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Plat
Practical Law Glossary Item 1-547-1768 (Approx. 3 pages)
Glossary
Plat
A map or plan of a specific land area showing the divisions of the land. Plats are used by:
- The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) in public domain states.
- Cities, towns, and villages to show subdivisions that are divided into numbered blocks, lots, and streets.
- Landowners that are dividing their land into smaller parcels.
Plat maps are filed in the county recorder's office where the real property is located. Once a plat map is filed of record, a legal description of a property may include a reference to the block and lot numbers on the plat map instead of a metes and bounds property description. Any changes to a plat generally require a survey showing the new plat and the submission of the survey to the local governing body for review and approval.
Types of plats include:
- Plat or plan of consolidation. A landowner acquires several adjacent parcels of land and consolidates them into a single parcel.
- Plat or plan of subdivision. A landowner or a municipality divides the land into smaller parcels.
- Correction plat. A plat corrects an earlier mistake or scrivener's error.