When someone orders an ALTA land survey, they quickly run into a list called Table A. Most buyers and developers have no idea what it means. They either skip everything or check every box without knowing what they’re paying for. Table A items are optional add-ons to a standard ALTA land survey. Choosing the right ones can protect a transaction. Choosing the wrong ones just adds cost. This article breaks down what each category covers and how to decide what your project actually needs.

What Table A Actually Is

A standard ALTA survey covers the basics: boundary lines, improvements on the property, easements, rights-of-way and access points. That base scope is required on every ALTA survey.

Table A is a separate list of optional items. A client, lender, or title company can request any of them. Each one asks the surveyor to document or investigate something beyond the base scope. Some items are nearly always requested. Others apply only to specific property types.

The 2026 ALTA/NSPS Minimum Standard Detail Requirements include 24 Table A items. Your lender or title company will often specify which ones they require. For items they don’t require, the decision is yours

Why Table A Items Matter for Developers

Developers who skip Table A items to save money sometimes create bigger problems at closing or after acquisition.

A missed utility conflict can hold up construction permits for months. An undocumented encroachment can trigger a title exception that kills financing. A flood zone classification error can change insurance costs significantly. These are not hypothetical scenarios. They happen regularly on commercial transactions where Table A was treated as optional filler rather than a risk management tool.

That said, not every item applies to every deal. Ordering all 24 on a simple urban parcel wastes money and time. The goal is matching the items to the actual risk profile of the property.

The Most Commonly Requested Table A Items

Monuments placed or found (Item 1)

This item asks the surveyor to set or verify physical monuments at property corners. Most states require it by default, but specifying it in Table A ensures it’s documented on the plat. For any deal involving construction or future development, this is non-negotiable.

Addresses (Item 2)

The surveyor identifies and documents the street address or addresses on the property. Simple, low cost, and frequently required by lenders.

Flood zone classification (Item 3 and Item 18)

Item 3 asks the surveyor to identify the flood zone classification from FEMA maps. Item 18 (in the 2026 standards) goes further, addressing floodplain delineation and high-water marks where applicable. For properties in areas with flood exposure, both items are worth ordering. Flood zone status directly affects insurance requirements and can affect financing terms.

Utilities (Item 4)

This item asks the surveyor to locate underground and above-ground utilities visible at the time of the survey. It does not replace a full utility locate service, but it documents what the surveyor could identify from available records and field observation. For any development project, this item helps identify potential conflicts before construction begins.

Improvements other than buildings (Item 5)

This covers parking areas, drives, curbs, sidewalks and other site improvements. It gives a more complete picture of what’s actually on the property. Most lenders want this included as a standard request.

Zoning classification (Item 6)

Two sub-items exist here. Item 6(a) requires the surveyor to identify the zoning classification based on available records. Item 6(b) goes further, requiring a zoning report that addresses setbacks, height restrictions, parking requirements and permitted uses. The zoning report version costs more and takes longer, but for development projects it can surface compliance issues before they become deal problems.

Building setbacks (Item 7)

This item documents building setback lines as shown in zoning records or as specified in recorded documents. If a structure is close to a setback line, this item confirms whether it complies. For any property with existing structures, this is worth ordering.

Parking counts (Item 8)

This item counts and classifies parking spaces on the property. Some commercial lenders require it. It’s also useful for properties where parking ratios affect zoning compliance or future development rights.

Encroachment summary (Item 20)

This is a new item in the 2026 ALTA standards. It requires the surveyor to prepare a written table summarizing potential encroachments observed on or near the property. It’s one of the most significant additions to the 2026 update. Any transaction where encroachment risk is a concern should include this item.

Items That Apply to Specific Property Types

Some Table A items only make sense for certain deals.

Item 9 covers evidence of recent earth moving or building construction. It matters most for properties where prior site work may have altered grading or drainage. Item 10 relates to the location of cemeteries or burial grounds. Relevant for rural land, former institutional sites, and older urban parcels.

Item 11 covers gross land area. Simple enough, but not always required. Item 12 addresses the names of adjoining owners from public records. Useful when boundary questions or neighbor agreements are part of the deal.

Items 13 through 19 cover more specialized topics: water features and wetlands, rights of access, location surveys for marinas and similar properties, and agricultural-related items. Most commercial transactions in urban or suburban settings won’t need these. A rural acquisition or a waterfront parcel is a different story.

How Lenders and Title Companies Use Table A

Most commercial lenders have a standard Table A checklist they send with every survey order. It typically includes Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6(a), 7 and 8 at minimum. Some lenders add Item 18 and Item 20 on every transaction.

Title companies use the survey output to remove or narrow the standard survey exception from the title policy. The more complete the Table A scope, the more the title company can rely on the survey to support a clean policy. A survey with a bare minimum Table A often results in broader title exceptions, which can become a problem for buyers and lenders.

When in doubt, ask your title company what they need before ordering the survey. Their input costs nothing and can prevent a rescan or amendment later.

What the 2026 Standards Changed

The 2026 ALTA/NSPS update, effective February 23, 2026, added Item 20, the encroachment summary table. It also formally expanded acceptance of aerial and drone data in survey preparation. It clarified language around several existing items and updated certification requirements.

If you’re ordering an ALTA survey for a transaction closing after February 23, 2026, confirm with your surveyor that they’re working from the 2026 standards. Surveys prepared under the 2021 standards are not compliant for transactions that require 2026 certification.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are ALTA land survey Table A items? 

Table A items are optional additions to a standard ALTA land survey. They allow clients, lenders and title companies to request specific information beyond the base survey scope. Each item adds cost and in some cases additional time to the survey. The 2026 ALTA/NSPS standards include 24 Table A items.

Do I have to order all Table A items? 

No. Table A items are optional and selected based on the needs of the transaction. Lenders and title companies often specify which items they require. Items not required by your lender can be selected or skipped based on the property type and risk profile of the deal.

Which Table A items are most commonly required by lenders? 

Most commercial lenders require Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6(a) and 7 at minimum. Items 8, 18 and 20 are increasingly required as well, particularly after the 2026 standards update introduced the encroachment summary in Item 20.

What is the new Table A Item 20 in the 2026 standards? 

Item 20 is a new addition in the 2026 ALTA/NSPS standards. It requires the surveyor to prepare a written table summarizing potential encroachments observed on or near the property. It became effective February 23, 2026, and is one of the most significant changes in the current standards update.

How do Table A items affect the cost of an ALTA survey?

Each Table A item adds to the scope of work and increases the survey cost. Items requiring fieldwork or additional research, such as utility location or zoning reports, add more cost than simpler items like address identification. A standard ALTA survey with common Table A items typically runs between $3,000 and $8,000 for a commercial parcel in 2026.