A legal description (real estate) is the precise, legally recognized text that defines the exact location and boundaries of a parcel of land. It’s what lawyers, title companies and surveyors use instead of a street address to uniquely identify property for deeds, mortgages, permits and court records.
"The property described as [legal description here]" — a court‑acceptable phrase that ties ownership to the exact parcel defined in the legal description.
A street address helps people and mail find a place. A legal property description (legal description meaning) tells exactly where the property sits on the earth and its boundaries. Addresses can change or be duplicated; legal descriptions are unique and tied to public records.
Deeds and mortgages must include a legal description to transfer or encumber a specific parcel. Title companies use it to run searches and issue title insurance tied to that description.
Tax assessments, building permits, subdivision approvals and recorded easements all use the legal property description. An incorrect description can misdirect taxes, permits or encumbrance records.
Metes and bounds descriptions trace the perimeter from a starting point, listing directions (bearings) and distances (metes) between monuments or markers (bounds). Key words: "thence", "bounded by", compass bearings like "N 45° E", and reference points such as "a stone" or "iron pipe". Often used for irregular/rural parcels. See also metes-and-bounds.
Common in subdivisions: "Lot 7, Block 3, Sunny Acres Subdivision, as recorded in Plat Book 12, Page 45, County of X." The plat map (recorded map) ties the text to a map. Look for "Lot", "Block", "Subdivision", "Plat Book" or map references. See lot-block-plat.
Used in many western and midwestern states: references to "Section 12, Township 3 North, Range 2 West of the 4th Principal Meridian". Look for section/township/range and principal meridian names. Also called the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) or rectangular-survey.
Modern descriptions sometimes include coordinates (latitude/longitude or state plane) or reference a survey coordinate system. These are precise but usually accompany, not replace, the primary legal description.
Start at the "point of beginning" (POB). Follow bearings (compass direction) and distances to draw each side. Bearings tell direction; distances tell length; monuments (fence, stone, iron pin) are physical anchors.
Open your county GIS/assessor portal and paste the legal description or parcel ID. For lot/block, load the recorded plat. For metes & bounds, compare the description to any available survey exhibit or recorded map.
Search the assessor by APN (parcel ID) or paste the legal description into the recorder's search. If only an address is known, look up the parcel by address and then read the legal description on the deed or assessor record.
Below are three short samples with plain‑English translations and simple SVG diagrams you can paste into page editors.
Sample: "Beginning at an iron pipe at the NW corner of Lot 2; thence S 45° E, 150.00 feet to a concrete monument; thence S 45° W, 200.00 feet to a point; thence N 45° W, 150.00 feet to an iron pipe; thence N 45° E, 200.00 feet to the Point of Beginning."
Plain English: Start at the iron pipe, walk southeast 150 ft to the concrete monument, then southwest 200 ft, then northwest 150 ft, then northeast 200 ft back to the start — forms a closed loop.
Sample: "Lot 7, Block 3, Sunny Acres, as recorded in Plat Book 12, Page 45, County of Example."
Plain English: Parcel is Lot 7 inside Block 3 on the recorded Sunny Acres subdivision map. To locate, open Plat Book 12 Page 45 in county records or GIS and match Lot 7.
Sample: "The SW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 13, Township 39 North, Range 10 West of the 5th Principal Meridian."
Plain English: Within Section 13 find the northwest quarter of the section, then take the southwest quarter of that quarter — a 40-acre parcel (approx.). Use county PLSS maps to locate township, range and section.
Diagrams should label: Point of Beginning (POB), bearings, distances, monuments, lot & block numbers, section/township/range, and north arrow. Keep labels short and legible.
Search the county recorder/registrar for deeds, the assessor for parcel records, and the county GIS for interactive parcel maps and recorded plats. Many counties let you paste or search the legal description directly.
Find your APN on a tax bill or assessor site, enter it in the county GIS/assessor search, then open the parcel details to see the recorded legal description and any linked documents.
Title insurance commonly covers loss from defects in recorded documents including erroneous legal descriptions if the policy shows the defect as an exception it may need to be cleared. Ask the title company what specific coverage your policy provides.
Contact an attorney when descriptions are ambiguous in a deed, there are title defects, or litigation/quiet title action may be required.
Survey cost varies (small residential: $300–$1,200; complex or rural: $1,000+). Timeline: days to a few weeks. Ask the surveyor: scope, monument search, certificate, recordable plat and drawing scale. Ask the attorney: options to correct recorded descriptions and title implications.
Surveyors prepare new legal descriptions and plats. Title companies report conflicts. Attorneys prepare corrected deeds, affidavits or quiet title suits. County recorders accept recorded documents and re‑recordings.
Corrections are usually made by a corrective deed, supplemental affidavit, or re‑recording the proper conveyance with an attached corrected exhibit. In contested cases, a quiet title action may be necessary to legally fix the description.
Downloadable lead magnet: one‑page checklist + sample annotated legal description. Download PDF (placeholder — host your file at this path).
Buyer sees "Beginning at a stake 200 ft S of the large oak..." and worries it's not the same house advertised. Steps: (1) Pause closing; (2) Ask title company for recorded plat/exhibit; (3) Order county records search and prior deed; (4) If still unclear, order a survey. Outcome: discovered the oak was on neighbor's lot — seller corrected the exhibit and re‑recorded the deed before closing, preventing a boundary claim.
Neighbor built a fence that appears on the buyer's driveway. Buyer orders a survey; survey shows fence encroaches 3 ft over the legal boundary. Parties either agree to move fence, grant an easement, or the owner requests removal. Legal description + survey provided clear proof to resolve quickly.
The legal description determines the parcel's legal footprint — and that footprint controls ownership rights, not necessarily where a fence or mailbox sits until proven by a survey or court ruling.
Metes — measured lengths. Bounds — boundary lines or monuments. Bearing — compass direction. Distance — measured length (feet/meters). Monument — physical reference (post, stone, iron pin).
Lot — individual parcel in a subdivision. Block — group of lots. Plat — recorded map showing streets and lots. Subdivision — the development mapped in the plat.
Terms used in the Rectangular Survey: townships are 6‑mile squares; each is divided into 36 sections (1‑square mile each). Range counts east/west from a principal meridian.
Easement — a right for another to use part of your property. Right‑of‑way — type of easement for travel/ utilities. Encumbrance — any claim against property (lien, easement). Parcel ID / APN — assessor's parcel number, used to look up records.
Address = postal/location convenience; legal description = exact, record‑level description used to define legal boundaries.
Ownership is recorded in the deed and tied to the legal description in that deed. The description identifies what is owned.
Don’t close or record until corrected. Ask the title company for a corrective deed or exhibit, order a survey, and consult an attorney if necessary.
Yes — permits and subdivision plats must reference the legal description; however, local planning departments will require surveys and plats for subdivision approval.
Legal descriptions can and sometimes do include GPS or state plane coordinates for precision, but recorded textual descriptions or plats remain the standard legal record.
Hire a licensed surveyor to produce a survey map or exhibit. County GIS services can sometimes create maps from lot/block/plat descriptions; title companies may provide exhibits for closing.
Search your county's "Assessor", "Recorder" or "GIS" site. Use the parcel ID (APN) or paste the exact legal description. If unsure which county, check the deed or tax bill.
Subject: Request for Legal Description / Recorded Plat for [Property Address or APN] Hello [Name], Please send me the recorded legal description and any recorded plat or survey for: Address/APN: [enter] Recorded in: [County, State] If you can attach a PDF of the deed or plat exhibit, that would be helpful. Thank you. Regards, [Your name] [phone/email]
Ask local title companies for surveyor referrals. When hiring a surveyor request: boundary survey, monument recovery, record search, and a recordable plat if needed. For legal questions, find a real estate attorney experienced in title disputes and quiet title actions.
