Table of Contents
By LandyDandy
The lines you see on an online map are not the legal edges of a parcel. The legal edges come from the deed's legal description, the recorded plat (if there is one) and a survey. This guide shows you how to read each one and when to pay for a survey.
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by state and county and change over time. LandyDandy is a land marketplace, not a law firm, lender or title company. Each seller on LandyDandy sets their own terms. Before you sign or pay anything, check with the county and a licensed real estate attorney or title company in the state where the land is.
The short answer
- The deed's legal description defines the land. Everything else is a picture of it.
- A county GIS parcel map is a helpful sketch. Its lines are approximate. Do not build a fence from it.
- A plat is a recorded map of a subdivision. It shows lots, roads, easements and notes.
- A survey is a licensed surveyor's measurement of one parcel on the ground. It is the best way to learn where the corners are.
- If you plan to build, fence, drill a well or put in septic near a line, get a survey first.
Plat, survey and GIS map: three different things
County GIS parcel map. Many counties have a free online map with parcel outlines. It is great for finding the parcel, its ID number and its rough shape. But the lines are approximate. They are not legal boundaries, and many county maps say so in a disclaimer.
Plat. A plat is a map of a subdivision, recorded with the county. It splits a larger tract into numbered lots and blocks. It often shows road widths, utility and drainage easements, setback lines and notes like "no lot may be further divided". If your lot is in a recorded subdivision, there should be a plat.
Survey. A boundary survey is done by a licensed land surveyor. The surveyor reads the deed and the plat, looks for old corner markers and measures on the ground. The result is a drawing that shows the corners, line lengths, directions and anything that crosses a line, like a neighbor's shed or a road.
The three kinds of legal description
Look at the seller's deed. The legal description is the paragraph that says what land is being sold. It usually takes one of three forms.
1. Lot and block. Example: "Lot 14, Block 3, Pine Ridge Estates, as recorded in Plat Book 6, Page 22." This points to a recorded plat. To see the shape and size, you need that plat.
2. Metes and bounds. This describes a walk around the edge. It starts at a "point of beginning", then gives a direction and distance for each line, until it returns to the start. Example: "thence North 45 degrees East, 210 feet to an iron pin". You will often see this style where the grid system below is not used.
3. Public Land Survey System (PLSS). In parts of 30 southern and western states, land is laid out on a grid [S21]. The grid usually uses 6-mile-square townships. Each township has 36 sections of one square mile each [S21]. One square mile is 640 acres. Sections split into quarter sections, "quarter-quarter" sections, or irregular "government lots" [S21].
A PLSS description reads from small to large. "NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 12, Township 3 North, Range 4 West" means: in township 3 north, range 4 west, go to section 12, take its southwest quarter, then that quarter's northeast quarter. In a full 640-acre section, that piece would be about 40 acres.
How to find the recorded plat
- Get the parcel ID (also called APN or PIN) from the listing or the county GIS map.
- Look up the deed at the county recorder, register of deeds or clerk. Many counties have online search by owner name or parcel ID.
- In the deed, find the plat book and page, or the instrument number of the plat.
- Pull that plat from the same office. Some counties post plats online. Others charge a copy fee.
- Read the notes on the plat, not just the drawing. Notes often hold easements, building limits and road maintenance rules.
If there is no plat, ask the recorder whether an earlier survey was recorded.
How to read bearings, distances and monuments
A bearing like N 45° 30' E means: face north, then turn 45 degrees and 30 minutes toward east. Distances are usually in feet. Older deeds may use chains or rods.
Monuments are the physical corner markers. Common ones are iron pins, rebar with a plastic cap, concrete posts, or old stones and trees in very old deeds. Sometimes a found corner marker and the written distance do not agree. Which one wins is a legal question, and the answer depends on your state. Ask a local surveyor or attorney.
When you visit the land:
- Look for pins with caps at the corners. A cap often has the surveyor's license number.
- Look for flagging tape or painted stakes from a recent survey.
- Check whether fences, roads or tree lines match the shape on the plat. If they do not, ask why.
A phone app with GIS lines can get you close to a corner. It cannot tell you where the legal corner is.
When the acreage does not match
It is common to see three different acreages: one on the listing, one on the tax roll and one in the deed or survey. Reasons include:
- The tax roll uses a rough estimate.
- Part of the parcel was sold off or taken for a road.
- An old description used a "more or less" acreage.
- The GIS outline is drawn loosely.
If you are paying by the acre, or the price depends on size, ask the seller which number is right and where it came from. A survey settles it. If the gap is big, ask whether the deed covers all the land shown in the listing photos. To picture a size, see how big 10 acres really is.
When to order a boundary survey
Order a survey before you buy if:
- You plan to build, fence, clear, or put in a well or septic near a line.
- The parcel has no recorded plat and an old metes-and-bounds description.
- The acreages do not match.
- A neighbor's building, fence or driveway looks close to the line.
One land consultancy puts a typical boundary survey on rural acreage at $800 to $3,000, and more on hard terrain [S9]. Prices depend on size, brush, terrain and how many corners need to be found, so get a written quote from a local licensed surveyor. On owner-financed land, ask the seller if you may survey before you sign, and who pays.
Frequently asked questions
Are county GIS parcel lines accurate?
They are approximate. They are useful for finding a parcel and its rough shape, but they are not legal boundaries. Use the deed, the recorded plat and a survey for the real lines.
What is the difference between a plat and a survey?
A plat is a recorded map of a subdivision that splits land into lots, roads and easements. A survey is a licensed surveyor's on-the-ground measurement of one parcel. A plat tells you what your lot is supposed to be; a survey shows where its corners actually are.
How do I read township, range and section?
In parts of 30 southern and western states, land sits on the Public Land Survey System grid. It usually uses 6-mile-square townships, each split into 36 one-mile-square sections. A description reads from the smallest piece up, for example "NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 12, T3N, R4W". A full section is 640 acres.
Do I need a survey to buy cheap rural land?
Not always, and many cheap lots sell without one. But a survey is the only way to know where the corners are. Get one if you plan to build, fence, drill a well, or if the acreage or access is unclear.
Who pays for the survey?
It is negotiable. Agree on it in writing before the survey is ordered, and ask the seller whether an earlier survey already exists.
Next steps on LandyDandy
Each listing page shows the seller's description and terms. Use the parcel ID to pull the deed and plat yourself, and message the seller from the listing if anything does not match. Browse land for sale across the United States or owner-financed land, then check the lines before you commit. Terms like plat and easement are in our property glossary. Before you sign, talk to a licensed surveyor, a local real estate attorney or title company, and the county office where the land is.
Sources
- [S21] U.S. Geological Survey — "Do US Topos and The National Map have a layer that shows the Public Land Survey System (PLSS)?" — https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/do-us-topos-and-national-map-have-a-layer-shows-public-land-survey-system-plss — PLSS in portions of 30 southern and western states; 6-mile-square townships; 36 one-mile-square sections; quarter sections, quarter-quarter sections and government lots.
- [S9] Landisle Consulting — Land due diligence (2026) — https://landisleconsulting.com/land-due-diligence — typical boundary survey cost on rural acreage.