(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), after making a field survey in conformity with the practice of land surveying, the licensed surveyor or licensed civil engineer may file with the county surveyor in the county in which the field survey was made, a record of the survey.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), after making a field survey in conformity with the practice of land surveying, the licensed land surveyor or licensed civil engineer shall file with the county surveyor in the county in which the field survey was made a record of the survey relating to land boundaries or property lines, if the field survey discloses any of the following:

(1) Material evidence or physical change, which in whole or in part does not appear on any subdivision map, official map, or record of survey previously recorded or properly filed in the office of the county recorder or county surveying department, or map or survey record maintained by the Bureau of Land Management of the United States.

(2) A material discrepancy with the information contained in any subdivision map, official map, or record of survey previously recorded or filed in the office of the county recorder or the county surveying department, or any map or survey record maintained by the Bureau of Land Management of the United States. For purposes of this subdivision, a “material discrepancy” is limited to a material discrepancy in the position of points or lines, or in dimensions.

(3) Evidence that, by reasonable analysis, might result in materially alternate positions of lines or points, shown on any subdivision map, official map, or record of survey previously recorded or filed in the office of the county recorder or the county surveying department, or any map or survey record maintained by the Bureau of Land Management of the United States.

(4) The location, relocation, establishment, reestablishment, or retracement of one or more points or lines not shown on any subdivision map, official map, or record of survey, the positions of which are not ascertainable from an inspection of the subdivision map, official map, or record of survey.

(5) The points or lines set during the performance of a field survey of any parcel described in any deed or other instrument of title recorded in the county recorder’s office are not shown on any subdivision map, official map, or record of survey.

(c) The record of survey required to be filed pursuant to this section shall be filed within 90 days after the setting of boundary monuments during the performance of a field survey or within 90 days after completion of a field survey, whichever occurs first.

(d) (1) If the 90-day time limit contained in subdivision (c) cannot be complied with for reasons beyond the control of the licensed land surveyor or licensed civil engineer, the 90-day time period shall be extended until the time at which the reasons for delay are eliminated. If the licensed land surveyor or licensed civil engineer cannot comply with the 90-day time limit, he or she shall, prior to the expiration of the 90-day time limit, provide the county surveyor with a letter stating that he or she is unable to comply. The letter shall provide an estimate of the date for completion of the record of survey, the reasons for the delay, and a general statement as to the location of the survey, including the assessor’s parcel number or numbers.

(2)  The licensed land surveyor or licensed civil engineer shall not initially be required to provide specific details of the survey. However, if other surveys at the same location are performed by others which may affect or be affected by the survey, the licensed land surveyor or licensed civil engineer shall then provide information requested by the county surveyor without unreasonable delay.

(e)  Any record of survey filed with the county surveyor shall, after being examined by him or her, be filed with the county recorder.

(f)  If the preparer of the record of survey provides a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope or postcard with the filing of the record of survey, the county recorder shall return the postage-paid, self-addressed envelope or postcard to the preparer of the record of survey with the filing data within 10 days of final filing. For the purposes of this subdivision, “filing data” includes the date, the book or volume, and the page at which the record of survey is filed with the county recorder.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 661, Sec. 13. (SB 1576) Effective January 1, 2013.)