professional land surveyors (PLSs) and those without licensure: UCA 58-22-102(11) “‘Professional land surveyor’ means a person licensed under this chapter as a professional land surveyor.” UCA 58-22-102(12) “‘Professional land surveying’ means performing any service or work, the adequate performance of which requires the application of special knowledge of the principles of mathematics, the related physical and applied sciences, and the relevant requirements of law for measuring and locating lines, angles, elevations, natural and man-made features in the air, on the surface of the earth, within underground workings, and on the beds of bodies of water, for the purpose of determining areas and volumes, for the monumenting of property boundaries, and for the platting and layout of lands and subdivisions of lands, including the topography, alignment, and grades of streets, and for the preparation and perpetuation of maps, record plats, field note records, and property descriptions that represent these surveys.” Only individuals licensed by the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) can legally offer, represent or perform land surveying services, including establishing or reestablishing land boundaries, preparing plats, determining areas and volumes, or performing surveys affecting land ownership or title. The Problem: Title Dilution Despite clear statutory definitions, the title “surveyor” is now used as a catch-all for field personnel — frequently technicians or drone operators without training in boundary law, public safety responsibilities, or the legal accountability required of licensed professionals. This shift has blurred the distinction once provided by clearly defined support roles such as party chief, instrument technician, rod person and chairperson, all traditionally working under the direction of a licensed land surveyor. UCLS Foresights 7
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