Registered Land Survey (RLS)

Manuals

Ramsey County's Manual of Minimum Guidelines for Subdivision Plats (2007 draft)

This manual was prepared for the purpose of outlining policies and procedures for platting in Ramsey County. The intent of this manual is to describe the requirements and recommendations of the Ramsey County Surveyor’s Office for the purpose of achieving and maintaining uniformity in subdivision Plats and Registered Land Surveys recorded in Ramsey County.  These standard procedures are intended as a supplement to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 505, 508, 508A and other statutes and ordinances. 

MSPS

• Textbooks, manuals & other related books can be found at the MSPS Store
• Other MSPS survey resources can be found at Links and Resources

Document Tracking And Notices

Registered Land Survey (RLS)

• Its purpose is to create Torrens property tracts without dedications of public ways and easements.
• An RLS may be required by the Ramsey County Registrar of Titles to split a Torrens parcel per MS 508.47.  Therefore, before obtaining approval of an administrative lot split by a local governmental unit without an RLS, we recommend obtaining approval of subdivision descriptions by the Ramsey County Registrar of Titles prior to local governmental unit approval.

Registered Land Survey Process

• We recommend the local governmental unit give preliminary approval of the proposed RLS before the Final RLS is submitted to us for review and approval.  Please contact the local governmental unit for information regarding their preliminary and final RLS approval procedure.
• Submit six prints of the preliminary RLS as approved by State, County, City or Township to the Ramsey County Surveyor.
• Submit four prints of the proposed Final RLS for our review.  See MS 508.47 subd.4 for sheet size, border and other requirements. 
• Review Fees shall be paid to the Ramsey County Surveyor’s Office when the proposed Final RLS is presented to the County Surveyor’s Office for review.
• Photocopies of the relevant certificate(s) of title, proposed public way vacation resolutions, directives and other relevant documents must be submitted in addition to the proposed Final RLS.
• Allow us up to 30 days to complete our initial review of the proposed Final RLS.  When we are finished with our review, we will send comments to the surveyor who prepared the proposed Final RLS.  After the surveyor has revised the proposed Final RLS, copies should be sent to us for further review.  When revisions are no longer necessary, we will notify the surveyor that the proposed Final RLS is ready to be photographically reproduced as film transparencies (see Ramsey County Plat Manual page 3 for details).
• After the transparencies have been signed by the preparing surveyor, the local governmental unit and Ramsey County Property Records and Revenue, submit them to us for the Ramsey County Surveyor’s approval and signature.
• We will deliver the approved Final RLS and other pertinent documents to Ramsey County Property Records and Revenue for filing.

For more details of our Review Process, please refer to our Plat Manual.

Procedures for filing a Registered Land Survey in Ramsey County

• Materials required for filing a Registered Land Survey:
  • 3 sets of photographically reproduced film transparencies;
  • 1 set of paper prints to scale;
  • 1 film transparency reduction when the RLS is not drawn to the following scales: 
    • scale of 1 inch = 200 feet, if outside limits of Saint Paul;
    • scale of 1 inch = 100 feet, if inside limits of Saint Paul.
• The surveyor who prepared the RLS must sign all film transparencies per MS 508.47 subd. 4.
• Obtain official signatures and raised seal of the local governmental unit or of an authorized official designated by the local governmental unit per MS 508.47 subd. 4 (also see MS 505.03 subd. 1).
• All payable and delinquent taxes must be paid prior to the Ramsey County Surveyor approving the RLS per MS 508.47 subd. 4.  The taxes are paid to Ramsey County Property Records and Revenue.
• All our RLS review fees must be paid and certified to prior to Ramsey County Surveyor’s signing of the Registered Land Survey per MS 383A.42.
• All filing fees must be paid at the time the Registered Land Survey is presented to Ramsey County Property Records and Revenue for filing.

Notices

• 2008 Legislation SF 2936, which modifies MS 508.47 & 508A.47, goes into effect August 1, 2008
• 2007 Legislation SF 2161, which modifies MS Chapter 505, goes into effect August 1, 2007
• City Resolution -- See City of Saint Paul for information about possible moratoriums