The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) is the surveying method developed and used in the United States to plat, or divide, real property for sale and settling.Also known as the Rectangular Survey System, it was created by the Land Ordinance of 1785.. Jeff Davis with American Realty Academy, covering the infamous Government Rectangular Survey. )

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Figuring out the size of a piece of property, which sometimes is called a parcel, is simple, if you keep in mind that youre always dealing with a section of 640 acres. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. succeed. The range lines run north and south parallel to the principal meridians. The government survey system is known by a few different names. Range lines are equally located six miles apart, and the columns of land they create are known as ranges. Principal meridians, baselines, and where they intersect (cross each other) are used as the basis for formulating property descriptions in this system. Only about half of the state in the U.S. use the rectangular survey system. The Rectangular Survey Method established a standard measurement and origin point for all properties to follow using a grid system. a rectangular system of land survey that divides a district into 24-square mile quadrangles from the meridian (north-south line) and the baseline (east-west line); the tracts are divided into 6-mile-square parts called townships, which are in turn divided into 36 tracts, each 1 mile square, called sections. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The range lines run north and south parallel to the principal meridians. )\r\nThe description probably would include the state and county in which the property is located and use abbreviations. Its worth noting; quadrangles are not used when identifying land with the rectangular survey method, only the principal meridians, baselines, and townships and sections. Section 1 within any township is always located at the upper right or northeast corner of the township. You may even see a question or two about the numbering system used for sections. The sections are number 1 through 36 starting in the NE corner of the section continuing west along the top row. The real estate exam probably wont ask you what states use the Metes and Bounds system or the Rectangular Survey System, but they may ask you which system your state uses. Principal meridians, quadrangles, townships, then sections its that easy, dont overthink it.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'realestatelicensewizard_com-leader-1','ezslot_6',691,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-realestatelicensewizard_com-leader-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'realestatelicensewizard_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',691,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-realestatelicensewizard_com-leader-1-0_1');.leader-1-multi-691{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. PLSS The Public Land Survey System is a way of subdividing and describing land in the United States. The Lot and Block System has a map showing lot dimensions approved by the Board of County Commissioners. The image does not specifically designate which meridian or state, but as they are all divided and labeled the same, this could represent any section of land along any meridian that would be identified in the legal description. There are 16 townships in each quadrangle. In other words, after section number 6, it drops down to 7 on the next tier then goes left to right to number 12. They are often combined to create a more accurate map of property boundaries. Remember, there are 36 square miles in a township, and each section is 1 square mile. The rectangular government survey system is the most common system used in the United States to create legal descriptions for real estate. Only about half of the states in the United States still use the Rectangular Survey System. government survey method - Commercial Real Estate . Sections also are numbered consecutively. The system became official with the Land Ordinance Act of 1785. For example, a piece of land could be identified as the southeast quarter of section 18 of a township, which would be 160 acres. Townships are 36 miles square, 6 miles on each side, and are located within quadrangles. The guide meridians occur every 24 miles east and west of the principal meridian. This process continues, creating a smaller and smaller grid that can be used to identify the specific location of any property. (This description refers to a 10-acre parcel of land. Sections can be divided in several ways, but basically for purposes of the United States Geological Survey (USGS), they are divided in quarter sections.\r\n \t

  • Quarter sections: The divisions of a section, quarter sections, are formed by dividing a section into fourths that are delineated by their direction from the center of the section (northwestNW, northeastNE, southeastSE, and southwestSW). ( the major vertical line) -37 in the U.S. Base Line The horizontal line ( the major one) Ranges This system utilizes a system of rectangular coordinates to create a map of a parcel of land. As the United States grew from its original 13 colonies, a system was needed to identify who owned what land. The numbering changes directions in the third tier from right to left. The Rectangular Survey System provides for a unit of land approximately 24 miles square, bounded by base lines running east and west, and meridians running north and south. How Do You Use the Rectangular Survey System? The numbering continues directly beneath the sixth section, except that it progresses from left to right on the second tier. The grid is divided into smaller sections known as quadrangles, townships, sections, half-sections, and quarter-sections, used to describe property boundaries in most of the United States. Many plans have been made on how to subdivide the public domain lands. [/caption]\r\n

    Each half or quarter section can be further subdivided into halves and quarters. Constructive Notice in Real Estate Overview & Law | What is Constructive Notice? For a government survey to be valid, the official plat must have been approved by the government . I feel like its a lifeline. Townships, Sections, and the Government Survey System Explained government rectangular survey system - Barrons Dictionary - AllBusiness.com ","description":"The rectangular survey system, often referred to as the government survey system, is based on a system of lines that form rectangles and squares throughout the United States. You may be asked to identify sections in the Rectangular Survey System, so remember the order from specific to general. In other words, after section number 6, it drops down to 7 on the next tier then goes left to right to number 12. The rectangular survey system is based on principal meridians and base lines determined by precise scientific measurements. Now known as the Public Land Survey System, this system divided the western lands into grid-shaped townships and sections. Rectangular Survey System Real Estate Definition Since the earth is not flat like a checkerboard, there needed to be some adjustments made along the way to make sure everything worked out. A mailing label lists your name, street address, city, state, and country. Dummies has always stood for taking on complex concepts and making them easy to understand. Rectangular Survey System - Real Estate Exam Ninja They are the starting points for describing a propertys boundaries. Definition of "Government rectangular survey". [/caption]\r\n\r\nA full rectangular survey system property description might read:\r\n

    The SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 6, Township 4 South, Range 5, East of the Third Principal Meridian. The rectangular survey system devised for the PLSS is often credited to Thomas Jefferson. It is extended north from the Base Line and runs at 24 miles east and west from the principal meridian. Also Check: Government Regulations For Nonprofit Organizations. (The figure below shows a variety of divisions in a quarter section.). Township lines, which run east and west, parallel to baselines, are horizontal parallel lines that form township tiers.\r\n\r\nThink about two lines running from left to right across this page about an inch apart. You got it: Tic tac toe. Today, the BLM controls the survey, sale, and settling of lands acquired by the United States. . It will serve as the basis for surveys of government in a specified area under its jurisdiction. Records kept by the surveyors during the execution of the work varied over time. The Rectangular Survey Method established a standard measurement and origin point for all properties to follow using a grid system. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. You may even see a question or two about the numbering system used for sections. You got it: Tic tac toe. Metes and bounds were used as the primary survey method before 1785 and were fairly inaccurate, especially before GPS technology. The coordinates are then used to create a legal description for the property. Using the land noted on the image, a parcel could be defined as the West half of the Southeast quarter of Section 14 of Township 2 South, Range 3 West. Rectangular Survey System - Divides land into rectangles - The system is based on two sets of lines - Principal Meridians and Base Lines Principal Meridians - Vertical lines, crossing base line. The numbering continues directly beneath the sixth section, except that it progresses from left to right on the second tier. The rectangular survey system was developed in an effort to try and describe all of the land in our country. Because the rectangular or government survey system was instituted when the United States was a brand-new country, it was used to describe most of the land west of the original 13 . The section in the bottom left corner, the southwest corner, is section 36. The rectangular survey system, often referred to as the government survey system, is based on a system of lines that form rectangles and squares throughout the United States. The system was created by Thomas Jefferson in 1785. The townships are consecutively numbered by their location within the intersection of multiple range lines and township lines. You can drill down by clicking on the land map, but you need to click the calc button to get the latitude and longitude. Using principal meridians and baselines as points of reference, land areas are divided by two kinds of lines, township lines and range lines. RECTANGULAR GOVERNMENT SURVEY SYSTEM 1 Flashcards | Quizlet The states that use the rectangular survey system are:Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, and Florida. Simply multiply 640 by or 0.25, which equals 160, then multiply 160 by 1/2 or 0.5, which equals 80. The legal description includes the state name, the meridian name, the township and range directions, and usually the section number. For instance, a quarter section always contains 160 acres, or a fourth of the total 640 acres in a section. You got it: Tic tac toe. What is Rectangular Survey System Description? - Civil Stuff The township is the basic unit of measurement in the rectangular survey system. Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. Standard parallels run east to west along with the baseline. The Rectangular Survey System, also known as the Government Survey System or Public Land Survey System, is a method of plotting land boundaries in the United States using a large grid made up of rectangles. According to historian Matthew Dennis, this rectangular survey system allowed the leaders of the young government to apply their "nationalistic, scientific, and engineering mentality in transforming the continental landscape of North America, reconceptualizing its space, subduing and organizing it, and distributing it to white yeoman farmers in Shawn Custer has taught college-level English, composition, and literature for over six years. . In reality, because of this earth curvature issue, many sections and townships vary from their exact area measurements. Government Survey System (Rectangular Survey System) Public Land Survey System (PLSS) After the Revolutionary War ended, the United States Government needed a way to describe lands in the West to insure locating and selling. There are 36 sections in a township, and each section contains one square mile, which is 640 acres. The creation of the legal description for the Governmental Survey System is based on special longitude and latitude lines called principal meridians and base lines. A system of fractional sections and government lots are parts of standard practice to account for these discrepancies.\r\n\r\nSo how does the system describe land? These townships are not the same as political subdivisions.\r\n

    Each township is further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each, or 640 acres, by horizontal and vertical section lines. For instance, a quarter section always contains 160 acres, or a fourth of the total 640 acres in a section.