Land Surveying in the District of Columbia requires local knowledge and experience to survey “The DC Way.” Boundary Surveying in Washington DC is entirely different from the typical surveying practices of neighboring states, Virginia and Maryland. There is no coordinate system for boundary surveying in DC; there are two sets of official survey books with differing boundary dimensions, old buildings are used as monuments to property lines, and the DC Government maintains their original surveying agency, the Office of the Surveyor, as the authority over Boundary Surveying in DC.
In addition to the requirement to be a DC Licensed Land Surveyor to practice land surveying in the District of Columbia, there is a higher level of licensure in the District. DC Registered Land Surveyors perform the official boundary surveying that is approved and recorded by the DC Office of the Surveyor. Today there are only 29 individuals “Registered” to perform official boundary surveys in Washington, DC. When working in DC, it is important to note the distinction between a “Licensed” and “Registered” surveyor.
In the District of Columbia, DC Licensed Land Surveyors perform the following services:
- Existing Conditions / Topographic Survey. Required as the foundation for Civil Engineering site plan design.
- DC Building Plat preparation. Required to obtain a Building Permit in DC for new buildings, retaining walls 18-inches or higher above the ground and new swimming pools. It is essentially a “Mini Site Plan” to display all of the proposed improvements being permitted. The DC Building Plat will be referenced later during construction, as part of the Wall Test Survey, to ensure that all the proposed features are built exactly as permitted.
- Construction Stakeout
- Condominium Plats & Plans
- ALTA / NSPS Surveys. 2021 ALTA/NSPS Standards – National Society of Professional Surveyors
DC Registered Land Surveyors perform the following Boundary Surveying services in the District of Columbia:
- Angle and Measurement Survey. This survey defines the actual angles and measurements of a property versus the original Record dimensions and resolves these discrepancies between Measured and Record. This service is typically ordered as part of larger development projects to ensure a new development “fits” within the Record dimensions.
- Surveys-To-Mark. This is the Official Recorded DC Plat of Survey and physically marks the property lines or offsets to the property lines on the ground.
- Prorating Lot Frontages for “fullness” or “shortage” of discrepancies between “Measured” and “Record” property line distances along individual Lots in a Square.
- Subdivision Plat. For either subdividing or consolidating lots.
- DC Wall Test. This wall check survey is required for new building construction before the foundation walls are 2-ft above finished grade, retaining walls 18-inches or higher above the ground and new swimming pools.
- Condominium Plats & Plans
- Final Wall Check Examination
DeMarr Engineering performs Existing Conditions / Topographic Surveying in-house as the basis of design for their Civil Engineering Plan Services.
In addition to Land Surveying, DeMarr Engineering provides the full package DC Civil Engineering Plan Services required for permit:
- DDOT Traffic Control Plan. Required for any temporary occupancy or construction in public space. This includes restricted parking requests for dumpsters and construction vehicle parking. Learn more here.
- DOEE Erosion & Sediment Control Plan. Per the DOEE website, “In the District of Columbia, an Erosion and Sediment Control (ESC) plan is a required part of the permit process for building construction and redevelopment projects that disturb or move more than 50 square feet of land.” Learn more on our blog: Do I need an Erosion & Sediment Control Plan in Washington, DC?
- DOB Building Plat. Required to obtain a Building Permit in DC for new buildings, retaining walls 18-inches or higher above the ground and new swimming pools.
- DOEE Stormwater Management Plan. Required for any “Major Land-disturbing Activity” in DC (Land disturbance 5,000 Square Feet or greater), or any “Major Substantial Improvement Activity” (Cost of project is more than 50% of pre-project assessed value of structure and combined footprint of structure plus land disturbance is over 5,000 Square Feet). Reference: Stormwater Management Guidebook | DOEE and Do I Need a Stormwater Management (SWM) Plan in Washington DC? – DeMarr Engineering
- DC Water Plan. Required for new water and/or sewer service connections, upgrade of existing water and/or sewer service connections, and renovations with fire sprinklers. ProjectDox Plan Categories | DC Water
- Foundation Underpinning Plan. Required to show the extents of the proposed foundation underpinning work in relation to existing features and property lines.
Whether you’re renovating, adding an addition to an existing structure, or undertaking a full raze-and-rebuild, DeMarr Engineering brings the specialized Land Surveying and Civil Engineering expertise needed for successful projects in Washington, DC. With deep knowledge of local regulations and practices, we ensure your DC land development project moves forward smoothly. Contact us today for a quote on your next DC project.
