Colorado Land Surveyor Practice Exam 2025 – Complete All-in-One Guide to Exam Success

The primary source of legal descriptions in land surveying is property deeds. Property deeds serve as legal documents that convey ownership of real estate and contain detailed descriptions of the property being transferred. These descriptions are essential because they determine the exact boundaries and extent of the property, which is critical for legal purposes, property taxation, and resolving land disputes.

Property deeds often include specific language and terminology, incorporating references to survey lines, monuments, and other geographical markers that accurately define the property boundaries. This level of detail ensures that the legal description can stand up in court and is essential for conducting further surveys and establishing land ownership clarity.

While tax records, topographic maps, and land use surveys can provide useful information about properties, they do not serve as the primary legal basis for defining land boundaries in the same way that property deeds do. Tax records may include property descriptions, but they are primarily focused on valuation for taxation rather than providing a precise legal description. Topographic maps and land use surveys address land characteristics and uses but do not document ownership or legally defined boundaries.