Administrative Rules of Montana
Department 24 - LABOR AND INDUSTRY
Chapter 24.183 - BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYORS
Subchapter 24.183.11 - Uniform Standards for Monumentation, Certificates of Survey, and Final Subdivision Plats
Rule 24.183.1101 - UNIFORM STANDARDS FOR MONUMENTATION

(a) The terms "monument" and "permanent monument" as used in these regulations mean any structure of masonry, metal or other permanent, durable material placed in the ground, which is exclusively identifiable as a monument to a survey point, expressly placed for surveying reference.

(b) All metal monuments must be at least one-half inch in diameter and 18 inches in length with a cap not less than one inch in diameter marked in a permanent manner with the license number of the surveyor in charge of the survey and either the name of the surveyor or the company employing the surveyor. Metal monuments marking a public land survey corner as described in 70-22-101, MCA, must be at least 24 inches long and 5/8 inch in diameter with an appropriately stamped metal cap at least two inches in diameter. A monument marking a public land survey corner may also consist of a cap as described in this rule set firmly in concrete.

(c) Before a subdivision plat or certificate of survey may be filed for record, the surveyor shall confirm the location of as many monuments as, in the surveyor's professional judgment, are necessary to reasonably assure the perpetuation of any corner or boundary established by the survey and to enable other surveyors to reestablish those corners and boundaries and retrace the survey. The surveyor shall clearly identify on the face of the plat or certificate of survey all monuments pertinent to the survey, and the descriptions of these monuments must be sufficient to identify the monuments.

(d) The surveyor shall set all monuments prior to the filing of a plat or certificate of survey, except those monuments that will be disturbed by the installation of improvements, or that, because of severe weather conditions, may, in the surveyor's judgment, be more appropriately and accurately set after the weather has improved. In these two circumstances the surveyor may set monuments after the survey document is filed if the surveyor certifies on the survey document that the monuments will be set by a specified date. The surveyor shall set monuments, the placement of which has been deferred because of severe weather conditions, within 240 days of the date on which the survey document was filed.

(e) The surveyor shall set monuments at the following locations:

(f) If the placement of a required monument at its proper location is physically impractical, the surveyor may set a reference or witness monument. This monument has the same status as other monuments of record if its location is properly shown. If the surveyor relies upon any existing monument in conducting a survey, he or she shall confirm the location of the monument and show and describe it on the resulting certificate of survey or subdivision plat.

(g) If the land surveyor sets a monument that is on, is a part of, and controls a property line, then the surveyor shall file a certificate of survey which complies with the requirements of ARM 24.183.1104. Alternatively, the surveyor may file a corner record in lieu of a certificate of survey pursuant to 70-22-105(2), MCA.