What the T-47 actually does
Ordering a new survey costs the buyer real money — typically a few hundred dollars, more on larger or rural parcels. The T-47 Residential Real Property Affidavit is the mechanism that can avoid that cost: if a usable, sufficiently recent survey of the property already exists (often from when the seller bought the property, or a prior refinance), the seller can sign a sworn affidavit stating that nothing has changed on the ground since that survey was made — no new fences, no additions, no pools, no encroachments — and that the existing survey still accurately reflects the property's boundaries and improvements.
Who signs it, and when
The seller signs the T-47 at or shortly before closing, under oath, in front of a notary. It is a sworn statement, not a formality — a seller who signs it knowing about an undisclosed change (a new shed, an encroaching fence moved since the survey) is making a false statement under oath, with real legal exposure if it surfaces later.
What has to be true for a title company to accept it
- A survey of the property already exists and is available to attach.
- The survey is recent enough and complete enough that the title company's underwriting standards are comfortable relying on it — this is a title-company judgment call, not a fixed statutory age limit.
- The seller is willing to sign the affidavit under oath.
- Nothing has actually changed on the property since the survey was made that would affect boundaries, easements, encroachments, or improvements shown on it.
Every title company underwrites this differently. Some readily accept a T-47 on a well-documented, recent survey with no red flags; others require a new survey any time there's ambiguity about additions or boundary changes, regardless of the affidavit. There is no shortcut around asking the specific title company on the file what they'll accept before promising a buyer or seller this will save survey money.
What happens if the title company won't accept it
The buyer orders (and typically pays for, per negotiated contract terms) a new survey. This is also what happens if the seller isn't willing to sign the affidavit, or if there's any known change to the property the seller can't honestly attest around.
Where this fits in the TREC contract
Survey delivery is addressed in the TREC 20-19 contract's survey paragraph (¶ 6C), which sets out the negotiated deadline and which party is responsible for furnishing the survey — existing or new. The T-47 affidavit is the mechanism that determines whether an existing survey can satisfy that obligation instead of a newly-ordered one; it doesn't change the contract's survey deadline itself.
The agent's move
If a seller has a survey from their own purchase or a recent refinance, ask about it early — before ordering anything. Loop in the title company immediately with the existing survey and ask directly whether they'll accept a T-47 on it. Don't promise a buyer the survey cost is avoided until the title company has actually said yes.