ALTA Survey Table A: Complete Guide to Optional Items & Due Diligence
An ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey Table A represents the comprehensive schedule of optional, negotiable survey items that commercial real estate buyers, lenders, developers, and title insurance underwriters can select to supplement a baseline ALTA land survey. Published jointly by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS), the standardized Minimum Standard Detail Requirements establish the baseline boundary, easement, and legal access data. Table A empowers transaction parties to customize the scope of work, uncovering vital property conditions such as zoning setbacks, parking counts, underground utilities, and flood hazard zones.
Comprehensive Overview and Foundational Insights
Commercial real estate transactions involve multi-million-dollar financial stakes where undocumented physical encroachments, zoning non-compliance, or hidden municipal utility easements can completely derail a development or invalidate title insurance coverage. Baseline ALTA survey standards require the licensed surveyor to map physical boundaries, recorded easements, and observable surface improvements. However, vital commercial data—such as building heights, striped parking stall counts, wetlands delineations, and subterranean utility tracing—are omitted unless explicitly checked on Table A.
Selecting Table A items requires a delicate balance between rigorous legal risk management, transactional closing timelines, and surveying costs. Commercial institutional lenders typically mandate specific non-negotiable items (such as Item 6 for zoning, Item 8 for substantial improvements, and Item 11 for underground utilities) before releasing loan proceeds. Understanding how Table A items operate, who pays for them, and how to negotiate them ensures a seamless due diligence process and bulletproof title policy protection.
Reviewing the standard Table A schedule highlights the primary optional survey specifications available to commercial real estate purchasers and lenders.
| Table A Item Number | Survey Specification Scope | Primary Data Provided | Key Due Diligence Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item 1 | Monuments placed at all boundary corners | Physical iron rods, pipes, or caps set on site | Clearly marks physical boundary lines on the actual ground |
| Item 2 | Address of the surveyed property | Displays municipal address on the survey face | Confirms physical location matches legal deed description |
| Item 3 | Flood Zone Classification | FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) data | Identifies mandatory commercial flood insurance requirements |
| Item 4 | Gross Land Area calculation | Exact square footage and acreage calculation | Crucial for valuation, price-per-acre metrics, and density |
| Item 6 (a/b) | Zoning Classification and Setbacks | Permitted uses, height limits, setback lines plotted | Verifies municipal zoning compliance and legal non-conforming status |
| Item 7 (a/b/c) | Building Dimensions & Square Footages | Exterior footprint dimensions, heights, floor area | Validates leasable square footage and structural building limits |
| Item 8 | Substantial Physical Improvements | Signs, swimming pools, landscaped islands, walkways | Discloses potential off-boundary encroachments and liabilities |
| Item 9 | Striped Parking Space Count | Exact count of standard and handicap parking stalls | Proves compliance with municipal zoning parking minimums |
| Item 11 | Underground Utilities Evidence | Locates buried water, sewer, gas, and electric lines | Prevents accidental utility severing during future construction |
In-Depth Analysis and Comparative Benchmarks
The legal heart of the ALTA survey process is the elimination of standard survey exceptions on title insurance commitments. In standard commercial title policies, Schedule B-II contains a generic exception stating that the title company will not cover losses resulting from 'encroachments, overlaps, boundary line disputes, or other matters which would be disclosed by an accurate survey.' By commissioning an ALTA/NSPS survey incorporating appropriate Table A items, the buyer and lender provide the underwriter with certified surveyor verification, compelling them to delete this exception and provide full title indemnity.
Table A Item 6 (Zoning) represents one of the most critical yet frequently misunderstood survey additions. Under Item 6(a), the surveyor identifies the property's current zoning classification as provided by a formal zoning report or municipal letter. Under Item 6(b), the surveyor graphically plots mandatory setback lines (front, rear, side) on the face of the survey map. This visual plot allows real estate attorneys to verify immediately whether existing building walls or roof overhangs illegally violate municipal setback laws.
Understanding which parties mandate specific Table A items prevents last-minute closing delays and disputes over surveying invoices.
| Stakeholder Party | Typically Mandated Table A Items | Primary Underwriting Motivation | Cost Allocation Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Mortgage Lender | Items 1, 2, 3, 6(a/b), 7(a), 8, 9, 11, 16 | Protects financial loan collateral from unmarketable title defects | Paid by Borrower / Buyer as part of loan closing costs |
| Title Insurance Underwriter | Items 1, 4, 8, 10, 13 | Enables deletion of the standard survey exception from title policy | Required to issue extended ALTA loan/owner's policy |
| Property Developer / Buyer | Items 6(b), 7(b/c), 11, 14, 18, 19 | Evaluates site expansion limits, utility capacity, and environmental risks | Borne by Buyer during contractual inspection contingency period |
| Property Seller | Minimal (Baseline survey preferred) | Minimizes closing expenses and avoids uncovering boundary disputes | May negotiate to split costs or provide existing prior survey |
Strategic Guidance and Expert Recommendations
Item 9, which mandates counting and charting striped parking spaces, is essential for commercial retail shopping centers, office complexes, and multi-family residential complexes. Municipal planning commissions enforce strict parking ratios (such as four parking stalls per one thousand square feet of retail space). If a previous property owner restriped the lot without permits or expanded a patio over parking stalls, the survey will reveal non-compliance, allowing the purchaser to demand corrective escrow holdbacks before closing.
Item 11 involves the complex mapping of underground utilities. The 2021 ALTA/NSPS standards clarify that surveyors do not physically excavate or use subsurface ground-penetrating radar unless specialized utility locating subcontractors are engaged. Under Item 11, surveyors review utility plans, contact regional 811 'Call Before You Dig' one-call locate services, and map physical surface evidence—such as manhole covers, water valve caps, transformer boxes, and fire hydrants—to extrapolate the path of subterranean infrastructure.
Negotiating the Table A scope of work requires early coordination among all transactional attorneys. The surveyor must be provided with a completed, signed Table A checklist alongside the current title commitment and underlying recorded easement documents (Schedule B documents) before commencing fieldwork. Requesting additional Table A items late in the due diligence period invariably leads to expensive remobilization fees and can delay commercial real estate closings by weeks.
How to Negotiate and Order an ALTA Survey Table A Scope of Work
Follow this five-step process to coordinate with lenders, title underwriters, and licensed surveyors to order an accurate ALTA survey.
Obtain the Lender's Written Survey Instructions
Request the commercial lender's closing checklist to identify their specific non-negotiable Table A survey requirements (commonly Items 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11).
Coordinate with the Title Insurance Underwriter
Verify which Table A items are required by the title company to remove the standard survey exception from Schedule B-II of the title policy.
Engage a Professional Zoning Consultant for Item 6
Order a certified municipal zoning report (PZR report) if selecting Item 6, as surveyors require official zoning data to plot setback lines accurately.
Transmit Title Commitment and Documents to the Surveyor
Provide the licensed surveyor with the completed Table A checklist, current title commitment, and all recorded easement and deed instruments.
Review Draft Survey Map with Legal Counsel Prior to Final Certification
Examine the preliminary draft survey with your real estate attorney to verify that all requested Table A items are correctly plotted before final sealing.
Frequently Asked Questions (8 Questions Answered)
Q1: What is Table A in an ALTA land title survey?
Table A is a standardized checklist of optional, customizable survey items included in the ALTA/NSPS standards, allowing buyers, lenders, and title underwriters to specify additional details like zoning setbacks, parking counts, and utilities.
Q2: Who decides which Table A items are selected?
The commercial lender's legal counsel typically dictates mandatory Table A requirements for financing, while the buyer's real estate attorney adds items needed for comprehensive property due diligence.
Q3: Why is an ALTA survey more expensive than a standard boundary survey?
An ALTA survey requires extensive research into title documents, boundary legal descriptions, easements, physical improvements, and field certification to strict national ALTA/NSPS standards.
Q4: What does Table A Item 6 cover?
Item 6 addresses zoning compliance. Item 6(a) lists the municipal zoning classification and permitted uses, while Item 6(b) graphically plots building setback lines on the survey map.
Q5: Does an ALTA survey locate underground utilities automatically?
No. Underground utilities are only investigated and mapped if Table A Item 11 is explicitly selected, which involves 811 markouts, municipal utility maps, and visible surface evidence.
Q6: What is Table A Item 9?
Item 9 requires the surveyor to count and delineate all striped parking spaces, including standard, compact, and ADA-accessible stalls, to confirm compliance with municipal parking codes.
Q7: How long does it take to complete an ALTA survey with Table A items?
A comprehensive commercial ALTA survey typically requires three to six weeks, depending on property acreage, title document availability, weather, and surveyor backlog.
Q8: Who pays for the ALTA survey and Table A additions?
In most commercial purchase contracts, the buyer or borrower pays for the ALTA survey as part of their standard closing due diligence costs, though this is subject to contract negotiation.
Final Thoughts & Key Takeaways
In conclusion, understanding alta survey table a: complete guide to optional items & due diligence provides essential clarity, practical strategies, and actionable advice. By incorporating these foundational insights, adhering to verified safety guidelines, and following structured best practices, you ensure reliable, long-term outcomes while preventing common mistakes. Stay informed, consult certified professionals when needed, and maintain consistent quality care.