Table A Item 13 adds parking detail to an ALTA survey, and confirming the request up front prevents surprises later. This optional item asks the surveyor to report parking information, so the client, lender, title company, and surveyor should agree on the scope before fieldwork starts. Get that agreement early, and the finished survey delivers exactly the parking data the deal needs. Skip it, and the count may not match what a buyer expected.

What Item 13 Adds to the Base Survey

Item 13 sits outside the standard ALTA scope, which is why the parties confirm it first. The item covers parking information, and the exact detail requested can vary from one deal to the next. Because it’s optional, everyone should know it’s included and what “included” means before the crew heads out. That shared understanding keeps the deliverable from falling short at closing.

A clear request also sets the surveyor’s effort correctly. A simple stall count is one thing. A count broken out by type and tied to boundaries is another, and the fee reflects that difference.

Counting Spaces Without Misreading the Site

An accurate count means telling different space types apart. Crews distinguish standard stalls, accessible spaces, compact areas, loading zones, motorcycle spaces, and reserved spots, even when faded or partial striping muddies the picture. A worn lot can hide or exaggerate the real number, so careful reading matters. The goal is a count a buyer can rely on, not a rough guess.

Faded paint causes most of the confusion. A stall that’s barely visible still counts if the striping shows intent, while a smudge that never was a space should not. The surveyor uses judgment grounded in what the pavement actually shows.

Reporting Conditions, Not Compliance

Documenting parking is not the same as certifying it meets the rules. The survey reports observed conditions, and it stops short of a legal, zoning, or accessibility opinion. That line protects the buyer from mistaking a count for an approval. Whether the lot satisfies applicable codes is a separate question for the right professional.

Keeping the two apart matters at closing. A survey that says “forty-two striped spaces” is a fact. A claim that those spaces meet accessibility law would be an opinion the surveyor isn’t there to give.

Relating Pavement to Boundaries and Rights

Parking often crosses lines that a plain count ignores. Stalls, aisles, and loading areas sometimes extend over parcel boundaries or sit inside easement areas. When the survey shows those overlaps, a buyer learns whether the parking they’re counting on actually sits on the property. That detail can change how a deal gets valued.

Shared parking and cross-access arrangements complicate the picture further. Mapping where the pavement meets the boundary shows what the buyer truly controls versus what depends on an agreement with a neighbor.

Using Parking Data During a Deal

Buyers and project teams put the count to work right away. They compare the surveyed spaces against leases, zoning documents, and redevelopment plans to test whether the site fits their needs. Because the data reflects real conditions, that comparison stays honest. A repositioning plan built on an accurate count avoids a nasty gap later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Item 13 confirm ADA compliance?

No. Item 13 records the parking information the client requests, but it doesn’t amount to a complete accessibility assessment. Confirming compliance with accessibility rules is a separate review handled by the right professional.

Do unmarked paved areas count as parking spaces?

Usually not as striped spaces. The surveyor may still show or describe an unmarked area when its use is relevant and it falls within the agreed scope, but it won’t be counted the same way a striped stall is.

Can loading spaces be included with the parking count?

Yes. The request should state it clearly so the surveyor knows to observe and report loading zones alongside the parking count. A clear scope up front keeps the deliverable complete.