Certified Land and Property Surveys: Registration, Permits and Boundaries
A certified survey measures a plot or building on site and produces a drawing of its boundaries, lengths, area and coordinates, in a form accepted by the body you will submit it to: the real-estate registry, the district office, the permit authority, or a court in a boundary dispute. This page explains the authorities, documents, steps, and what sets the time and cost, before you pay anything.
When do you need it?
- Registering a property in the real-estate registry and requesting digital survey data
- Applying for a building or demolition permit, or a building-violation settlement
- Separating a plot from its neighbours or resolving a boundary dispute
- Dividing land between heirs or partners, or merging plots
- Buying land and checking that its area and boundaries match the contract
- Providing a technical document in a court case or to a court expert
What does the work include?
- Review of the contract or old sketch before the site visit
- Survey of plot corners, walls and existing buildings with Total Station and GNSS
- Tying the observations to the coordinate system the authority requires
- Calculating the actual area and comparing it with the documents
- Written notes on any difference or overlap with neighbours before delivery
What do you receive?
- Survey drawing with boundaries, lengths and area (print PDF and DWG)
- Table of corner coordinates
- Location sketch showing surrounding streets and landmarks
- Short report of any area or boundary differences from the documents
- Subdivision or merge drawings when requested
What to send for a quote
- The location on Google Maps
- A photo of the contract, sketch or any ownership document
- The purpose: registration, permit, settlement, subdivision, dispute
- Approximate area and number of plots
- A contact number for whoever will attend the visit
How the work runs
- You send the location, the purpose and photos of your documents, and we confirm which authority the file is for and what it requires.
- We send a written quotation with the scope, deliverables and expected time.
- We book the site visit; the owner or a representative should attend to point out the boundaries.
- We survey the plot or building and tie the observations to the required coordinates.
- We process the data, draw and check the drawings, then deliver the files and explain any differences.
Who approves land surveys in Egypt?
Since the 2022 amendments to the real-estate registration law, registering a property requires digital survey data issued by specific bodies:
- The Egyptian General Authority for Survey
- The Military Survey Department
- The Spatial Data Center at the Ministry of Planning
- CAPMAS
- Survey offices whose work is approved by one of these bodies
Each purpose has its own requirements: a registration file differs from a permit or settlement file. So we ask where you will submit it, and tell you whether we can issue what is needed directly or prepare the survey and technical files for you to submit to the authority.
Documents usually needed
- Copy of the owner's national ID
- Ownership contract, preliminary contract or signature-validity ruling
- Any previous sketch or survey of the land
- A formal power of attorney if someone other than the owner follows up
- A utility receipt or tax notice to help identify the property when needed
The authority may ask for more depending on the request, so we review the list with you before the visit.
What sets the time a survey takes?
- Land area and number of plots or units
- The site: vacant land, an existing building, or farmland without clear fences
- Whether reference points exist nearby or control points must be set
- Any boundary dispute that needs neighbours present
- The authority's own review time, which the office does not control
We state our expected time in the quotation, separately from the authority's time.
What sets the cost?
- Area and number of corners and plots
- The purpose and the deliverables required
- Location and travel distance
- Whether official coordinates or extra visits are needed
Government fees are paid to the authority and are not part of the office fee. You receive a written price before work starts, with no surprise charges later.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Relying on an old sketch without a new survey, especially if walls or buildings changed
- Paying anyone who claims to represent an authority outside official channels
- Accepting a drawing with no coordinates or no stated coordinate system
- Not comparing the actual area with the contract before buying or registering
FAQ
Does EL EMAN issue surveys the registry accepts directly?
It depends on the request and where it is submitted. We ask about the purpose first and tell you plainly whether we issue what is needed directly or prepare the survey and technical files for you to submit, before you pay.
What is the difference between a sketch and a survey?
A sketch is an approximate drawing of the location and general boundaries. A survey is an instrument measurement that gives lengths, area and coordinates. Most authorities require a survey with coordinates.
Do I need to attend the visit?
The owner or a representative should attend to point out the boundaries, especially if fences are unclear or there is a dispute with neighbours.
What if the actual area differs from the contract?
We show the difference in writing and on the drawing. Small differences are common in old contracts; large ones need legal review before buying or registering.
Do you divide land between heirs?
Yes. We survey the land and prepare subdivision drawings by share or agreement, considering frontages and access, with coordinates and area for each plot.
Can an old survey be reused?
If the land and fences have not changed, a field check may be enough. If the site changed or the authority wants a recent survey, we measure again.
Does a survey prove ownership?
No. A survey fixes the boundaries and area on the ground; ownership is proven by documents and registration. It is still an important technical document in any procedure.
Do you work outside Alexandria?
Yes. We are based in Sidi Gaber, Alexandria, and work in Beheira, the North Coast, Cairo, Giza and other governorates; the quotation states the number of visits.
Which instruments do you use?
Total Station and RTK GNSS receivers, with drawings prepared in AutoCAD and Civil 3D.
How do I start?
Send the location, the purpose and photos of your documents on WhatsApp, and we reply with what is needed and a written quotation.
Tools to help before you call
- GPS ↔ UTM Coordinate Converter
- Land Area Calculator from Coordinates
- Area Unit Converter (Feddan, Qirat, Sahm, m²)
- Finishing Quantities Calculator (Paint, Tiles, Skirting)
- Slope Calculator (Percent, 1:n, Degrees)
- Distance and Bearing Between Two Points
- Level Book Reduction Calculator
- Cut and Fill Calculator from a Level Grid