Your essential guide to the NSRS and CSRS modernization
Are you ready for the datum shift?
2024
NSRS alpha version release
June 2025
NSRS beta version release
2H-2026
NSRS and CSRS final release
Trimble and the modernization effort
Trimble® is working closely with NGS and NRCan to ensure our software has the proper functionality to support the modernization efforts. Today, the Trimble geodetic libraries (TGL) already have the functionality necessary to support the modernization of NSRS and CSRS. A beta version of the modernized NSRS is available in TGL; once the beta version for the modernized CSRS is received from NRCan, we will update our database to comply.
We will provide additional updates about additional Trimble software as it becomes available on this page.
Details by software:
Quick facts
US and Canadian federal projects will have a quick adoption of the modernization, while state and provincial governments are expected to have a slower adoption in the coming years or decade
NSRS and CSRS modernizations will have an immediate 0.7 to 2.45 meter (2.3 to 8.04 feet) offset in the horizontal and -0.73 to -2.57 meter (-2.4 to -8.43 feet) offset in the vertical
Horizontal datums
The North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83) will be replaced by four new terrestrial reference frames for the North America (NATRF2022), Pacific (PATRF2022), Caribbean (CATRF2022) and Mariana (MATRF2022) tectonic plates
Canada will replace its current NAD83 (CSRS) datum with the new North American Terrestrial Reference Frame of 2022 (NATRF2022)
Vertical datums
The North American-Pacific Geopotential Datum of 2022 (NAPGD2022) will serve as the future geopotential datum for elevation within the NSRS
Canada will use the same vertical datum as new version of the Canadian Geodetic Vertical Datum of 2013 (CGVD2013 v1)
Projections
The NSRS modernization will introduce 953 state plane zones, with a combination of state-wide and low-distortion zones available to cover every US state and territory
Only the international foot will be supported in the modernized NSRS, with the US survey foot only supported for legacy coordinate systems (SPCS 83/NAD83 (2011))
There is no national plan to update projections in Canada, but some provinces are expected to add new modified transverse mercator (MTM) zones based on the NATRF2022 datum with updated false eastings
Helpful resources
Trimble Dimensions presentations
Blog posts and articles
Frequently asked questions
There are upcoming spatial reference system modernizations for The United States (NSRS) and Canada (CSRS). The US modernization is led by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), while the Canadian modernization is led by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). These updated horizontal and vertical datums will replace the current NAD 83 (North American Datum of 1983) and NAVD 88 (North American Vertical Datum of 1988). This will impact Trimble solutions by requiring software and potentially firmware updates to support the new datums and geoid models, ensuring continued accuracy and compatibility with federal and state surveying standards.
- The NGS has indicated that we’ve entered a transition period, where companies and agencies have been given time to implement the datum changes through the beta version. The official adoption of the modernized NSRS is anticipated to occur towards the end of 2026, at which point the beta version becomes the official released version. Trimble will provide specific dates and timelines for product updates as they become available, aligned with the NGS rollout.
- NRCan plans to adopt NATRF2022 in parallel with the U.S. in 2026.
Trimble is actively working to ensure compatibility, with development teams collaborating with NGS and NRCan, monitoring their progress to integrate the necessary changes into software and, where applicable, firmware. Our goal is to provide seamless transitions. Users will likely require software updates for their Trimble office and field software (e.g., Trimble Business Center, Trimble Access) to support the new datums and geoid models. Depending on the specific hardware, some firmware updates might also be necessary. Trimble will provide detailed upgrade paths and instructions.
- Horizontal datums: North America (NATRF2022), Pacific (PATRF2022), Caribbean (CATRF2022), Mariana (MATRF2022)
- Geoid model: Geoid2022 will be adopted by both the US and Canada
- Vertical datum: NAPGD2022 & CGVD2013 v1
- VRS Now will be updated to provide new and distinct mountpoints differentiating between the modernized NSRS / CSRS and the current datums (i.e. NAD83(2011), NAD83-CSRS).
- RTX positions will continue to be derived in the observed epoch of ITRF. Trimble software will automatically transform positions to the datum chosen by the user.