property

legal description

A precise description of a parcel of land that identifies its exact location and boundaries well enough that a surveyor could locate it. The three main methods are metes and bounds, the rectangular (government) survey system, and the lot and block (recorded plat) system. A street address is not a legal description and is usually not sufficient in a deed.

Exam tip
Know the three methods and that a street address alone is not sufficient for a deed.
Example
A deed describes property as Lot 12, Block 4, Oak Ridge Subdivision, per the plat recorded in Book 22, Page 15, which is a lot and block legal description.

1. Which legal description method uses a point of beginning, courses, and distances?

Answer & explanation

Answer: A. Metes and bounds describes boundaries by direction and distance (metes) and markers (bounds), returning to the point of beginning.

Related terms & state variants

Sources

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Last verified: 2026-10-23