Licensed Surveyors in Burleigh County
Burleigh County is home to 17 licensed surveying firms, the largest concentration of survey professionals in North Dakota. All of them operate out of Bismarck, the state capital, giving residents and commercial clients a range of experienced options for nearly every survey type. Whether a project involves a residential lot near the Missouri River, a commercial building along the Bismarck Expressway, or a large agricultural parcel in the eastern part of the county, there is a licensed firm with local knowledge to handle it.
What Burleigh County Surveyors Work On
Residential Boundary Surveys
Bismarck continues to grow outward, with residential expansion pushing into the Lincoln area to the southeast and north Bismarck along the US-83 corridor. Surveyors are active in these newer subdivisions establishing lot corners, verifying setbacks, and preparing plats for recorded subdivisions. In established older neighborhoods closer to downtown Bismarck, surveyors often spend more time researching historic plat records and recovering older monuments set decades ago.
ALTA Surveys for Commercial Properties
Bismarck's role as the seat of North Dakota state government drives a steady commercial real estate market. Development along State Street, the Bismarck Expressway, and near the State Capitol complex generates regular demand for ALTA surveys. These surveys meet the minimum standards required by title companies and lenders on commercial transactions and are the most detailed survey product most Burleigh County firms produce.
Elevation Certificates Along the Missouri River
The Missouri River passes directly through Bismarck and carries a Zone AE floodplain designation along both banks. Properties within or near this corridor often require an elevation certificate as a condition of flood insurance or as a lender requirement before closing. The confluence of the Heart River with the Missouri just south of Bismarck adds additional flood zone area that affects properties in that part of the county. Surveyors familiar with the local FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Burleigh County can prepare elevation certificates efficiently for these areas.
Agricultural Parcel Surveys
Outside the Bismarck city limits, Burleigh County transitions quickly into agricultural land. Farm parcels throughout the county are typically large and described using the Public Land Survey System (PLSS). Surveyors working agricultural parcels must locate original section corners and quarter-section corners, some of which have not been recovered in many years. Firms with strong PLSS experience and familiarity with Burleigh County's rural survey history are well suited for this work.
Heart River and Tributary Work
The Heart River corridor and its tributaries in the southern part of Burleigh County present specific survey challenges. Riparian boundaries, flood zone questions, and rural easement work in these areas require surveyors who understand both the physical terrain and the applicable legal standards for water boundary surveys in North Dakota.
Serving Both Sides of the Missouri
Many Bismarck-based surveying firms serve clients across the Missouri River in Mandan, the county seat of Morton County, and in the wider Morton County area. If your project is located in Mandan or the surrounding area, firms in Bismarck are typically the closest and most familiar option. Confirm with any firm you contact that they serve your specific location before scheduling.
Local Records and PLSS Knowledge
Burleigh County's survey history is documented through the county Register of Deeds and in plat records that go back well over a century. Surveyors with extensive local experience know how to navigate these records efficiently, which directly affects turnaround time and accuracy. For agricultural parcels that have never been individually surveyed, a surveyor with strong PLSS experience in central North Dakota is essential.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- Do you hold an active North Dakota PLS license issued by NDPELSB?
- Have you worked in this specific area of Burleigh County?
- Do you have experience with PLSS corner recovery in central North Dakota?
- What type of monuments will you set?
- What is your current estimated turnaround time?
- What does the quoted price include and what might add to the final cost?
Find a Licensed Surveyor in Burleigh County
Use the directory as a starting point, then confirm the responsible surveyor's current license before hiring. Browse firms serving Bismarck and the surrounding county at /north-dakota/burleigh/.