This law applies to every county and to all cities, towns, and villages in the state, regardless of whether they are officially incorporated or not.

This law defines terms for how a city or county should interpret references to city councils, boards, engineers, and surveyors. A 'city council or board of supervisors' includes the main governing body in each area where the law applies. 'City engineer' and 'county surveyor' include equivalent officers who must follow instructions from local authorities. If there are no designated engineers or surveyors, the local board can hire qualified individuals to do these jobs and they will have the same responsibilities as the official city engineers or surveyors. These hired professionals will be paid as other government expenses are.

This California law explains how official maps are created when land is divided into lots or blocks in a city, town, or subdivision. These maps are made under the supervision of city engineers or county surveyors, with approval from local government authorities.

The maps must assign a number to each block and a separate identifier to each lot or subdivision. Streets and public areas are named on these maps. Surveyors or engineers, supervised by city or county officials, prepare these maps according to specified standards.

Applicants are responsible for covering the costs related to producing and processing these maps. The maps must include a certificate from the engineer or surveyor, confirming compliance with the law, and a certificate of approval from the city engineer or county surveyor, both of which must be signed with the professional’s registration details.

Engineers or surveyors, with city approval, can update maps by using existing ones, conducting new surveys, renumbering blocks and lots, or changing street names.

Whenever a map is created and officially approved under this law, it needs to be certified by most of the authority's members, along with the presiding officer and the secretary. It should include the official seal, if there is one. The certification must fully describe the resolution that adopted the map, including the date it was adopted.

This law requires that a certified map of platted lands must be filed promptly with the county recorder's office where the lands are located. The recorder is responsible for storing these maps safely, in a way that they can be reproduced, and ensuring they are properly indexed and marked according to the rules of this division.

For the map to be recognized as an official map under this division, it must be certified and filed. Until it is certified and filed, it does not hold official status.

This law states that when a city council or county board approves an official map of a town or subdivision, it's legally acceptable to refer to the lots or blocks on that map in legal documents like deeds or contracts. As long as the reference is clear enough to identify the map, that description is legally valid.

This law section states that whenever an engineer or surveyor conducts a land survey for mapping purposes in a city, town, or county, the survey and its accompanying notes must be filed with the local surveyor or engineer's office. Once filed, these documents become part of the local public records.