property
metes and bounds
Metes and bounds is a method of legal description that identifies land by its boundaries, using distances (metes) and directions or monuments (bounds). The description starts at a point of beginning, travels around the perimeter by compass bearings and lengths, and must return to the point of beginning to close. It is the oldest description method in the U.S. and is widely used in the original colonies and for irregular parcels.
- Exam tip
- A metes and bounds description must close at the point of beginning. If monuments and measurements conflict, monuments usually control.
- Example
- "Beginning at the oak tree on Elm Road, thence north 45 degrees east 200 feet, ... back to the point of beginning."
Related terms & state variants
Sources
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Last verified: 2026-10-23