A buyer looking at an office building, retail center, apartment site, or raw parcel needs more than a basic site sketch. An ALTA land survey pulls together field work, record research, measurements, and selected survey items into one standard document. The buyer, the lender, the title insurer, and the other people on the deal can all read the same page and know what it means. This article walks through what actually shows up on that document.
The Records Behind the Survey
Before a surveyor sets foot on the property, they gather a set of records. This part of the work sets the base for everything that follows.
- The record description used to define the property
- The title commitment or other title evidence given for the job
- Recorded documents the surveyor must review, such as easements or prior surveys
- A list of the sources used to build the final plat
Under the 2026 ALTA/NSPS standards, the surveyor must note the current record description, the title commitment or other title evidence, and certain recorded documents as part of this record research. This matters for a commercial buyer because the survey should not be treated as a stand-alone drawing. It should be read next to the title commitment, the deed, and any easements tied to the deal. If the survey and the title documents don’t line up, that gap needs a look before closing.
Building Measurements Beyond a Footprint
For a property with an existing building, the physical numbers can matter as much as the boundary lines. A commercial buyer often wants to compare these figures against a rent roll, a lease, or a construction plan.
- The building’s location on the lot
- Perpendicular building dimensions, where they apply
- Exterior building dimensions, if picked under Table A
- Building footprint square footage
- Measured building height, if requested through Table A
The 2026 standards require the plat to show building locations. Exterior dimensions, footprint area, and measured height come from Table A Item 7, and only if that item is selected for the job. A buyer looking at an existing commercial building can use these figures to check the site against other transaction documents and against how they plan to use the space.
Site Features That Shape the Picture
Boundaries and buildings tell part of the story. The site itself often tells the rest. A survey can show several physical features tied to how the property works day to day.
- Parking areas
- Clearly identifiable parking spaces
- Signs and billboards
- Pools or other substantial site features, where they apply
- Landscaping or other substantial features, when requested
- Other physical improvements tied to the property’s use
These items come from the optional part of the standards, not the baseline. A survey for one property might show a full parking count and landscaping, while another survey next door shows none of that, because the client didn’t ask for it. What shows up depends on what was selected for that job, not on a fixed list every survey follows.
Table A: Why No Two Surveys Look the Same
This is the part of the process that shapes almost everything above.
An ALTA/NSPS survey has a set minimum scope built into the standards. Table A sits on top of that scope. It lists optional items the surveyor can include, and it’s up to the client, lender, title insurer, and surveyor to work out which ones fit the deal.
The 2026 standards list 20 numbered Table A items, plus room for items negotiated outside that list. Selected items can add things like gross land area, zoning information given to the surveyor, building measurements, parking counts, or observed evidence of underground utilities. Not every commercial ALTA survey carries every Table A item. A rural warehouse and a downtown office tower can call for very different selections.
For a buyer, the practical point is this: due-diligence needs to change from deal to deal. The survey scope should be set with the surveyor, lender, and title insurer before fieldwork starts, not assumed after the fact.
What You Receive When the Survey Is Done
A finished ALTA survey is a package, not a single sheet. Here’s what a buyer should expect to find in it.
- The final plat or map
- The surveyor’s name, license information, and contact details
- A north arrow, legend, vicinity map, and scale
- Notes and explanations required under the standards
- A signed certification
- The date fieldwork was completed
- Copies or digital files of the finished survey
The 2026 standards set specific rules for how the plat and certification must be presented. The certification names the applicable 2026 standards and lists which Table A items were selected. It also identifies who the survey was prepared for, since that shapes who else can rely on it in the transaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every ALTA land survey include the same information?
No. An ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey follows a minimum set of rules, but the optional Table A items can differ from job to job based on what the client, lender, and title insurer need.
Can an ALTA survey show the size of a commercial building?
Yes, if the right Table A item is picked. The 2026 standards allow for exterior building dimensions and footprint square footage, with measured height available under that same option.
Is the number of parking spaces automatically included in an ALTA survey?
No. Counting and marking clearly visible parking spaces is an optional Table A item under the 2026 standards, not part of the baseline survey.
Can a commercial buyer request specific information on an ALTA survey?
Yes. The 2026 standards allow selected and negotiated Table A items to be added to the scope. This should be worked out with the surveyor before the fieldwork begins.
Does an ALTA land survey include a certification?
Yes. The 2026 standards set specific certification language for an ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey, including which Table A items were used and the date the fieldwork was done.
