§ 355.7 — Plats of survey

Iowa § 355.7

• Jurisdiction: Iowa
• Title IX: LOCAL GOVERNMENT
• Ch. 355: STANDARDS FOR LAND SURVEYING

Text

A plat of survey shall be made, showing information developed by the survey, for each
land survey performed for the purpose of correcting boundaries, correcting descriptions of
surveyed land, or for the division of land. Each plat of survey shall conform to the following
provisions:
1. The original plat drawing shall remain the property of the surveyor.
2. The size of each plat sheet shall not be less than eight and one-half inches by eleven
inches.
3. The scale of the plat drawing shall be clearly stated and graphically illustrated by a bar
scale on every plat sheet.
4. An arrow indicating the northern direction shall be shown on each plat sheet.
5. The plat shall show that the survey is tied to a physically monumented land line which
is identified by two United States public land survey system corners, or by two physically
monumented corners of a recorded subdivision.
6. a. The plat shall show the lengths and bearings of the boundaries of the parcels
surveyed. The course of each boundary line shown on the plat may be indicated by a direct
bearing reference or by an angle between the boundary line and an intersecting line having
a shown bearing, except when the boundary line has an irregular or constantly changing
course, as along a body of water, or when a description of the boundary line is better
achieved by measurements shown at points or intervals along a meander line or an offset
line having a shown course. The bearings shall be referenced to a United States public land
survey system land line, or recorded subdivision line. If the boundary lines show bearings,
lengths, or locations which vary from those recorded in deeds, abutting plats, or other
instruments of record, the following note shall be placed along the lines:
Recorded as (show recorded bearing, length, or location).
b. Bearings and angles shown shall be given to at least the nearest minute of arc.
7. The plat shall show and identify all monuments necessary for the location of the parcel
and shall indicate whether the monuments were found or placed.
8. If United States public land survey system corners control the land description, the
corners shall be clearly identified on the plat including a description of the monumentation
and shall indicate whether the monuments were found or placed.
9. Control monuments shall be adequately described and clearly identified on the plat
and noted as found or placed. If additional monuments are to be placed subsequent to
the recording of a subdivision as provided in section 355.6, the location of the additional
monuments shall be shown on the plat.
10. Distance shall be shown in decimal feet in accordance with the definition of the U.S.
survey foot. Distance measurements shall refer to the horizontal plane.
11. Curve data shall be stated in terms of radius, central angle, and length of curve, and
as otherwise specified by local ordinance. In all cases, the curve data must be shown for the
line affected.
12. The unadjusted error of closure shall not be greater than one in five thousand for an
individual parcel.
13. If any part of the surveyed land is bounded by an irregular line, that part shall be
enclosed by a meander line or an offset line showing complete data with distances along
all lines extending beyond the enclosure to the irregular boundary, and shown with as much

certainty as can be determined or as “more or less”, if variable. In all cases, the true boundary
shall be clearly indicated on the plat.
14. The plat shall be captioned to show the date of the survey, and shall be accompanied
by a description of the parcel.
15. The plat shall contain a statement by a surveyor that the work was done and the plat
was prepared by the surveyor or under the surveyor’s direct personal supervision, shall be
signed and dated by the surveyor, and shall bear the surveyor’s Iowa license number and
legible seal.