The short answer
Who certifies story poles depends on the town, but the job is always the same field check. A licensed land surveyor, or in some towns an engineer, architect or contractor, inspects the poles after installation. The surveyor measures each pole’s position and top elevation against the approved story pole plan and a site benchmark. Certification is the signed statement that results, delivered as a letter, the town’s own form, or a stamp on the plan, and filed with the planning department before the hearing. Many California towns require it; owners may never sign it themselves.
Who Certifies Story Poles, and What They Check
- A benchmark. The surveyor establishes or confirms a known elevation on or near the site, so every pole height means the same thing the plan meant.
- Pole positions. Each pole is shot against the plotted location on the story pole plan, usually at the outer wall corners and the ridge ends.
- Top-of-roof elevations. The top of each pole is measured against the elevation the plan calls for, with existing or finished grade accounted for. Monte Sereno's form, for example, records the benchmark, the finished-grade elevation below the highest roof point, and the elevation of the highest point of the roof, and certifies conformance within three inches, plus or minus (City of Monte Sereno, Story Pole Information and Certification).
- Connections and netting where the plan shows them, in towns whose policy says the verification covers "poles and netting/flagging" (Los Gatos).
If something is off, the crew corrects it before the surveyor signs. That is why we schedule the survey for the day after the install.
Who may certify, town by town
- A licensed land surveyor, or a civil engineer licensed to survey, only: Hillsborough (with stamp and signature; the Town states that certification by the project architect will not be accepted, per its requirements); Mill Valley (licensed land surveyor); Monte Sereno (California registered land surveyor on the City's form); Laguna Beach (registered land surveyor or civil engineer licensed to conduct land surveys); Los Gatos (licensed surveyor or civil engineer).
- Surveyor, civil engineer or architect: Malibu (for new homes, new commercial buildings, primary-view projects and scenic areas; an engineer's or architect's certification may need a surveyor follow-up if challenged); Burbank (affidavit by a licensed architect, engineer or surveyor).
- Any licensed professional, including a contractor or landscape architect: Tiburon, Santa Barbara City and County, Calabasas.
- Never: the property owner, the applicant, a relative, or anyone with a financial interest in the project. Laguna Beach, Malibu and Burbank say so explicitly.
Coordinating a licensed land surveyor satisfies every town on that list, which is what we do on every certified installation. Our certification service.
The three formats
Certification letter. A signed statement on the surveyor’s letterhead with the approved plan attached. Hillsborough requires the professional’s stamp and signature and the approved plan showing pole locations and heights; Santa Barbara’s letter must include the project address, the APN, the PLN record number and the City’s required certification sentence.
Town form or affidavit. Monte Sereno’s Story Pole Certification Form records the survey data and certifies conformance within three inches. Burbank’s Story Poles Affidavit is signed under penalty of perjury with a certified copy of the story pole plan attached, and the applicant adds photographs from at least three vantage points.
Stamped plan. The surveyor’s stamp and signature placed directly on the full-size staking plan, which is how Laguna Beach’s code describes certification of the location and height of the staking poles.
When it happens
Timing is set by the town and it is usually tight.
- Hillsborough: certified within 5 days of installation and submitted no later than 5 days before the hearing.
- Monte Sereno: form submitted two weeks before the hearing.
- Laguna Beach: certified at least 21 calendar days before the first hearing.
- Calabasas: certification delivered three weeks before the first hearing.
- Malibu and Burbank: certified and verified by the planner before public notice can begin.
- Mill Valley: certified with the poles up 10 days before the hearing.
- Santa Barbara: after installation and before removal.
We schedule the survey for the day after the install so the document is ready inside every one of those windows.
What it costs
Certification is quoted as its own line alongside the installation when the town requires it, because the survey depends on the site, the pole count and the surveyor’s travel. It is quoted when you send the plan set and the address.
A note on what certification does at the hearing
The poles are the evidence the board relies on. If a neighbor says the ridge is higher than the plans, the certification is the answer, and in most towns the planner has also visited and photographed the poles. Inaccurate or uncertified poles get the hearing continued, everywhere.
Send the plan set and address to hello@AllAmericanStoryPoles.com, or call or text (650) 613-1721 (Northern California) or (310) 980-2543 (Southern California). Story pole surveying and certification coordinated with your installation and plan. Town detail: Hillsborough, Monte Sereno, Burbank, Malibu, Laguna Beach.
Frequently asked questions
What is story pole surveying?
The field check a licensed surveyor performs after installation, measuring each pole’s position and top elevation against the approved story pole plan and a site benchmark, then signing a certification.
Who can certify story poles?
It depends on the town. Only a licensed surveyor or surveying civil engineer in Hillsborough, Mill Valley, Monte Sereno, Laguna Beach and Los Gatos; also an architect in Malibu and Burbank; any licensed professional including a contractor in Tiburon, Santa Barbara and Calabasas. Never the owner or applicant.
What is a story pole affidavit?
Burbank’s certification form, signed under penalty of perjury by a licensed architect, engineer or surveyor, with a certified copy of the approved story pole plan attached.
How accurate do story poles have to be?
Monte Sereno’s form certifies conformance within three inches, plus or minus. Other towns do not state a tolerance but require the poles to be installed per the approved plan, and the surveyor certifies exactly that.
Story pole requirements are set by each city, town, county or review board and change from time to time. Town details in this guide reflect published policies as of September 2026. Confirm current requirements with the planning department before your submittal.
