Metes and bounds
Metes and bounds is the oldest of the three methods. It describes land by tracing its outline: start at a known point, walk each boundary line in a stated direction for a stated distance, and finish back where you began.
The parts of a description
| Part | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Point of beginning (POB) | The fixed starting point of the boundary | "Beginning at the southwest corner of Section 4..." |
| Monument | A natural or artificial object that marks a point on the line | An oak tree, a river, a road, an iron rod or concrete marker |
| Course | The direction of a line, usually measured from north or south | "North 45 degrees West" |
| Distance | The length of the line, in a stated unit | "210 feet" |
The word metes refers to measurements (courses and distances). Bounds refers to the boundaries and landmarks. A typical description reads as a series of "calls":
Beginning at an iron rod at the northeast corner of the intersection of Oak Road and Pine Lane; thence North 300 feet along the east side of Oak Road to a concrete monument; thence East 150 feet to an iron rod; thence South 300 feet to the north side of Pine Lane; thence West 150 feet along Pine Lane to the point of beginning.
The point of beginning
Every metes and bounds description starts at a point of beginning. The POB must be something that can be found again: a section corner from the government survey, a recorded monument, or a described corner of a street intersection. A description that starts at "the big pine tree" works only as long as the tree is there, which is why modern descriptions tie the POB to surveyed, durable markers.
Monuments
Monuments can be natural (rivers, trees, rocks) or artificial (iron rods, concrete markers, roads, fences). They let a surveyor find the corners on the ground, not just on paper. Natural monuments can move or disappear: rivers shift and trees die. That is a big reason surveyors now set durable artificial monuments at corners.
Courses and distances
A course is written as a bearing, such as "North 45 degrees West." Read it as: face north, then turn 45 degrees toward the west. Distances are given in a familiar unit, usually feet, and in older descriptions sometimes in chains or rods. One chain is 66 feet and one rod is 16.5 feet.
The description must close
A metes and bounds description must end at the point of beginning. Tracing the boundary until you are back at the start is called closure. A description that does not close leaves a gap, so it does not enclose a definite parcel and creates a title problem. "To the point of beginning" is the phrase to look for at the end.
When it is used
Metes and bounds is common for irregularly shaped tracts and for land that is not in a recorded subdivision. In Florida it often starts from a corner of the government survey grid, so you will see the methods combined: "Commence at the southwest corner of Section 4, Township 1 South, Range 2 East; thence..."
Exam tips
- POB first, POB last. A description that does not return to the POB does not close.
- Courses are directions; distances are lengths; monuments are physical markers.
- Monuments can be natural or artificial.