Law No. (11) of 2023 On Regulation of Surveying Works in Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah We, Saud Bin Saqr Bin Mohamed Al Qasimi Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah After perusal of the Constitution; And Federal Law No. (35) of 1992 to Promulgate Criminal Procedures Law, as amended; And Federal Law No. (24) of 1999 on Environment Protection & Development; And Federal Law No. (11) of 2017 on Antiquities, as amended; And Federal Decree-Law No. (5) of 2019 on Establishing Federal Geographic Information Center; And Ras Al Khaimah Municipality Law of 1981, as amended; And Law No. (2) of 2007 on Establishing Environment Protection & Development in Ras Al Khaimah, as amended; And Law No. (1) of 2009 on Regulating Buildings in Ras Al Khaimah Emirate; And Law No. (7) of 2012 on Establishing Executive Council of Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah; And Law No. (8) of 2016 on Regulation of Practicing Economic Activities in Ras Al Khaimah Emirate; And Law No. (2) of 2017 on Establishing Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zones and Supervising Authority, as amended; And Law No. (3) of 2017 on Establishing Public Services Department, as amended; And Law No. (8) of 2019 on Regulation of Practicing Contracting Profession, as amended; And Law No. (10) of 2019 on Regulating Engineering Consultancy Profession, as amended; And Law No. (10) of 2021 on Terms of Reference of Geographic Information Systems; And after approval of the Executive Council; Have promulgated the following Law: Article (1) In implementing the provisions of this Law, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings corresponding to each of them respectively, unless context otherwise stipulates: State: United Arab Emirates Emirate: Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah Council: Executive Council of the Emirate Department: Department of Ras Al Khaimah Municipality Director General: Director General of the Department Cadastral Chart: Paper or electronic chart to be issued of a subdivision of the territory of Emirate containing specific cadastral information pursuant to the purpose or objective for which the same had been issued. Surveying Works: Works: any activity relating to Topography Science including natural and unnatural features and stand out the same on maps as per purpose thereof in accordance with required drawing scale and by using various surveying techniques. Master Map:the map containing natural features of land in the Emirate such as mountains, hills, valleys, plains, rivers and seas in addition to civil landmarks of buildings, roads, sidewalks, barriers and other landmarks. Location Map:the map containing government plots or plots granted by Government whereon boundaries, coordinates, areas, dimensions and uses of these plots are indicated in accordance with master chart of the Emirate. Schematic Map: the map containing government plots or plots granted by Government whereon boundaries, coordinates, areas, dimensions and uses of these plots are indicated in accordance with master chart of the Emirate. Land Survey:surveying works conducted on land, unnavigable waters or underground including geodetic, topographic and detailed survey. Geodetic Survey:surveying works conducted in order to study volume, shape and dimensions of Earth’s surface and underground by monitoring, measurement, study of gravity and movements of Earth’s crust. Topographic Survey:surveying works which produce and issue maps indicating natural and unnatural features contained within surface of Earth besides the height and fall of Earth’s surface using curves of equal heights. Detailed Survey:surveying works targeting determination of borders of public and private properties, buildings and other establishments and landmarks existing on earth. Hydro Survey:surveying works which measure and describe physical properties of navigable water parts at the Emirate and related coastal regions. Seismic Survey: surveying works which study the movements of Earth’s crust and other layers beneath it in order to monitor tremors and earthquakes. Cadastral Control Point: fixed cadastral mark used as a reference point of known horizontal and vertical coordinates which is highly accurate, and used for all surveying works. Cadastral Network: set of survey control points which are featured with highly accurate coordinates to be placed and built according to surveying specifications and standards approved by Department. Cadastral Signs:points with known coordinates to be fixed in order to indicate certain borders including building, right-of-way and service lines routes signs. Reference Cadastral Stations System: horizontal and vertical instantaneous coordinates system to be produced constantly and covers all regions of the Emirate using satellites signals. Cadastral Stations:precisely selected locations where specific devices are fixed in order to gather and monitor data and include seismic stations, geodetic station and other stations. Article (2) Provisions of this law shall apply to surveying works conducted at territory of the Emirate including Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zones. However, the Council may, upon a request made by Department, exclude certain authorities from provisions thereof. Article (3) This Law shall aim at, in particular, achieving the following: 1- Keeping pace with urban development witnessed by the Emirate along with planning and urban projects. 2- Regulating collection and dissemination of paper and digital cadastral information so as to ensure security, saving and archiving of this information within one basis with an official source approved in the Emirate. Article (4) Department shall the competence to the following: 1- Regulating surveying works in the Emirate and providing approved data and information generated from these works. 2- Land, hydrographic and seismic surveying works in the Emirate. 3- Producing, issuing and updating cadastral charts, and paper and digital master and location maps and saving and archiving the same in one secure basis. 4- Connecting electronic system of surveying works to the electronic systems of government authorities so as to ensure they are updated with cadastral charts, maps and signs while implementing their projects in the Emirate. 5- Regulating practice of surveying works profession in the Emirate. Article (5) In order to conduct land surveying works, Department shall undertake the following tasks and competences: 1- Executing geodetic, topographic and detailed surveying works in the Emirate. 2- Measuring height and fall level of Earth’s surface terrain and determining natural features related thereto and their location on land. 3- Establishing, managing and maintaining cadastral control points in the Emirate. 4- Establishing, managing, maintaining and retaining cadastral networks in the Emirate and connecting the same to Cadastral Control Points Global System. 5- Supervising and monitoring cadastral network of the Emirate. 6- Developing standards and measures of creating cadastral control points and working on connecting cadastral network of the Emirate to other emirates in the State. 7- Establishing, managing and supervising reference cadastral stations system, checking its outputs and approving other land cadastral systems and techniques. 8- Monitoring works of placing aerial photography signs, satellite imagery and control points thereof. 9- Monitoring and maintaining land boundary points of the Emirate and reinstalling the same, if necessary, in coordination with competent authorities in the State. 10- Establishing, managing, updating and supervising land survey database in the Emirate, 11- Determining cadastral signs of all kinds of plots in the Emirate and producing certificates necessary in this regard. 12- Determining cadastral signs to be installed whenever construction works are initiated, verifying compliance to the same all over phases of their completion and producing certificates necessary in this regard. 13- Verifying the validity of cadastral signs installed by contractors when implementing of service lines extension projects at right-of-way. 14- Executing detailed surveys and producing reports on the same. 15- Auditing survey calculations made by consultancies in order to obtain buildings entrances level, calculations of Qibla direction and various angles and dimensions of plots in the Emirate. Article (6) In order to perform hydrographic surveying works, Department shall undertake the following tasks and competences: 1- Placing cadastral signs of hydro projects in the Emirate including electricity lines, oil and gas pipelines and other projects. 2- Building a comprehensive and accurate database of everything relating to survey works of water mass in the Emirate and providing such data to concerned parties requesting the same. 3- Providing support to urban development and development works in the Emirate, especially whatever relating to hydro surveying works. 4- Establishing, managing and monitoring cadastral stations incorporated in waters in the Emirate and monitoring natural and unnatural phenomena relating to water layers and movement of sediments. 5- Operating and updating the early warning system of natural disasters, providing hydro survey data necessary to manage maritime disasters and addressing the same in cooperation with concerned authorities in the Emirate. 6- Establishing, maintaining and preserving maritime cadastral network to monitor and study water movement and connecting the same to the State’s network and the global network. Article (7) In order to perform seismic surveying works, Department shall undertake the following tasks and competences: 1- Determining seismic activity zones which may affect the State and monitor and follow up this activity at local or regional level. 2- Providing instant and highly accurate data whenever any tremor occurs and affects the State and providing competent authorities with this data. 3- Updating construction guide in the Emirate in participation with competent administrations in the Department so as to ensure reduction of impacts of earthquakes and tremors on buildings and establishments. 4- Contributing to development of emergency and rescue plans necessary to address disasters resulting from tremors and earthquakes 5- Exchanging information with various countries around the world in order to study crust movements and monitor earthquakes. 6- Evaluating risks of tremors and earthquakes in coordination with competent authorities in the State. Article (8) 1- It is prohibited for any person to practice profession of surveying works in territory of the Emirate including Ras AL Khaimah Economic Zones except after obtaining a permit of the same from the Department. 2- Executive regulation of this Law and resolutions issued in implementation thereof shall determine conditions and procedures necessary to grant permit to persons who desire to practice the profession of surveying works and qualify and classify them and all matters related to this profession. Article (9) Department may authorize some of its powers provided herein to any of government or private bodies under an agreement to be concluded for this purpose wherein rights and duties of parties thereto shall be determined. Article (10) It is prohibited for any person to perform any of the following acts: 1- Executing any of surveying works except after obtaining a permit of the same from Department. 2- Establishing, damaging, amending, removing, reinstalling or effacing cadastral network, control point or any cadastral sign. 3- Causing damage to any cadastral station or performing any act that may disable it from performing its function efficiently. 4- Producing or issuing any master, location or schematic maps, any maps or cadastral charts which Department has jurisdiction over production or issuance thereof. 5- Disseminating any incorrect data or information about borders or signs of any plot in the Emirate. 6- Preventing or impeding surveying works conducted by Department. 7- Using paper or digital cadastral data obtained from Department in purposes other than those intended for or providing the same to third party with or without consideration without obtaining prior consent on the same from Department. 8- Any other acts set out in executive regulation of this Law and resolutions rendered in execution thereof. Article (11) Department employees, nominated by resolution from Director General, shall have law officers’ capacity in proving acts committed in violation of provisions and executive regulation thereof and decisions issued in implementation thereof and they shall be entitled to necessary violation reports in this regard. Article (12) Any interested party may submit written grievance against decisions and measures taken against in application of this law provisions and decision issued in implementation thereof within thirty days from the date of notifying him of the grieved decision, procedure or measure. This grievance shall be decided on within thirty days from the date of submitting it by a committee to be established by Director-General who shall determine mechanism of its function and the resolution issued thereby in respect of the grievance shall be final. Article (13) In order to implement surveying works prescribed in this Law, Department employees shall be entitled to access all public and private plots including farms, residential complexes and other locations in the Emirate provided considering provisions and rules provided in applicable legislations on access to private residences. Article (14) In order to perform duties, powers vested thereto under this Law and resolutions rendered thereby, Department shall seek the assistance of Government Authorities in the Emirate including Police. Therefore, these authorities must provide support and assistance whenever they are asked for. If necessary, Department may seek an order on petition from judge of summary cases to authorize its employees and their assistants to access property to be surveyed so as to obtain data and information necessary in this regard. Article (15) A- Notwithstanding the provisions of this Law, Ras Al Khaimah Economic Free Zones shall have the competence to the following duties and powers: 1- Producing detailed maps of plots located within its terms of reference indicating therein their borders, area, dimensions, planning requirements thereto, location on the master plan of the region, name of its owner and type of his ownership, provided that none of these maps shall contradict with maps and charts approved by Department. 2- Determining cadastral signs which are fixed upon initiating construction works at plots located within its terms of reference, verifying adherence to these signs at all phases of completing these works and producing certificates necessary in this regard. B- Authorities supervising Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zones shall abide by providing Department with cadastral chart of the region supervised thereby, maps of plots within their terms of reference, signs certificates produced thereby and any updates made to these maps and signs pursuant to mechanism approved by Department in this regard. C- Authorities of Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zones shall provide services mentioned in clause (A) of this Article in accordance with fees, conditions and procedures approved therewith in this regard. Article (16) By a resolution from Council, upon a proposal made by Department, schedule of fees and another of violations made in contrary to provisions of this Law and resolutions rendered in implementation thereof, fines and measures stipulated for such violations shall be issued and proceeds of fees, fines and penalties shall devolve into treasury of Department. However, Authorities of Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zones shall collect fees, expenditures and fines in respect of services mentioned in Article No. (16) of this Law and the same shall be devolve into the authority submitting them. Article (17) Council shall promulgate executive regulation of this Law upon a proposal by Department. Article (18) Any provision in contrary to provisions of this Law shall be cancelled. Article (19) This law shall come into force as date of its promulgation and be published in Official Gazette. Saud Bin Saqr Bin Mohamed Al Qasimi Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah Issued by us on this day fourth of Safar 1445H. Corresponding to twenty first of August 2023G.