Welcome
Welcome to the official website for the launch of the Manual of Surveying Instructions (2009) (Manual). The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) was established by the Land Ordinance of 1785, and the first nationwide official Manual was distributed in 1855. During the ensuing 154 years, the 2009 edition is the 9th Manual circulated.
The Manual has guided the original surveys and resurveys of the Public Lands, first through the General Land Office, and since 1946, through the Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior. While not written specifically for non-Federal surveyors, the principles contained in the Manual on the subject of retracement are an integral part of private surveying in the 30 Public Land States. Further, many States have formally adopted the Manual in statute, rule, and/or case law as guidance for private licensed surveyors. Thus, the book is a fundamental piece of the complex subject of boundary surveys here in the United States.
The Bureau of Land Management has formally partnered with the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) for the publishing and distribution of the 2009 Manual. Preorders of the Manual are accepted at the ACSM e-store. Manuals will be ready to ship in mid-February 2010. We encourage you to check back here for updated information and to watch for emails from ACSM and/or your state professional organization announcing availability. Thank you for your interest in the next edition of this important book.
About digital versions of the 2009 Manual:
A few professional surveyors have asked us about the availability of a digital version of the Manual of Surveying Instructions (2009). While we want to provide the Manual to as many users as possible, and be in synch with modern technologies, we are still considering some issues pertaining to copyright and license matters. Possible approaches to making the 2009 Manual available digitally may include sale of the book through a digital book-reading system (like Kindle) and other approaches. For now, however, we are not placing a purchasable or free version on the internet. We appreciate your understanding.