What is an ILC and When Should You Get a Full Survey?

By Christine Gwinnup · 2025-04-24

When buying land or a rural home in Colorado, you’ll likely come across the term ILC — short for Improvement Location Certificate. But is that the same as a full land survey? Not quite. Here’s what buyers need to know.

What is an ILC?

An ILC is a basic visual representation of existing improvements on a property. It shows the approximate location of structures, fences, driveways, and sometimes utility easements — based on existing records, not actual measurements.

Faster and cheaper than a full survey
Not used for legal disputes or precise boundaries
Often acceptable for lender title policies

When a Full Survey is Better

There are many cases when an ILC isn’t enough — especially when boundaries matter. Consider ordering a full boundary survey if:

You plan to build, fence, or subdivide
You suspect encroachments or overlapping use
The property is large, rural, or not in a platted subdivision

Tip: ILCs are not always accepted by county planning departments or for permit approval. Always confirm based on your goals.

Cost Difference

ILC: Typically $350–$600
Boundary Survey: $1,000–$2,500+ depending on acreage and terrain

When in doubt, a boundary survey gives you peace of mind and long-term protection — especially if you're investing in fencing or future structures.

Related pages: Land Buying Guide | Larimer County | Weld County

What is an ILC in real estate?

An ILC — Improvement Location Certificate — is a Colorado-specific document in which a licensed surveyor certifies, based on a visual inspection and existing records, where the improvements (house, garage, fences, driveway) appear to sit relative to the property's boundaries and any easements. It's the quick sanity check of Colorado closings: does anything obviously encroach, and does the legal description match what's on the ground?

What an ILC is NOT is a boundary survey. The surveyor doesn't set or verify property corners for an ILC, and the certificate itself says it can't be relied on to build a fence, settle a boundary dispute, or locate exact lines. It answers 'does anything look wrong here?' — not 'exactly where is my line?'

How much does an ILC cost in Colorado?

An ILC is one of the cheapest pieces of a Colorado closing — typically a small fraction of the cost of a full boundary survey, because the surveyor isn't setting corners or doing full field measurement. Exact pricing varies by company, county, parcel size, and turnaround time, so get a current quote for your specific property rather than trusting a number from an article — including this one.

A full boundary or Improvement Survey Plat costs meaningfully more and takes longer, which is why lenders and title companies in Colorado usually ask for just the ILC on a typical town-lot purchase — and why buyers of acreage, unfenced land, or anything with a boundary question should seriously consider paying for the real survey anyway. On rural land, the survey is cheap insurance against the most expensive kind of neighbor disagreement.

When does a lender require an ILC — and when should you insist on more?

In most Colorado purchase transactions the title company or lender orders an ILC to check for obvious encroachments before issuing title insurance. It's routine on subdivision lots where corners are well established and recent surveys exist.

Insist on a full survey instead when you're buying rural land or acreage, when fences don't obviously match the legal description, when a seller can't say where the corners are, when you plan to build near a setback, or when any neighbor has ever disagreed about a line. If you're weighing that call on a specific Northern Colorado property, ask me — I'll tell you honestly which document the situation deserves.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does ILC stand for in real estate?

Improvement Location Certificate — a Colorado surveyor's certification of where the improvements on a property appear to sit relative to boundaries and easements, used by lenders and title companies as a closing-time sanity check.

What's the difference between an ILC and a survey?

An ILC is a visual check that doesn't establish property corners and legally can't be relied on to locate exact boundary lines. A boundary survey sets or verifies the corners and is the document you need for fences, building, or disputes.

How much does an ILC cost in Colorado?

Substantially less than a boundary survey — it's usually one of the smaller line items at closing. Prices vary by surveyor, county, and parcel, so get a current quote for your property; any specific dollar figure you read online may be stale.

Do I need an ILC when buying a house in Colorado?

Your lender or title company usually decides — most order one on standard purchases. Buyers of acreage or any property with unclear lines should consider upgrading to a full survey regardless of what the lender minimally requires.

Can I use an ILC to build a fence?

No — the certificate itself disclaims that use. Building on or near what you think is your line without a real survey is how boundary disputes start. Spend the money on the survey first.

Want A Local's Eye On This?

Christine Gwinnup answers these questions for buyers and sellers every week — at every price point. No pressure, real answers.

Ask Christine Search Homes