Many home buyers get a drawing of the lot early in the deal. It might come from the seller, the listing agent or the closing attorney’s file. The trouble starts when nobody explains what kind of drawing it is. A recorded plat and a plat of survey can look alike at a glance, but they answer different questions. A recorded plat tells you how the lot was created. A plat of survey tells you what a licensed surveyor found on the ground on a specific date. If you want to know where the house, fence and driveway sit today, the second one is usually the document that can tell you.
Start With the Document You Were Actually Given
Look at the title block first. That’s the box or corner of the sheet that lists names, dates and signatures. A plat of survey usually names the surveyor, gives a survey date and carries a seal and signature. A recorded subdivision plat usually names the subdivision and shows a recording stamp with a plat book and page number. Some sheets carry both, because a plat of survey can also go on record at the county.
Next, compare the date with what you know about the property. A drawing from 1998 can’t show a deck the owners built in 2015. Write down the date, the surveyor’s name and any book and page numbers. You’ll need them when you check county records and talk with your closing attorney or surveyor.
A Plat of Survey Shows the Parcel as Surveyed
A plat of survey is a drawing a licensed surveyor prepares after records research and field work on a specific parcel. It shows the boundary lines as the surveyor located them, along with the corner markers the crew found or set. Depending on the scope of work, it can also show the house, driveway, fences, sheds and other improvements in relation to those lines.
That snapshot is its main strength. If a neighbor’s fence crosses the line or a driveway sits partly inside an easement, a current survey is where that kind of problem tends to appear. The surveyor also marks recorded easements found during research. A licensed professional stands behind the work through the seal and signature on the sheet.
The limit is time. A plat of survey reflects the property on the date of the field work. Once owners build something new or move an old feature, the drawing starts to fall behind the site.
A Recorded Plat Shows How the Lot Was Created
A recorded plat, often called a subdivision plat, is the map a developer files to divide a larger tract into lots. After the local planning authority approves it, the developer records it with the county. It shows lot numbers, lot line bearings and distances, street layouts and platted easements for drainage and utilities.
Deeds often point back to this map. A legal description might identify the property as a numbered lot on a plat recorded in a specific plat book and page. That link gives the recorded plat a central place in the property’s legal record, and closing attorneys check it during title work.
What it usually won’t show is your house. Developers typically record subdivision plats before anyone builds on the lots. The map shows planned lot lines, and it can’t tell you whether today’s fence, patio or driveway respects them.
Check Greenville Records Before Relying on an Older Drawing
The Greenville County Register of Deeds keeps the county’s recorded deeds and plats. Its free online Public Records Search covers documents recorded from 1985 forward, and the county lists plats as searchable through that same section. A separate search handles older deed books and index records.
Start with the deed. Find the plat book and page reference, then pull that plat and compare the lot number, dimensions and easements with the drawing you received. Look for a revised plat too, since developers sometimes record changes after the first version. A later easement, a lot line adjustment or a survey plat from an earlier sale can also change the picture.
The Register of Deeds staff can help you use the search system. The office states that its staff can’t give legal advice or perform title searches. Your closing attorney handles the title review, and a surveyor can explain how the recorded documents relate to what actually sits on the lot.
Know When the Existing Document Is Not Enough
An older plat of survey or a recorded plat may cover your needs if the lot hasn’t changed and your lender and title company accept it. That decision belongs to them and to you. Raise the question early in the contract period so you have time to act. A new plat of survey usually makes more sense when one of these applies:
- The house, fence, pool, shed or driveway changed after the last survey date.
- The only drawing you have is the subdivision plat, with no improvements shown.
- The deed description and the plat don’t seem to match.
- A fence, hedge or neighbor’s structure sits close to the line.
- Your lender or title company asks for a current survey.
- You plan to add on, fence the yard or build soon after closing.
Survey needs for a purchase can vary with the lender, the title insurance coverage and the property itself. Ask your closing attorney how the lack of a current survey could affect your title policy. If you order one, build it into your timeline so field work and drafting don’t crowd the closing date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a recorded plat be used as a current property survey?
Usually not. A recorded subdivision plat shows how the developer laid out the lots, often before any homes went up. It won’t show the current house, fences or other improvements, and the field work behind it served the original lot layout.
Where can buyers find recorded plats for Greenville County properties?
The Greenville County Register of Deeds holds them. You can search plats and other recorded documents through the county’s free online records system. The office sits at 301 University Ridge in Greenville if you’d rather ask for help in person.
Does a recorded subdivision plat show the house and current improvements?
Typically, no. Developers record these plats to create lots, so the sheet focuses on lot lines, streets and platted easements. To see where the house and other features sit against the boundary, you’d need a plat of survey based on recent field work.
