How to recognize the common markers surveyors use to mark property corners and lines.
The most common property corner in Texas. A steel rod (often rebar, about 1/2 or 5/8 inch) or a smooth iron pin driven flush with or just above the ground. Older ones may be rusty and hard to see; surveyors often use a metal detector to find them. Crews often tie bright flagging nearby.
An iron rod with a plastic or aluminum cap on top. The cap is usually stamped with the surveyor’s name or firm and registration number, which tells you who set it. Plastic caps are commonly yellow, orange, red or blue.
A heavier marker with a brass or aluminum cap stamped with section, township or survey information. Government agencies use them for important corners. Shown: a Bureau of Land Management cap in Arizona.
A hollow iron pipe driven into the ground, common on older Texas surveys. You may see them called “IP” or “iron pipe found” on a plat. They can be bent, cut off or buried over time.
A concrete post or a metal disk set in concrete, rock or pavement. Highway right-of-way markers and benchmarks are often concrete. Shown: a survey disk at Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso, Texas.
Fence corners are evidence, not proof, of a boundary. A fence may sit on the line, near it, or far from it. A surveyor considers fences along with deeds and found monuments.
Hardened nails set in asphalt, concrete or a curb when a rod cannot be driven. A PK nail has a flat head; a mag nail is magnetic so detectors find it. Often set with a washer stamped with the surveyor’s number. Shown: a survey spike set in pavement.
A tall post (often fiberglass or wood, sometimes painted) placed next to a corner so it is easier to find. The post itself is not the corner.
Moving a corner can cause boundary disputes and costly resurveys. Ask an attorney or a surveyor about laws that may apply.
Informational only. This guide shows general examples. Only a registered professional land surveyor can determine whether a marker is a true property corner.
Send the address or parcel number and a licensed surveyor will prepare a written quote.
