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Land surveys don’t technically expire. They do serve as a point of reference and a snapshot of your property, though, so as soon as you make changes to your property (and even if your neighbor makes certain changes to theirs), your existing land survey becomes inaccurate, and a new one must be done. Even if you don’t make any changes to your property, many states only guarantee the accuracy of a land survey for five to ten years.

You can’t build on undeveloped land without preparing it for construction, which involves running utilities to the site or accounting for private utilities like wells and septic systems and grading and compacting the soil for safe construction. Once you prepare the land, you can build on it as long as the project abides by local zoning regulations.

A few different types of land surveys can help determine certain features and boundaries of your property. These include:

• Boundary surveys describe the actual borders of a property. These are generally required when trying to get construction permits issued. 

• Location surveys provide much of the same information as a boundary survey but also include in-depth information about any improvements made to your property. 

• Mortgage location surveys are usually required by lenders and title companies before financing or offering an insurance policy. 

• Site-planning surveys are done before applying for building permits and can be issued before any major home improvements. 

• Topographic surveys provide a formal map of land elevations. It can also describe the location and size of natural features and any land improvements.

Before property transactions or major improvements to ensure accuracy.