Tax maps are research aids, not metes and bounds
N.J.A.C. 13:40-5.1 requires the professional land surveyor to obtain pertinent information such as deeds, title reports, earlier surveys, tract maps, and public records. The rule expressly says the surveyor must not rely on a tax map to define metes and bounds.
Send the surveyor your deed, title report, prior survey, and subdivision references. A municipal tax map may help identify the lot, but it should not be the only evidence behind a construction or ownership decision.
Corner markers are the default unless an exception applies
N.J.S.A. 45:8-36.3 requires appropriate markers at property corners not previously marked, unless the corner is inaccessible or the ultimate user signs a written waiver. When markers are waived, the statutory notation must appear on the plat or plan of survey.
The marker-or-waiver choice in N.J.S.A. 45:8-36.3 is decision-changing. If the survey supports a fence, pool, addition, driveway, or later dispute prevention, physical corners may be the part you need most. Ask what the marker waiver saves, what it removes, and whether line stakes are a separate service.
Scope the survey around the next action
Apply the research requirements in N.J.A.C. 13:40-5.1 together with the corner-marker rule in N.J.S.A. 45:8-36.3 when defining the scope.
| Next action | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Close on a property | Required title or lender certification, improvements, easements supplied, and corner-marker decision. |
| Build near the line | No marker waiver unless intentional, plus any intermediate line or offset stakes. |
| Subdivide or adjust a line | Municipal approval, Recordation Act map requirements, and county recording. |
| Resolve conflicting evidence | Boundary survey and a clear account of record, monument, and occupation conflicts. |
Verify the New Jersey license
Use the New Jersey license verification service and confirm the PLS responsible for the work. Then request a written scope that states whether corners, line stakes, the final plat, and any recording work are included.
Find firms in the New Jersey land surveyor directory. This guide is practical information, not a legal conclusion about a boundary.