Survey Requirements

RCW 58.09.050

Records of survey — Processing — Requirements.

The records of survey to be filed under authority of this chapter shall be processed as follows:

  1. The record of survey filed under RCW 58.09.040(1) shall be an original map, eighteen by twenty-four inches, that is legibly drawn in black ink on mylar and is suitable for producing legible prints through scanning, microfilming, or other standard copying procedures.
    1. The following are allowable formats for the original that may be used in lieu of the format set forth under (a) of this subsection:
    2. Photo mylar with original signatures;
      • Any standard material as long as the format is compatible with the auditor's recording process and records storage system. This format is only allowed in those counties that are excepted from permanently storing the original document as required in RCW 58.09.110(5);
      • An electronic version of the original if the county has the capability to accept a digital signature issued by a licensed certification authority under chapter 19.34 RCW or a certification authority under the rules adopted by the Washington state board of registration for professional engineers and land surveyors, and can import electronic files into an imaging system. The electronic version shall be a standard raster file format acceptable to the county.
      • A two inch margin on the left edge and a one-half inch margin on other edges of the map shall be provided. The auditor shall reject for recording any maps not suitable for producing legible prints through scanning, microfilming, or other standard copying procedures.
  2. Information required by RCW 58.09.040(2) shall be filed on a standard form eight and one-half inches by fourteen inches as designed and prescribed by the department of natural resources. The auditor shall reject for recording any records of corner information not suitable for producing legible prints through scanning, microfilming, or other standard copying procedures. An electronic version of the standard form may be filed if the county has the capability to accept a digital signature issued by a licensed certification authority under chapter 19.34 RCW or a certification authority under the rules adopted by the Washington state board of registration for professional engineers and land surveyors, and can import electronic files into an imaging system. The electronic version shall be a standard raster file format acceptable to the county.
  3. Two legible prints of each record of survey as required under the provisions of this chapter shall be furnished to the county auditor in the county in which the survey is to be recorded. The auditor, in those counties using imaging systems, may require only the original, and fewer prints, as needed, to meet the requirements of their duties. If any of the prints submitted are not suitable for scanning or microfilming the auditor shall not record the original.
  4. Legibility requirements are set forth in the recorder's checklist under RCW 58.09.110.


Survey map requirements.

WAC 332-130-050

The following requirements apply to land boundary survey maps and plans, records of surveys, plats, short plats, boundary line adjustments, and binding site plans required by law to be filed or recorded with the county.

(1) All such documents filed or recorded shall conform to the following:

(a) They shall display a county recording official's information block which shall be located along the bottom or right edge of the document unless there is a local requirement specifying this information in a different format. The county recording official's information block shall contain:

(i) The title block, which shall be on all sheets of maps, plats or plans, and shall identify the business name of the firm and/or land surveyor that performed the survey. For documents not requiring a surveyor's certificate and seal, the title block shall show the name and business address of the preparer and the date prepared. Every sheet of multiple sheets shall have a sheet identification number, such as "sheet 1 of 5";

(ii) The auditor's certificate, where applicable, which shall be on the first sheet of multiple sheets; however, the county recording official shall enter the appropriate volume and page and/or the auditor's file number on each sheet of multiple sheets;

(iii) The surveyor's certificate, where applicable, which shall be on the first sheet of multiple sheets and shall show the name, license number, signed seal of the land surveyor who had responsible charge of the survey portrayed, and the date the land surveyor approved the map or plat. Every sheet of multiple sheets shall have the signed seal of the land surveyor and the date signed;

(iv) The following indexing information on the first sheet of multiple sheets:

(A) The section-township-range and quarter-quarter(s) of the section in which the surveyed parcel lies, except that if the parcel lies in a portion of the section officially identified by terminology other than aliquot parts, such as government lot, donation land claim, homestead entry survey, townsite, tract, and Indian or military reservation, then also identify that official subdivisional tract and call out the corresponding approximate quarter-quarter(s) based on projections of the aliquot parts. Where the section is incapable of being described by projected aliquot parts, such as the Port Angeles townsite, or elongated sections with excess tiers of government lots, then it is acceptable to provide only the official GLO designation. A graphic representation of the section divided into quarter-quarters must also be used with the quarter-quarter(s) in which the surveyed parcel lies clearly marked;

(B) Additionally, if appropriate, the lot(s) and block(s) and the name and/or number of the filed or recorded subdivision plat or short plat with the related recording data;

(b) They shall contain:

(i) A north arrow;

(ii) The vertical datum when topography or elevations are shown;

(iii) The basis for bearings, angle relationships or azimuths shown. The description of the directional reference system, along with the method and location of obtaining it, shall be clearly given (such as "North by Polaris observation at the SE corner of section 6"; "Grid north from azimuth mark at station Kellogg"; "North by compass using twenty-one degrees variation"; "None"; or "Assumed bearing based on …"). If the basis of direction differs from record title, that difference should be noted;

(iv) Bearings, angles, or azimuths in degrees, minutes and seconds;

(v) Distances in feet and decimals of feet;

(vi) Curve data showing the controlling elements.

(c) They shall show the scale for all portions of the map, plat, or plan provided that detail not drawn to scale shall be so identified. A graphic scale for the main body of the drawing, shown in feet, shall be included. The scale of the main body of the drawing and any enlargement detail shall be large enough to clearly portray all of the drafting detail, both on the original and reproductions;

(d) The document filed or recorded and all copies required to be submitted with the filed or recorded document shall, for legibility purposes:

(i) Have a uniform contrast suitable for scanning or microfilming;

(ii) Be without any form of cross-hatching, shading, or any other highlighting technique that to any degree diminishes the legibility of the drafting detail or text;

(iii) Contain dimensioning and lettering no smaller than 0.08 inches, vertically, and line widths not less than 0.008 inches (equivalent to pen tip 000). This provision does not apply to vicinity maps, land surveyors' seals and certificates.

(e) They shall not have any adhesive material affixed to the surface;

(f) For the intelligent interpretation of the various items shown, including the location of points, lines and areas, they shall:

(i) Reference record survey documents that identify different corner positions;

(ii) Show deed calls that are at variance with the measured distances and directions of the surveyed parcel;

(iii) Identify all corners used to control the survey whether they were calculated from a previous survey of record or found, established, or reestablished;

(iv) Give the physical description of any monuments shown, found, established or reestablished, including type, size, and date visited;

(v) Show the record land description of the parcel or boundary surveyed or a reference to an instrument of record;

(vi) Identify any ambiguities, hiatuses, and/or overlapping boundaries;

(vii) Give the location and identification of any visible physical appurtenances such as fences or structures which may indicate encroachment, lines of possession, or conflict of title.

(2) All signatures and writing shall be made with permanent black ink.

(3) The following criteria shall be adhered to when altering, amending, changing, or correcting survey information on previously filed or recorded maps, plats, or plans:

(a) Such maps, plats, or plans filed or recorded shall comply with the applicable local requirements and/or the recording statute under which the original map, plat, or plan was filed or recorded;

(b) Alterations, amendments, changes, or corrections to a previously filed or recorded map, plat, or plan shall only be made by filing or recording a new map, plat, or plan;

(c) All such maps, plats, or plans filed or recorded shall contain the following information:

(i) A title or heading identifying the map, plat, or plan as an alteration, amendment, change, or correction to a previously filed or recorded map, plat, or plan along with, when applicable, a cross-reference to the volume and page and auditor's file number of the altered map, plat, or plan;

(ii) Indexing data as required by subsection (1)(a)(iv) of this section;

(iii) A prominent note itemizing the change(s) to the original map, plat, or plan. Each item shall explicitly state what the change is and where the change is located on the original;

(d) The county recording official shall file, index, and cross-reference all such maps, plats, or plans received in a manner sufficient to provide adequate notice of the existence of the new map, plat, or plan to anyone researching the county records for survey information;

(e) The county recording official shall send to the department of natural resources, as per RCW 58.09.050(3), a legible copy of any map, plat, or plan filed or recorded which alters, amends, changes, or corrects survey information on any map, plat, or plan that has been previously filed or recorded pursuant to the Survey Recording Act.

(4) Survey maps, plats and plans filed with the county shall be an original that is legibly drawn in black ink and is suitable for producing legible prints through scanning, microfilming or other standard copying procedures. The following are allowable formats for the original that may be used in lieu of the format stipulated above:

(a) Any standard material as long as the format is compatible with the auditor's recording process and records storage system. Provided, that records of survey filed pursuant to chapter 58.09 RCW are subject to the restrictions stipulated in RCW 58.09.110(5);

(b) An electronic version of the original if the county has the capability to accept a digital signature issued by a licensed certification authority under chapter 19.34 RCW or a certification authority under the rules adopted by the Washington state board of registration for professional engineers and land surveyors, and can import electronic files into an imaging system. The electronic version shall be a standard raster file format acceptable to the county.

(5) The following checklist is the only checklist that may be used to determine the recordability of records of survey filed pursuant to chapter 58.09 RCW. There are other requirements to meet legal standards. This checklist also applies to maps filed pursuant to the other survey map recording statutes, but for these maps there may be additional sources for determining recordability.  Please see checklist here