S.C. Code Regs. § 49-430 - Nomenclature

A. In surveying work, it is acceptable to employ abbreviations and symbols. When use of such abbreviations and symbols are necessary, the following are acceptable and may be employed in land surveying work in South Carolina:

(1) Acres: AC

(2) Acrylonitrile Butadiene ABS

(3) American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing: ASPRS

(4) Angle: Ang

(5) Avenue: AVE

(6) Azimuth: Az

(7) BeiDou Navigation Satellite System: BeDou

(8) Bench Mark: BM

(9) Catch Basin: CB

(10) Calculated Course(s): CC

(11) Calculated Distance: CD

(12) Corrugated Metal Pipe: CMP

(13) Crimp /Clip/Pinch Top: CT

(14) Curb Face: CF or FOC

(15) Curb Inlet: CI

(16) Curb and Gutter: CG

(17) Chord: CH

(18) Center Line: CL or C/L or CL

(19) Concrete Monument: Con. Mon.

(20) Continuously Operating Reference Station: CORS

(21) Degree of Curve: D

(22) Deed Book: DB

(23) Deflection Angle: Defl Ang

(24) Departure: Dep

(25) Ductile Iron Pipe: DIP

(26) Drop Inlet: DI

(27) Drill Hole: DH

(28) Delta Angle: [Delta] or I

(29) Double Meridian Distance: DMD

(30) Easement: ESMT

(31) East: E

(32) Error of Closure: EC

(33) Elevation: EL

(34) Edge of Pavement: EP

(35) Foot: Ft.

(36) Found: Fd. or F

(37) Global Navigation Satellite System: GNSS

(38) Global Positioning System: GPS

(39) Global'naya Navigatsionnava SputnikovavaSistima: GLONASS

(40) Gutter: Gut

(41) Highway: Hwy

(42) Invert Elevation: I.E. or Inv.

(43) Iron Pipe, Set: IPS

(44) Iron Pipe, Found: IPF

(45) Length of Curve: L or Arc

(46) Latitude: Lat

(47) Long Chord: LC

(48) Mag Nail: MN

(49) Magnetic course: MC

(50) Manhole: MH

(51) Mile: Mi

(52) Marker: Mk

(53) Monument: Mon

(54) Nail and Cap: N & C

(55) National Spatial Reference System: NSRS

(56) New: N or (N)

(57) Not To Scale: NTS

(58) North: N

(59) North American Datum 1927: NAD 27

(60) North American Datum 1983: NAD 83

(61) North American Vertical Datum 1988: NAVD 88

(62) National Geodetic Survey: NGS

(63) National Geodetic Vertical Datum 1929: NGVD 29

(64) Offset: O.S. OR O/S

(65) Old: O or (O)

(66) On-line Positioning User Service (NGS): OPUS

(67) Parts Per Million: PPM

(68) Perimeter: P

(69) Pavement: Pave

(70) PK Nail: PK

(71) Plat Book: PB

(72) Point of Beginning: POB

(73) Point of Curvature: PC

(74) Point of Compound Curve: PCC

(75) Point on Curve: POC

(76) Point of Intersection: P.O.I. or P.I.

(77) Point of Tangent: POT

(78) Point of Reverse Curvature: PRC

(79) Point on Tangency: PT

(80) Point: Pt

(81) Polymerized Vinyl Chloride: PVC

(82) Position Dilution of Position: PDOP

(83) Private: Pvt

(84) Property Line: PL

(85) Radius: R

(86) Reference Point: RP

(87) Railroad: RR

(88) Railroad Spike: RRS

(89) Reinforced Concrete Pipe: RCP

(90) Register of Mesne Conveyance: RMC

(91) Railway: Rwy

(92) Real Time Kinematic Surveying: RTK

(93) Real Time Network: RTN

(94) Rebar: RB

(95) Register of Deeds: ROD

(96) Right of way: R/W

(97) Satellite Receiver for RTK or VRS Surveying: Rover

(98) Satellite Receiver Base Station: Base

(99) South: S

(100) SC State Plane Coordinate System SPCS

(101) South Carolina Geodetic Survey: SCGS

(102) Square: Sq

(103) Square Feet: SF or FT2

(104) Street: St

(105) Station: Sta

(106) Stake: Stk

(107) Tangent of Curve: T

(108) Tack: Tk

(109) Traverse: Tra

(110) Track: Trk

(111) US Bureau of Standards: USBS

(112) Vertical: Vert

(113) Vitrified Clay Pipe: VCP

(114) Virtual Reference Station Network: VRS

(115) West: W

(116) Wood: Wd

(117) Symbols:

(a) Degree: o

(b) Minute: '

(c) Second: "

(d) Foot or Feet: '

B. The following are acceptable abbreviations for metric measures:

(1) Area: A

(2) Centimeter: CM.

(3) Decimeter: DM.

(4) Hectare: HA.

(5) Kilometer: KM.

(6) Meter: M

(7) Millimeter: MM.

(8) Square Meter: M2

C. Definitions: The following definitions and terminology shall be used in land descriptions:

(1) Boundary Line: Any line bounding an area or dividing separate properties; adequately dimensioned and described. Such lines may be straight, irregular, circular, or spiral.

(2) Point of Beginning: A defined, readily located, and permanent point or monument that is the starting point on a parcel for a metes and bounds description; and also is the final point of such description.

(3) Point of Commencement: A defined, readily located, and permanent point or monument that is the point to which the Point of Beginning is tied for a permanent reference.

(4) Convey: The act of transferring title or rights to a property.

(5) Grantor: A person or party conveying property or rights to a grantee.

(6) Grantee: A person or party receiving title or rights to property.

(7) Title: A written claim or right which constitutes a just and legal cause of exclusive possession.

(8) Metes and Bounds Description: A description in which the boundary lines start from a given point and is described by listing the direction, distance, and description of corners of the lines forming this boundary; in succession and adjoining owners.

(9) Description by Lot Number: A description which identifies a lot or tract of land by reference to a previously surveyed subdivision plat together with other pertinent information.

(10) Recorded: Placed on record in the office of the Clerk of Court, Register of Deeds or Register of Mesne Conveyance for the county in which all or part of the land lies.

(11) Coordinate Description: A description of lands in which the angle points or other points in the boundary are each referred to by grid coordinates on the South Carolina State Plane Coordinate System (current Datum) or similar coordinate system.

(12) Grid Coordinates: Distances measured at right angles to each other in a rectangular system having two base lines at right angles to each other.

(13) Survey: The orderly process of determining data relating to the physical characteristics of the earth, which may be further defined according to the type of data obtained, the methods and instruments used, and the purpose(s) to be served.

(14) Boundary Survey: A survey, the primary purpose of which may include, but is not limited to, the determining of the perimeters of a parcel or tract of land by establishing or reestablishing corners, monuments, and boundary lines for the purpose of describing, or platting or dividing the parcel.

(15) Closing/Loan or Mortgage Survey: A boundary survey of a parcel or lot which includes all improvements obvious and apparent found on the property, to be used in the preparation of a mortgage, loan or deed document.

(16) Topographical Survey: A survey of the natural and selected man-made features of a part of the earth's surface by remote sensing and/or ground measurements to determine horizontal and vertical spatial relations.

(17) Compiled Map: A map drawn from previously recorded or unrecorded documents, photographic material or tax maps which represent the general configuration of the parcel where partial or no actual surveying has been performed by the land surveyor preparing the map.

(18) Right of Way Survey: A Survey of any strip or area of land, including surface, overhead, or underground, for a designated use, such as for drainage and irrigation canals and ditches; electric power, telegraph, and telephone lines: gas, oil, water, and other pipe lines; highways, and other roadways, or other similar uses.

(19) Geodetic Survey: A survey of areas and points affected by and taking into account the curvature of the earth using a nationally defined horizontal and vertical datum. Geodetic surveys may be performed with terrestrial or satellite surveying technology but must be connected to the coordinate realization of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS). All geodetic surveys, both vertical and horizontal, in the State of South Carolina shall conform to the datums currently supported by NSRS. Geodetic surveys shall be performed by a surveyor licensed by this board.

(20) Geodetic Datum: The recognized horizontal and vertical datum for South Carolina shall be currently adopted or recognized datum by the NSRS which is maintained by the National Geodetic Survey.

(21) State Plane Coordinate System: A map projection that is a mathematical transformation of latitudes and longitudes on the surface of sphere or ellipsoid representing the earth to grid coordinates (northing, easting, or y x values) on a plane. The official coordinate system for surveying purposes in South Carolina is the South Carolina State Plane Coordinate System. For the purpose of the South Carolina State Plane Coordinate System, the foot is the International Foot with one inch being exactly 2.54 centimeters. To convert metric coordinates to the international feet multiply by 3.280839895.

(22) Hydrographic Survey: A survey having for its principal purpose the determination of data relating to bodies of water, and which may consist of the determination of one or several of the following classes of data; depth of water and configuration of bottom; directions and force of current; heights and times and water stages; and location of fixed objects for survey and navigation purposes.

(23) Wetlands Survey: A survey showing the Wetland Boundaries tied by course and distance to either 1) property corners that are properly monumented, or 2) project boundaries that have been properly monumented, or 3) State Plane Coordinates. This shall be done in a manner that permits future surveyors to readily retrace the wetland boundary. The error of closure of such ties must be consistent with the land use classification of the parcel being surveyed as described in section 49-440 Classification of Surveys. Data collection and platting of these types of wetland boundaries must be performed by or under the direct supervision of a surveyor. A surveyor may not accept wetlands survey data from non-licensed individuals who are not under their direct supervision for the purpose of recording the information on survey plats.

(24) Corner: A point on a land boundary.

(25) Monument: A shaft of ferrous metal, concrete, stone or concrete and metal; placed to designate a fixed point; placed near vertically in the earth; designed for maximum permanency, placed by a land surveyor to mark corners.

(26) Witness Monument: Any monument that does not occupy the same defined position as the corner itself, but whose relationship to the corner is established.

(27) Reference Point: Any defined position that is or can be established in relation to another defined position.

(28) Benchmark: A relatively permanent material object, natural or artificial, bearing a marked point whose elevation above or below a referenced datum is known.

(29) Plat: A diagram drawn to scale showing all essential data pertaining to the boundaries and subdivisions of a tract of land, as determined by a survey and must be signed and sealed by the surveyor.

(30) Map: A representation on a plane surface, at an established scale, of the physical features of a part of the earth's surface, shown by the use of, but not limited to lines, arcs, signs, alpha numeric characters and symbols.

(31) Map of Survey, Plat of Survey, Survey for or other Similar Titles: Any drawing of a parcel or tract of real property used for the purpose of depicting the results of a field survey. Each survey drawing shall state the type of survey it depicts as defined in this manual.

(32) Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS): Any satellite system which can be used to determine a precise location on the surface of the Earth. The US system is known as NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS). The Russian system is known as the Global'naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema or GLONASS. The European Space Agency system is known as GALILEO.

(33) Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP): A numerical measure of the predicted accuracy of a geodetic position determined from GNSS satellites. The term represents the reliability of the geometry of the satellites with respect to the receiver location. A PDOP of 3 or less will generally ensure accuracy of the highest survey quality. A PDOP of 5 or less may be acceptable for most surveying and mapping projects where the distance between Rover and the nearest Base station is less than 10KM.

(34) Multipath: Multipath is an erroneous GNSS distance measurement between a GNSS satellite and either the Rover or Base. The multipath signal results from the receiver using a signal that has been reflected off a structure or water surface on its way to the receiver. The resulting measurement of distance from the satellite to the receiver is longer.

(35) Base Station: The name given to a GNSS receiver located over a known point or geodetic control monument.

(36) Rover: The name given to a GNSS receiver located over an unknown survey point whose coordinates are to be determined or checked against known geodetic control.

(37) Static GNSS Survey: A geodetic survey that uses multiple survey grade satellite receivers each collecting the same satellite data simultaneously. At least one satellite receiver must be on a known geodetic control station. The data are post-processed to yield three dimensional vectors between the known and unknown control stations. Static vectors solutions yield a "no check" solution and therefore by themselves do not meet minimum standards without additional independent checks. An expected relative accuracy of 0.07 foot plus 1:50,000 of the distance separating the Base and Rover can be obtained dependent on the length of time of simultaneous observations, the quality of the receivers, multipath and PDOP of less than 5.

(38) Static GNSS Positioning of Property Corners: If GNSS STATIC survey techniques are used to establish SC State Plane Coordinates on property corners, the corners shall be positioned from the nearest two (2) first or second order horizontal control monuments in the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) data base. Property corners shall be positioned to a horizontal accuracy of at least 0.07' + 1/20,000 or 0.2 feet (whichever is smaller) with relation to the nearest NGS horizontal control monument.

(39) Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GNSS Survey: A geodetic survey that uses multiple survey grade satellite receivers each collecting the same satellite data simultaneously. At least one Base receiver must be on a known geodetic control station and is capable of transmitting satellite data in real time to other Rover receivers. The data are processed by the Rovers in real time to yield three dimensional vectors between the Base and Rover stations. RTK vectors solutions yield a "no check" solution and therefore by themselves do not meet minimum standards without additional independent checks. RTK surveys require a site calibration to the NAD83 and NAVD88 in the vicinity of the survey. An expected relative accuracy of 0.05 foot plus 1 PPM of the distance separating the Base and Rover can be obtained dependent on the length of time of RTK observations, the quality of the receivers, PDOP of less than 3, a minimum of 5 GPS satellites, multipath and quality of the site calibration.

(40) VRS GNSS Survey: A geodetic survey that uses multiple dual frequency survey grade satellite receivers each collecting the same satellite data simultaneously. Base stations are operated by the SCGS and data are streamed to the Rovers via the Internet and processed in real time to yield three dimensional vectors between the Base Stations and Rovers. VRS vectors solutions yield a "network check" solution and therefore will meet minimum standards without additional independent checks. VRS surveys require an "independent check" by occupying a known geodetic control point in the National datum in the vicinity of the survey to verify the proper operation of the Rover. An expected relative accuracy of 0.05 foot can be obtained dependent on the length of time of VRS observations, the quality of the receivers, PDOP of less than 3, a minimum of 5 GPS satellites and minimal multipath.

(41) Classification of Geodetic Surveys (Performed using GNSS Technology)

Type	Relative Accuracy (95%)	Max PDOP	Min # of Satellites	Site Calibration
Static	GNSS 0.07' + 1:50,000	5	4	N
Property Corner	Positions 0.07' + 1:20,000	5	4	N
RTK GNSS	0.07' + 1PPM dist from Base	3	5	Y
VRS GNSS	0.07'	3	5	N

All the above Geodetic Surveys will achieve the required minimum accuracy for Land Surveys

(42) Spatial Data: Information about the locations and shapes of geographical features and relationships between them, usually stored as coordinates and topology. Any data that can be mapped.

(43) Ground Coordinates: A coordinate system that has its own origin within the region being investigated and is used principally for points within that region.

Notes

S.C. Code Regs. § 49-430

Amended by State Register Volume 33, Issue No. 6, eff June 26, 2009; State Register Volume 36, Issue No. 6, eff June 22, 2012; State Register Volume 46, Issue No. 05, eff. 5/27/2022.