ALTA/NSPS Standards Explained: A Practical Guide to the 2026 Updates-ALTA/NSPS Standards Explained: A Practical Guide to the 2026 Updates Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Michelle Kruger (ACEC) opens a webinar hosted by the ACEC Coalition of Professional Surveyors on the 2026 ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey Standards. She invites questions via Zoom Q&A and promotes ACEC member communities.<br /><br />Presenter Gary Kent (Meridian Land Consulting), a past chair of both NSPS and ALTA standards efforts, explains how the standards are developed by a joint ALTA/NSPS work group of surveyors and title attorneys, approved in October 2025, and effective Feb. 23, 2026 (“Terminalia,” the Roman boundary festival). He stresses the standards’ purpose: enabling title insurers to delete the broad “survey” exception from title policies by relying on a land title survey to disclose matters that could affect title. He reviews what title insurance does (defend and indemnify) and illustrates risk with an example of a missed recorded sewer easement. He explains title commitments (Schedules A, B-1 conditions, and B-2 exceptions), why commitments aren’t full abstracts, and why some easements may be omitted when insurers “insure over” them—especially under lender policies with declining exposure. He contrasts residential vs. commercial practice and notes endorsements (e.g., zoning, utilities, contiguity) that may drive Table A requests.<br /><br />Kent then summarizes key 2026 changes using a redline: terminology shifts (e.g., “adjoining properties”), clarified records research expectations, updated measurement language, and revised “field work”/“plat” wording to accommodate modern methods (drones/LiDAR/AI) without prescribing specific technology. He discusses Table A updates, including a new optional item requiring a “survey concerns” table to help non-technical title staff. Q&A covers “updates” as new surveys, successors/assigns certification, private utility locates vs. 811, and how to flag potential easement conflicts without legal opinions. Slides and recording will be shared.

Keywords

2026 ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey Standards

ACEC Coalition of Professional Surveyors webinar

Michelle Kruger

Gary Kent

Meridian Land Consulting

ALTA NSPS joint work group

title insurance survey exception deletion

title commitments Schedule A B-1 B-2

easements and recorded sewer easement risk

Table A optional items

survey concerns table

records research expectations

modern survey methods drones LiDAR AI

certification successors and assigns

utility locates 811 vs private locate