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- The Definitive Guide on How To Find Property Lines
October 6, 2023
Finding property lines is as easy as pulling up your smartphone or scrolling on your desktop. Property lines are public information available thanks to the zoning department of local municipalities. Getting all this information in one place isn’t difficult if you have the right tool.
onX uses this information, along with other proprietary data, as the foundation for its innovative house-built Private Lands Layer in onX Hunt. Pulling data from over 3,100 counties in the U.S., our GIS team builds accurate maps that include boundary lines and private landowner information.
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Finding Your Property Lines
Finding your property lines shouldn’t be difficult. From using a standard tape measure and working from a known landmark or geographic feature noted in your deed, to pacing off from a visible survey marker, or using an App with private property boundaries, you can find the property lines you’re looking for.
How Are Property Lines Marked?
Property Lines are typically marked by metal stakes (aka. survey markers), often with a colored or aluminum cap on top. The locations of these property markers are filed with the local County Clerk and Recorder’s Office.
How To Find Property Lines on a Map
Property lines are noted on plat maps that should accompany your deed or survey paperwork. Property lines can also be found online and in apps that use a geographical information system (GIS) which pulls parcel and landowner information through name or address searches.
How To Find Property Lines for Free
Visit your local county record or assessor’s office for a plat, which are maps drawn to scale that provide exact dimensions and show land divisions. These are typically available for homes built less than 100 years ago.
Can Property Lines Change?
Yes, property lines can change through approved lot line adjustments. These can only be done with the assistance of a professional land survey and require approval from your local municipality or assessor’s office.
Can Property Lines Be Redrawn?
Yes, property lines can be redrawn after joining lots, purchasing full or partial lots from neighbors, or having an approved lot line agreement in place with your neighbor. Any redrawing must be done by a licensed surveyor and filed with the assessor’s office.
Can Property Lines Be Grandfathered In?
Property lines can only be grandfathered in by taking your case to a judge for a ruling. Grandfathered property rights might apply if a landowner had the property before specific regulations or laws went into effect.
Can Property Lines Be Moved?
Property lines can be moved as long as the parcel(s) still meet zoning restrictions and the lot line adjustment has approval. This requires a professional survey, recording with the register of deeds, and having an attorney draw up a new deed.
How To Determine Property Lines
You can determine property lines by viewing plot maps and through online searches by landowner name or address. You can verify property lines by inspecting existing survey markers. All property lines are recorded at your local county recorder or assessor’s office.
How Are Property Lines Determined?
Property lines are determined by licensed surveyors and recorded as part of the property’s deed. Deeds should have legal descriptions of the property’s boundary lines. Property lines set a boundary on who is the rightful owner of a particular plot.
Who Marks, Measures, and Surveys Property Lines?
Only licensed professional land surveyors can mark, measure, or survey property lines so they have legal merit. Any landowner can verify their property lines by measuring from existing property pins, but they may not move those survey markers or mark new property lines that are different from what’s been legally recorded in their deed.
Use onX Hunt To Find Property Lines
Over the years, we’ve heard countless stories from customers who say onX Hunt is useful far beyond their fall hunts. Most often, they tell us they pull out the Hunt App on their mobile device and walk a property line as they watch their current position shown as a blue dot. We love hearing stories like this from our customers. It goes to show that onX maps have multiple uses.
It’s simple to find and navigate property lines online or through the App, especially with our 3D maps. Choosing from three different Basemaps built by onX: Satellite, Topo, or Hybrid, users just need to select the state-specific Private Lands Layer in the list under Hunt Map Layers.
The property lines will be displayed with a red outline. Clicking on any private property or landowner name, additional information will be shown that includes the landowner’s contact information, tax address, and the size of the property. Currently, onX Hunt includes over 129 million private properties. This Layer is available to customers who have a Premium or Elite Membership.
The same information is available on desktop when logged into your onX Hunt account.
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Think you’ve found an error in property lines shown in onX Hunt? Here’s how you can report errors in the App.
Remember, property line information within onX is based on third-party data which may contain inaccuracies or change at any time. It does not constitute a legal survey. You are responsible for verifying all information via official records before taking or omitting any actions. Always obey property line postings and use common sense regarding boundaries, roads, and paths.
Ryan Newhouse
Though raised hunting squirrels and whitetails in the South, Ryan Newhouse has spent nearly the last two decades chasing Western big game in Montana and writing professionally about his travels and the craft beers he’s consumed along the way. He loves camping, fishing, boating, and teaching his two kids the art of building campfires and playing the ukulele. And yes, he’s related to Sewell Newhouse, inventor of the steel animal traps.
