Understanding ALTA Table A Item 15: Aerial and Remote Imagery

An ALTA survey can show some site features using aerial or remote images instead of ground shots. ALTA Table A Item 15 is the rule that allows this. The 2026 wording sets clear limits on when an image can stand in for field work. It also spells out what the surveyor must write down about the images used.

What Item 15 Actually Permits on a 2026 ALTA Survey

Item 15 lets a surveyor show some features using aerial photos, orthophotos, or other remote images. It applies to features where field measurements aren’t otherwise needed to place them near a boundary. It doesn’t touch the boundary survey itself. Property lines still come from ground work and record research, not from a picture.

Think of it as a way to picture surface features that are easy to see from above. Paving, large structures, and open ground can often be shown this way. The image supports the map, but it never sets the property lines. That split is the heart of the rule.

Where Imagery Stops Being an Appropriate Shortcut

An image works well for a feature sitting well inside the site. It stops being enough when a feature sits close to a boundary or a setback line. In those spots, a small error in the image can flip a real answer, like whether a wall crosses a line. Field measurements are still needed there.

The 2026 limit makes this split clear. Features safely inside the site may be shown by image. Features near a boundary or setback need ground measurements. The stakes are higher there, and the margin for error is thin.

The Source, Date, and Version Behind the Image

Anyone reading the survey needs to know which image the surveyor used. That means the source, the date the image was made, and the version. A photo from a few years back may not match the site as it stands now. Naming the exact image lets a reader check it and trust the map.

The 2026 wording is firm on this point. It’s not enough to say aerial imagery was used. The parties need to know what was picked, when it was made, and where it came from. That level of detail is what makes the image traceable.

Accuracy Is Only One Part of the Imagery Question

Accuracy isn’t the only thing to weigh. Accuracy, precision, and completeness are three separate ideas. Each one matters on its own.

• Accuracy is how close a point on the image is to its true place on the ground.
• Precision is how fine and repeatable that placement is.
• Completeness is whether the image caught everything, since trees, shadows, and roof overhangs can hide features.

The 2026 standard also sets a step before any of this. The surveyor must talk through what the image method means with the insurer, the lender, and the client. This talk happens before the survey starts. It sets shared expectations, so no one is surprised by the limits later.

How Item 15 Is Documented on the Final Survey

Item 15 shows up as a note written right on the face of the survey. The note gives the image source, the date, and the precision. It also lists any limits the surveyor wants the reader to know. A clear note lets a lender, an insurer, or a buyer see how the imagery was used.

This note is the record that ties everything together. It puts the source, date, and quality of the image in one place. It also flags where the image should not be relied on. Without that note, a reader would have no way to judge the imagery behind the map.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ALTA Table A Item 15 change how property boundaries are surveyed? 

No. Item 15 doesn’t touch the boundary survey. Boundaries still come from field measurements and record research, the same as before. The images only help show certain other features, never the property lines.

Can every feature on an ALTA survey be shown using aerial imagery under Item 15? 

No. Item 15 leaves out the boundary survey, so lines are never set from an image. It also leaves out features that sit close to a boundary or a setback line. Those close-in features still need ground measurements.

Why does the imagery source need to be identified on the survey? 

Naming the source lets anyone trace where the image came from. It also tells the reader how good the data is and where it may fall short. A named source can be checked later if a question comes up. Without it, a reader has no way to judge the image behind the map.

Why does the date or version of imagery matter? 

An image shows the site as it looked on one day. The ground can change after that, with new paving, grading, or structures. Listing the date and version tells the reader the exact moment the image captured. That way, everyone knows what the survey shows and what it may miss.

Who needs to discuss the limitations of imagery before the survey is performed? 

The 2026 standard names four parties for this talk. The surveyor, the insurer, the lender, and the client all need to hear what the image method can and can’t do. This talk happens before the survey starts, not after. It sets shared expectations about the imagery and its limits.