proposed consolidation of multiple local entities, the boundary of the proposed consolidated local entity; and (vi) in the case of a proposed division of a local entity into multiple local entities, the boundary of each new local entity created by the proposed division; (b) is created on reproducible material that is: (i) permanent in nature; and (ii) the size and type specified by the county recorder; (c) is drawn to a scale so that all data are legible; (d) contains a map or complete and accurate boundary information, including, as appropriate, calls along existing boundary lines, sufficient to enable: (i) the county surveyor to establish the boundary on the ground, in the event of a dispute about the accurate location of the boundary; and (ii) the county recorder to identify, for tax purposes, each tract or parcel included within the boundary; (e) depicts a name for the plat, approved by the county recorder, that is sufficiently unique to distinguish the plat from all other recorded plats in the county; (f) contains: (i) the name of the local entity whose boundary is depicted on the plat; (ii) the name of each county within which any property depicted on the plat is located; (iii) the date that the plat was prepared; (iv) a north arrow and legend; (v) a signature block for: (A) the signatures of: (I) the professional land surveyor who prepared the plat; and (II) the local entity's approving authority; and (B) the approval of the county surveyor; and (vi) a three-inch by three-inch block in the lower right hand corner for the county recorder's use when recording the plat; (g) has been certified and signed by a professional land surveyor licensed under Title 58, Chapter 22, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors Licensing Act; and (h) has been reviewed and signed by the approving authority of the local entity whose boundary is depicted on the plat. (4) The county surveyor may charge and collect a reasonable fee for the costs associated with: (a) the process of determining whether a plat is a final local entity plat; and (b) the approval of a plat as a final local entity plat. (5) A county surveyor may charge a newly created political subdivision, and a newly created political subdivision shall pay, a fee described in Subsection (4) following the lieutenant governor's issuance of a certificate of incorporation for the new political subdivision: (a) for survey work the county surveyor completed that was required for or associated with the formation of the new political subdivision; and (b) even if the county surveyor conducted the survey work before the certificate of incorporation is issued. Amended by Chapter 105, 2026 General Session

Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title17/Chapter73/17-73-P5.html?v=C17-73-P5_2025110620251206Fetched: 10/26/2026