Plat Map: What It Shows, How to Read One, and Plat of Survey Differences
A plat map is the recorded drawing that divides land into lots, streets and easements. What it shows, how to read one, and how a plat differs from a survey.
Quick answer
A plat map is a recorded drawing of a subdivision that shows how a tract of land is divided into lots, blocks, streets and easements. Florida law defines a plat as a map or delineated representation of the subdivision of lands. A plat of survey is different: it is a surveyor's drawing of one parcel.
What is a plat map?
A plat (also called a plat map) is the drawing a developer files when one larger tract of land is split into building lots. Once the plat is approved and recorded, each lot can be sold by a short reference to it, such as "Lot 12, Block 3 of Maple Ridge, as recorded in Plat Book 40, page 18."
Florida's statute gives a plain definition. Under Fla. Stat. 177.031 (Online Sunshine), a plat or replat "means a map or delineated representation of the subdivision of lands." The same section defines survey data as "all information shown on the face of a plat that would delineate the physical boundaries of the subdivision."
A plat is public record. It is filed with the county clerk, recorder or register of deeds, and anyone can read it. Because deeds point to it, a plat is part of the legal description of every lot in the subdivision.
Definition
Plat map — A scaled drawing of a subdivision, approved by the local government and recorded in the public land records, showing the lots, blocks, streets, easements and boundary markers of the land being divided.
What does a plat map show?
A plat shows the shape and size of each lot, how the lots are numbered, where the streets run, and which strips of land are reserved for utilities or drainage. It also shows the markers a surveyor set in the ground.
Florida's recording rules list many of these features. A plat must carry a stated and graphic scale, a north arrow on every sheet, the name of the subdivision, and the name and address of the surveyor. If the plat needs more than one sheet, it must include an index or key map, and each sheet must show matchlines where the sheets join (Fla. Stat. 177.091).
Most plats you will see share the same core content, though the exact required items vary by state and by local ordinance:
What is on a typical plat map
Look for these items when you open a recorded plat:
- Lot and block numbers, with the dimensions of each lot line and the curve data for rounded corners.
- Street names and widths, including whether the street is dedicated to the public or kept private.
- Easements: strips reserved for utilities, drainage or access. See our guide to the easement for how they bind a property.
- Monuments, the physical markers set at corners, which anchor the drawing to the ground.
- A north arrow, a scale, and the bearing reference used for the angles.
- Dedication and approval statements, signed by the owners and the approving government body, plus the recording stamp with the book and page.
- Notes and restrictions, such as building setback lines or limits on a lot.
How do you read a plat map?
Find the lot description in your deed
Look for wording like "Lot 12, Block 3" and the name of the subdivision. It will usually also name the plat book and page, or an instrument number, where the plat is recorded.
Pull the recorded plat
Ask the county clerk, recorder or register of deeds, or use its online index if one exists. Note whether the plat has been replatted. A replat can change lot lines, and the later version controls.
Locate your lot and read its dimensions
Each side of the lot is labeled with a length and, usually, a bearing (a compass direction). A curve is labeled with a radius and arc length.
Mark the easements and setbacks
Shade the strips reserved for utilities or drainage. They may limit where a fence, pool or addition can go.
Compare the plat to the ground
A plat is a drawing. Check it against a current survey of your lot to see whether fences, driveways and buildings sit where the drawing says the lines are.
Plat map vs plat of survey: what is the difference?
A plat map covers a whole subdivision and is recorded in the public land records. A plat of survey is a surveyor's drawing of a single parcel, prepared for one owner or one transaction. The word "plat" appears in both, which is why people mix them up when they search for "plat of survey."
The surveyor's work is a licensed activity. Arizona's statute describes land surveying practice as "Measuring land to determine the position of any monument or reference point that marks a property line, boundary or corner" (A.R.S. 32-101, Arizona Legislature). The same list includes "platting or plotting of lands for the purpose of subdividing," which is the work behind the plat map itself.
| Plat map (subdivision plat) | Plat of survey (boundary survey) | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | An entire subdivision: many lots, streets, easements | One parcel and what sits on it |
| Prepared by | A licensed surveyor for the developer | A licensed surveyor for an owner, buyer or lender |
| Where it lives | Recorded with the county, public record | Usually a private document, sometimes recorded |
| Shows buildings and fences? | No, it shows the planned lots | Yes, it typically shows improvements and any encroachments |
| Date | The date of the subdivision approval | The date of the field work |
| Typical use | Describing the lot in a deed | Closing, fence disputes, building permits |
Can you use a plat map to find property lines?
A recorded plat gives the lot lines as drawn, so it is the right starting point. It is not the same as marking the lines on the ground. Locating the corners takes a licensed surveyor, who finds the monuments and measures from them.
Monuments matter for that reason. In Florida, permanent reference monuments must be placed "at each corner or change in direction on the boundary of the lands being platted" and may not be more than 1,400 feet apart, and permanent control points are set along street centerlines no more than 1,000 feet apart (Fla. Stat. 177.091). Monuments can be moved, buried or lost, which is one reason a plat alone does not settle a fence argument.
If a building or fence crosses a line, the plat shows where the line was meant to be, and a survey shows what is actually there. Our guide to encroachment covers what happens next.
How do plat rules differ by state?
Each state sets its own rules for who approves a plat and what must be on it. The table lists what we verified on official pages for three of the states we serve. Florida's monument spacing is the clearest numeric rule, so it is shown here in place of a market statistic.
| State | Rule found on the official page | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | Plat must carry stated and graphic scale and north arrow; boundary monuments no more than 1,400 feet apart; control points no more than 1,000 feet apart | Fla. Stat. 177.091 |
| Texas | The county clerk may not record a plat unless it is approved as provided by law; a plat must be approved and filed before the subdivision description is used in a conveyance to a buyer, with listed exceptions | Tex. Prop. Code 12.002 |
| Arizona | The county board of supervisors regulates the subdivision of land within its limits, except where cities regulate it; platting of lands for subdividing is within the definition of land surveying practice | A.R.S. 11-821 and 32-101 |
Who approves and records a plat map?
A local government approves the plat, and the county records it. The surveyor drafts it, the owners sign the dedication, the planning body approves it, and then the clerk or recorder files it.
Texas shows how that gatekeeping works. Its Property Code says a county clerk "may not record a plat or replat unless it is approved as provided by law" by the proper authority (Tex. Prop. Code 12.002, Texas.Public.Law). The same section also limits using a subdivision's description in a deed or sale contract delivered to a buyer until the plat is approved and filed, with some exceptions.
In Arizona, the statute says the county board of supervisors "shall regulate the subdivision of all lands within its corporate limits, except subdivisions that are regulated by municipalities" (A.R.S. 11-821, Arizona Legislature). The practical point is the same everywhere: the recorded plat is what gives each lot a legal address in the records.
Why do plat maps matter in a title search?
A title search reads the recorded plat to confirm that the lot in the deed actually exists as described and to catch easements and restrictions that came with the subdivision. Those items bind every later owner even if no deed repeats them.
A search also checks for a replat, a vacated street or a corrected plat, since each changes the lot that the deed describes. This is part of tracing the chain of title and following the steps in how to do a title search. The office that holds the plat is usually the one described in what a register of deeds does.
A plat is not a guarantee of anything. It shows what the recorded drawing says. It does not show unrecorded rights, and it does not insure the title. See title search vs title insurance.
Where to look, and what a plat will not tell you
Key takeaways
Key takeaways
- A plat map is a recorded drawing of a subdivision that shows lots, blocks, streets and easements.
- A plat of survey is a different document: a surveyor's drawing of one parcel, usually showing buildings and fences.
- Your deed likely cites the plat by lot, block and recording reference. Pull that plat from the county records.
- A plat gives the lines as drawn. Marking them on the ground takes a licensed surveyor and the surviving monuments.
- Rules for approving and recording plats are set state by state and often locally, so check the rule where the property sits.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a plat map?
- A plat map is a recorded drawing that divides a tract of land into lots, blocks, streets and easements. It is approved by a local government and filed with the county, and deeds refer to it so each lot can be described briefly.
- What is the difference between a plat map and a survey?
- A plat map covers a whole subdivision and is a public record of how the land was divided. A survey, sometimes called a plat of survey, covers one parcel, is done by a licensed surveyor in the field, and usually shows buildings and fences.
- Where can I get a plat map of my property?
- Ask the county clerk, recorder or register of deeds where the property sits. Your deed usually names the subdivision and the plat book and page. Many counties also publish plats through an online records index, and some planning or GIS offices hold copies.
- Can I use a plat map to find my property lines?
- A plat shows lot lines as drawn and is a good starting point. It does not mark them on the ground. To locate the corners, hire a licensed surveyor, who finds the monuments and measures from them.
- What does a plat of survey show?
- A plat of survey is a drawing of one parcel with its boundary lines, dimensions and monuments, and usually the buildings, fences and driveways on it. It also notes easements and any places where something crosses a line. Content varies by state and by what the client asked for.
- How do I read lot and block numbers on a plat?
- A block is a group of lots bounded by streets, and each lot has a number within it. A deed describing "Lot 12, Block 3" means the twelfth lot in the third block of the named subdivision. Find that lot on the recorded plat to read its dimensions.
- Is a plat map the same as a title search?
- No. A plat map is one recorded document. A title search reviews the owner history and recorded liens, easements and other matters for a property, and it reads the plat as one input. Neither one is title insurance or legal advice.
Sources
Primary records and official documentation cited in this article.
- 1Florida Legislature, Online Sunshine: Fla. Stat. 177.031, Definitions
- 2Florida Legislature, Online Sunshine: Fla. Stat. 177.091, Plats made for recording
- 3Texas.Public.Law: Texas Property Code Section 12.002, Subdivision Plat; Penalty
- 4Arizona Legislature: A.R.S. 32-101, Purpose; definitions
- 5Arizona Legislature: A.R.S. 11-821, Subdivision regulations
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