A property survey is a scaled drawing that shows the measured lines, corners and features of a piece of land. Every symbol, letter and number on it means something specific. If you already have a survey in hand, this guide explains how to read the markings so the drawing makes sense. The focus here is the page itself, not why a survey gets ordered.
Start With the Survey’s Visual Key, Not the Property Lines
Before you trace a single boundary, find the legend. The legend, sometimes called the key, is where the surveyor spells out what each symbol and abbreviation stands for on that drawing. It’s the safest place to begin because it tells you how to read everything else.
Symbols aren’t standard from one survey to the next. A small circle on one drawing might mark an iron rod. On another drawing the same circle could mean something else entirely. Reading the legend first keeps you from guessing.
Two other marks help you get oriented. The north arrow shows which way the drawing faces. The graphic scale shows how a distance on paper compares to real distance on the ground. In Louisiana, survey plats are expected to identify their symbols through a key or clear labeling, so the legend should be there to guide you.
Decoding the Small Marks at Corners: “Found” vs. “Set”
At the property corners you’ll often see the word “found” or “set” next to a small symbol. Found means the surveyor located a marker that was already there. Set means the surveyor placed a new marker during the work.
These markers are called monuments. A monument might be an iron rod, an iron pipe, a nail or a capped rebar. The drawing usually names the type right beside the corner.
The found or set label matters when you compare the page to the actual ground. A “found” iron pipe tells you an older marker exists at that spot. A “set” marker tells you the surveyor added it. Read the symbol together with the legend and the notes, since the symbol alone doesn’t tell the full story. Louisiana’s survey standards call for monuments to be shown as found or set, with a description of each.
What the Letters, Numbers, and Tiny Measurements Are Telling You
The small numbers running along the lines are usually bearings and distances. Together they describe the direction and length of each boundary line, which surveyors call a course. Read them as a pair, since one without the other only tells you half of the line.
A bearing looks like N 45° 30′ E. That reads as a direction measured from north or south, turned so many degrees toward east or west. The three parts are degrees, minutes and seconds, where a degree holds 60 minutes and a minute holds 60 seconds. So N 45° 30′ E points 45 and a half degrees off due north, toward the east.
The number written next to that line is the distance, or the length of that one course. A line labeled N 45° 30′ E 150.00 runs in that direction for 150 feet. Don’t assume the top of the page is true north, though. A survey should state the basis of bearings, which is the reference the directions are measured from.
As a made-up example, a Louisiana lot might show a front line as S 88° 15′ E 100.00, with a note explaining where those bearings came from. Treat that as a teaching example, not a real property record. Louisiana’s standards require bearings and distances on boundary lines, plus a statement explaining where the bearings originate and how they were set.
Lines That Aren’t Property Lines: Learning to Separate Features From Boundaries
Not every line on a survey is a property boundary. Many lines show physical things on or near the land. The legend, the labels, the line styles and the notes tell you which is which.
Lines you might see include:
- Existing improvements such as a house, driveway or fence
- Roads and rights-of-way
- Visible utilities like power poles or water lines
- Watercourses such as a ditch, canal or stream
- Setback or building restriction lines, when they apply
A line’s look alone won’t tell you what it is. A dashed line might be a setback on one survey and a utility on another. Match the line to its label and the legend before you decide. Louisiana’s standards call for the land’s natural and man-made features to be labeled, dimensioned, referenced or shown with a defined symbol.
The Notes That Can Change How You Read the Drawing
The written notes around the edge of a survey can matter as much as the picture in the middle. They set the ground rules for the whole drawing. Skip them and you can misread the lines you just studied.
Read the notes for the basis of bearings, the survey date and the legal description the drawing is tied to. Look also for the surveyor’s certification and seal, any recorded documents the survey points to and special notes that explain gaps or conflicts. If the survey has been revised, the notes should say so and give the date.
One habit protects you here. Don’t lay a ruler on the page, measure a line and treat that number as the truth. The written bearings and distances carry more weight than anything you scale off paper. If a marking is unclear or the drawing and the ground seem to disagree, call the licensed surveyor who prepared the survey and ask. Louisiana’s standards expect a plat to carry the legal description, the survey title, the client or purpose, the general location, the date, a graphic scale and the surveyor’s identification and seal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “IPF” mean on a property survey?
Abbreviations change from survey to survey, so check the drawing’s own legend first. On many surveys IPF stands for iron pin found, meaning an existing metal marker the surveyor located at that corner. Confirm it against the legend before you rely on it.
What does “set” mean next to a survey marker?
It generally means the surveyor placed that monument as part of the survey. Read the exact description beside the symbol and in the notes to know what kind of marker was set. Louisiana’s standards separate monuments into found and set.
Why does a property survey have so many numbers beside the lines?
Those numbers are usually bearings and distances. The bearing gives the direction of a line and the distance gives its length. Together they describe each boundary line exactly enough to be reproduced on the ground.
What does a circle, cross, or other small symbol mean on a property survey?
There’s no single meaning that fits every survey. Symbols are drawing-specific, which is why the legend matters so much. Louisiana’s standards require symbols to be identified or explained through a key.
Does the north arrow mean the top of the survey is true north?
Not necessarily. The north arrow gives you orientation, but the directions on the drawing come from the stated basis of bearings. Louisiana’s standards require that basis to be shown on the plat, so check the notes.
