Gopher State One Call (GSOC) processes four types of Non-Excavation Tickets: Owner Inquiry Request, Non-Excavation Ticket (Design Information Notice), Engineering/Pre-Con Meet Ticket, and Boundary Survey. This blog focuses on the use of the Boundary Survey Tickets in Minnesota. Keep reading to learn the answers to five frequent questions about this type of Non-Excavation Ticket.

1. What is a Boundary Survey Ticket?
   A “Boundary Survey” is defined in Minnesota Statutes 216D.01, Subdivision 1B as “a survey made to establish or to reestablish a boundary line on the ground or to obtain data for preparing a map or plat showing boundary lines.” In connection with this work, land surveyors may submit a Boundary Survey Ticket to have the underground facilities on a property located. This can help a surveyor provide additional useful information requested on a survey and may assist to verify easement locations. As a type of Non-Excavation Ticket, no excavation whatsoever can be conducted on Boundary Survey Tickets.
   
   
2. Who submits the Boundary Surveys Tickets to GSOC?
   Boundary Surveys should only be submitted by licensed land surveyors – professionals tasked with identifying property lines. In Minnesota, land surveyors are required to be licensed by the Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design. These professionals typically work with or on behalf of organizations that are in the process of planning a project, such as clearing out an area of land for development. They can also be hired by property owners to confirm the property boundary lines.
   
   Despite only being used by land surveyors, there were 7,151 Boundary Survey Tickets filed through GSOC in 2022!
   
   
3. Who responds to Boundary Survey Tickets?
   Once a Boundary Survey is processed by the GSOC notification center, the ticket is sent to public underground facility operators with facilities at the site. The facility operators then send a locator to locate and mark the facilities. This aids in finding where the corners of the property lie and ensures the stakes used to mark the corners can be safely placed. Facility operators are required to respond to a Boundary Survey request within 96 hours, excluding weekends and holidays.
   
   
4. Can I hire a land surveyor through GSOC?
   GSOC does not contract land surveyors. If you need to hire a land surveyor for a commercial or residential project, you can visit the Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors website for more information.
   
   
5. Turns out I need a different type of Non-Excavation Ticket – where can I learn more about the other types?
   You can find information about the other types of Non-Excavation Tickets by referencing pages 47–50 of the GSOC Handbook (available to view or download here) or on our blog. Click here to read about the Non-Excavation Ticket and Owner Inquiry Request types, or click here to read about the Engineering/Pre-Con Meet Ticket type.

Have additional questions about the Boundary Survey type of Non-Excavation Ticket? GSOC is ready to help. Contact our Customer Support team at 651-681-7326 or send us an email at customersupport@gopherstateonecall.org.