NZ LCQ cheat sheet

Cadastral Survey Act 2002 establishes the Surveyor-General as the regulator of cadastral surveying and mandates the NZ Geodetic Datum and cadastral survey system maintenance.

Survey Act 1876 (now largely repealed/replaced) historically governed Crown survey and boundary marks; residual provisions are superseded by the Cadastral Survey Act and Land Transfer Act regimes.

Land Transfer Act 2017 governs title registration, indefeasibility, and the record of boundaries shown on deposited plans; it replaced the 1952 Act and clarifies boundary and title alignment.

Resource Management Act 1991 controls subdivision via district plan rules and resource consents; a survey plan alone does not authorise subdivision without RMA approval.

Surveyor-General's standards (Cadastral Survey Rules 2021) set accuracy, CSD, and plan requirements; non-compliance can result in rejection or enforcement.

A licensed cadastral surveyor under the Cadastral Survey Act must hold a licence, maintain competence, and comply with the Code of Conduct.

Statutory definition of a cadastral survey includes surveys for title, boundary, and land transfer purposes; not all engineering surveys are cadastral.

LINZ administers the Cadastral Survey Act and maintains the cadastre; the Surveyor-General can audit surveys and require correction.

Cadastral Survey Rules 2021 (CSR 2021) replace the 2010 rules and specify accuracy classes, CSD content, and plan presentation requirements.

Boundary points must achieve accuracy class specified by rule; urban boundaries typically require tighter tolerances than rural boundaries per the class table.

CSD (Cadastral Survey Dataset) must include coordinates, vectors, boundary marks, and a plan conforming to the prescribed format before deposit.

Survey marks must meet mark type and placement standards; witness marks and reference marks are required where boundary marks are at risk.

Plans must show the survey network, datum, accuracy class, and any adopted boundaries with their source and reliability.

Non-boundary features (e.g., top of bank, mean high water springs) must be located and shown where relevant to the parcel.

Amendments to deposited plans require a correction or new CSD; retrospective changes must be justified and approved by LINZ.

Digital CSD submission is mandatory; the Landonline system validates format, and the Surveyor-General may audit for accuracy compliance.

The original survey defines the boundary; reinstatement seeks to restore the original position, not to re-measure to a nominal coordinate.

Boundary marks take precedence over measurements; where marks are missing, use original plan measurements and reliable adjacent evidence.

Adopt original boundaries where evidence supports them; redefinition requires documented justification and must not shift boundaries without evidence.

Natural boundaries (rivers, streams, lakes, sea) follow the ambulatory doctrine; the boundary moves with gradual natural change, not avulsion.

Where a boundary is defined by a physical feature, locate the feature as it existed at the date of the original survey where evidence permits.

Coordinate-only redefinition is unreliable where marks are lost; use bearings, distances, and occupation evidence to reinstate.

Discrepancies between plan and occupation must be investigated; occupation alone does not override a correctly marked boundary.

Adverse possession and boundary adjustments require statutory processes; surveyors must not unilaterally relocate a boundary.

Torrens system: the register is conclusive evidence of title; indefeasibility protects registered proprietors against unregistered interests, subject to statutory exceptions.

Boundaries shown on a deposited plan define the parcel; title diagrams are indicative and the plan and survey marks govern.

Land Transfer Act 2017 provides for boundary adjustments, easements, and the record of survey; registration is required to create or transfer interests.

Crown land, Maori land, and general land have different tenure rules; the survey must identify the correct tenure and applicable statute.

Easements and covenants must be shown and located on the plan where they affect the parcel; their position must be surveyed, not assumed.

Unit titles under the Unit Titles Act require principal units and common property to be defined and shown on a unit plan.

Where a title boundary is uncertain, the surveyor must gather evidence and may need to invoke statutory boundary determination processes.

Cross-lease and stratum estates require vertical and horizontal boundary definition; accuracy standards apply equally.

NZGD2000 is the official geodetic datum; coordinates are in terms of NZGD2000 and NZTM2000 projection for most cadastral plans.

Accuracy is expressed as a 95% confidence interval; the standard error of a coordinate must meet the class requirement.

Traverse and network adjustments distribute misclosure using least squares; do not arbitrarily adjust a single leg to force closure.

Distances must be reduced to the projection plane or ellipsoid as required; scale factor and sea-level reduction must be applied correctly.

GNSS observations require correct antenna height, datum transformation, and quality indicators (e.g., PDOP, fixed solution).

Coordinate accuracy depends on network geometry; loops and redundant observations improve reliability and detect blunders.

Projection bearings differ from true bearings by convergence; apply convergence correction where required for cadastral bearings.

Height and vertical datum: NZVD2016 is the official vertical datum; cadastral plans generally require horizontal coordinates, not height.

Field notes must record instrument, method, observations, mark descriptions, and conditions; they are legal evidence and must be retained.

Mark placement: boundary marks should be placed at the legal corner, with witness marks where the corner is unstable or inaccessible.

Landonline CSD must include a plan, coordinate file, and mark records; validation errors must be resolved before submission.

Quality assurance includes independent checks of closures, area computations, and boundary consistency with adjacent parcels.

Data management: version control, backup, and audit trail are required; original field data must not be overwritten.

Survey mark descriptions must be unambiguous and locatable; use standard mark codes and clear diagrams.

Field procedures must consider safety, access, and notification to affected landowners where entry is required.

Digital data must be in the prescribed format and datum; coordinate transformations must be documented and checked.

Licensed cadastral surveyors must act with integrity, objectivity, and competence; the Code of Conduct sets minimum standards.

Conflicts of interest must be disclosed and managed; a surveyor must not act where independence is compromised.

Confidentiality: client information must be protected except where disclosure is required by law or the Surveyor-General.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is required to maintain competence and licence currency.

Surveyors must report errors or unsafe practices and must not certify work they have not personally supervised or checked.

Fees and contracts must be transparent; contingency fees that compromise independence are inappropriate for cadastral certification.

Respect for cultural heritage and Maori interests is a professional obligation, not merely a legal one.

Professional indemnity insurance and proper records support accountability; negligence can lead to discipline and liability.

Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 governs Maori land; the Maori Land Court has jurisdiction over status, title, and partitions.

Maori land surveys require engagement with the Maori Land Court and affected owners; survey must respect customary interests and statutory processes.

Treaty of Waitangi principles (partnership, participation, protection) inform RMA and Crown decision-making affecting land.

The Crown's duty to consult is engaged where Maori land or Treaty settlement land is affected; surveyors should identify and record cultural values.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 protects archaeological sites; an authority is required before modifying or destroying a site.

Accidental discovery of archaeological material must be reported and work stopped; protocols should be in place before fieldwork.

Treaty settlement redress may include cultural redress, statutory acknowledgements, and overlay classifications affecting survey and subdivision.

Consultation with iwi/hapu and use of iwi management plans can identify cultural heritage and landscape values relevant to a survey.

Subdivision requires a resource consent under the RMA unless permitted by district plan rules; the survey plan must reflect approved conditions.

District plans set zoning, density, and development standards; the survey must comply with yard, height, and site coverage rules.

Section 224(c) RMA certificate confirms conditions met; a survey plan cannot be deposited until the certificate is issued.

Easements for drainage, access, and services must be created and shown on the plan where required by consent conditions.

Urban development may require designations, plan changes, or infrastructure contributions; surveyors should check the planning framework.

Boundary adjustments and amalgamations are subdivision-like processes requiring consent and survey.

Esplanade reserves and access strips may be required on subdivision near water; their position must be surveyed accurately.

The National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) influences plan rules for intensification; surveyors should be aware of its effect on subdivision.

Engagement terms should define scope, deliverables, fee basis, and liability limits; ambiguity creates disputes.

Professional indemnity insurance covers negligence claims; check policy exclusions and run-off cover.

Risk management: identify hazards, document decisions, and maintain records for potential claims or audits.

Contract law: offer, acceptance, consideration, and intention create a binding contract; written terms reduce risk.

Consumer law (Fair Trading Act, Consumer Guarantees Act) may apply to surveying services provided to consumers.

Payment terms, variations, and delay claims should be documented; progress claims and retentions may apply to larger projects.

Data ownership and copyright in plans and CSD data should be addressed in the contract.

Business continuity: backup systems, key-person risk, and succession planning protect the practice and clients.