FAQs

Information for Residents

Can the county surveyor show me where my property lines are?
No the county does not survey private land.  You will need to hire a licensed private land surveyor to survey your land.
How much will it cost to survey my property?
The county surveyor does not survey private property. You will need to call a private land surveyor and the cost will depend on the property size, age of the parcel, terrain, if any corner monuments need replacing and if there are boundary issues with the subject or adjacent parcels.
Does your office have a copy of a survey of my land?
The county surveyor may have a copy of a survey of your land if the land surveyor was required to deposit (record) a plat in accordance to state law and rules.  All plats are indexed by the section, township and range the surveyed property lies in.  The index and plats are available, and can be obtained by contacting the La Plata Clerk and Recorder's office at: (970) 382-6280

Many documents recorded with the county may be viewed online.  For assistance with this service, please contact the La Plata County Clerk and Recorder's office at (970) 382-6280.
I have property corners in my yard and I want to know who the surveyor was that set them.  How do I find that information?
Land surveyors in Colorado are regulated and licensed by the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).  Every licensed land surveyor has a license number assigned to them and is required that this number appear on any property corner monument that is set by the surveyor.  It is usually marked on a plastic or aluminum cap preceded with the acronym “PLS” or “LS”.  If you visit the DORA website and input the license number, you will be provided with the licensee’s name and other information; here is a link to the website.
I have a hand-held GPS and I have found survey markers on my property.  Can I use these for my property corners to build a fence or structure?
Any survey markers relied upon by a landowner and unverified by a licensed land surveyor puts the landowner at possible risk.  Even though it is illegal, monuments can be moved by deliberate or innocent actions and the only way to tell is to have the monument positions verified by survey measurements performed by a land surveyor.  The cost of a land survey in most cases is less costly than moving a fence or structure therefore verification of property corners by a licensed surveyor is prudent.
I want to file a complaint on a land surveyor.  How can I do that?

Land surveyors in Colorado are regulated by the Department of Regulatory Agencies.  For more information, visit the DORA website for complaints on Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors: 

Information for Surveyors

I have a survey plat that I want to deposit with the county surveyor.  Where do I record it, what; do I record and what is the cost?
If you are recording it in person, there is a receptacle available at the office of the La Plata County Clerk and Recorder;  (970) 382-6280. Please include all certified sheets and payment in check.  If sending by mail, send to County Surveyor, 1060 E. 2nd Avenue, Durango, CO 81301.  Each sheet shall be a minimum of 18” by 24” and a maximum of 24” by 36”, shall be Mylar (no paper copies needed).  Cost is $20.00 PER SHEET (not per set) and checks made payable to “La Plata County Clerk”.
Is there any certain recording information to be placed on the deposit plat?

The preferred recording information is as follows:

LA PLATA COUNTY SURVEYOR’S DEPOSIT INFORMATION:
Deposited this______day of________, 20__, in the La Plata County Surveyor's Land Survey Plats at Reception Number____________.

Where are the monument records for La Plata County located?

 Please contact the La Plata County Clerk and Recorder's Office to view the monument records. (970)382-6281 or (970) 382-6283.

The monument records are also available online at the Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors through the following link:   http://www.cp-db.com/

Where are the deposit plats located?  Are they available online?

The index and plats are available by contacting the La Plata County Clerk and Recorder's Office at: (970) 382-6281 or (970) 382-6283.  

Most public recorded documents can be viewed online from any location with internet access at no charge.
Individuals or businesses who would like the ability to access and print public recorded documents online may purchase a subscription to do so.  The subscription fee is $100 per month and provides priority access to the recorded documents database and rights to print unlimited copies.
Users such as title companies may continue to purchase bulk image rights for the daily recordings and indexes.  For this service, users will reimburse the County Clerk for actual costs incurred in providing the data. 
For additional information, or to set up an account, please contact the La Plata County Clerk and Recorder’s Office at (970) 382-6281 or (970) 382-6283.

Useful Links:

La Plata County GIS Database:

La Plata County Code : http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientID=13098&stateID=6&statename=Colorado

National Geodetic Survey: http://www.ngs.noaa.gov

Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado: http://www.plsc.net

National Society of Professional Surveyors: http://www.nspsmo.org

American Congress on Surveying and Mapping: http://www.acsm.net