Blog · October 14, 2026 · California
Fairfax Plat Map: finding the recorded plat
A recorded plat shows how land near Belvedere was divided into lots.
Main page: Marin County, CA GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
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If a legal description for land in Fairfax cites a lot number, look up the Fairfax plat map it refers to. In this Fairfax guide: where plats are filed, plat versus tax map, and the details that matter to buyers.
The Fairfax plat map: start here
If you're looking near Belvedere, recorded plats sit with the County Recorder, usually in a plat book or cabinet.
Getting to the right map
Go first to the Marin County parcel viewer; it covers every assessed parcel from Larkspur to Belvedere. Closer to Belvedere, type a street address, an owner's name or a parcel number, and the matching parcel lights up. Around Novato, the record panel normally shows the owner of record, acreage on the tax roll, the parcel number and in many cases the last transfer.
Who handles what
If the acreage or value on a parcel near Larkspur looks off are handled by the County Assessor, the office behind the parcel record. Building or septic questions for a lot near Mill Valley are for the local planning and health departments, town or county, depending on location.
Fairfax, CA: the basics
Fairfax is part of Marin County, California, which means parcel data comes from the county. With a lot near Corte Madera, the municipality handles things like zoning, permits and utilities for lots inside the boundary, and the county still keeps the parcel and deed records. Lots just outside the town limits toward Novato usually falls under county rules instead.
Recorded documents worth pulling
The map is an index, not the title: deeds, plats and easements for land near Belvedere sit with the County Recorder. Older tracts around Mill Valley may trace back through a long string of deeds, so a title company earns its fee on a real sale.
When a plat changes
An amended plat may change lots around San Rafael, search the index for replats of the same subdivision; street vacations near Belvedere show up in the records too.
Recorded plat or GIS layer
The Marin County parcel viewer draws parcels for taxes, while the recorded plat is the legal document.
Getting your bearings
San Rafael holds the county offices, which is where the courthouse records live. Other places on the map include Belvedere, Corte Madera, and Larkspur, each with its own cluster of lots. Around 254,407 people call Marin County home (Census estimate, 2023) across roughly 520 square miles. Features like San Pablo Bay, San Francisco Bay, and Golden Gate National Recreation Area make handy reference points on the map near Novato.
Next door to Marin County
Marin County meets Contra Costa County, San Francisco County, Solano County, and Sonoma County; every one of them runs a separate parcel map. Acreage along the edge near San Rafael may be split across two assessors' files, so check the adjacent map as well. With a lot near Belvedere, our state page links every bordering county map across California.
Lots, blocks and easements
Utility or drainage strips on a lot in Fairfax stay with the land when it sells; read the notes on the sheet.
Using it on a phone
The parcel map usually runs in a mobile browser, which helps when you're standing on land near Novato, though signal can drop in rural spots. A screenshot of the parcel near Novato with its ID is a good backup.
Reading the legal description
California uses the Public Land Survey System, so deeds around San Rafael reference sections and townships. Each section is nominally a mile square, about 640 acres, with 36 sections to a township, though sections near San Rafael can be irregular. Keep the legal description for land near Belvedere when you talk to a surveyor.
Requesting the plat
Out toward Corte Madera, many recorder offices offer an online index, while others require a visit or a request; small fees are common.
What the map can't tell you
Acreage on the record is an assessed number; just a licensed surveyor can set the real lines for a parcel near Corte Madera. Near Larkspur, records update in batches, so a deed recorded last month can take weeks to appear.
Metes and bounds instead
Rural land near Novato that was never subdivided may have no plat at all; the deed and any recorded survey describe it instead.
Quick answers
Is the Fairfax plat map the same as the county GIS?
Around Corte Madera, a recorded plat is based on a survey, but the GIS map is not; a surveyor ties it to the ground.
Are old plats online in Fairfax?
For property near San Rafael, the County Recorder can say what's available.
What do the dashed lines on a plat mean around Belvedere?
If the land is near Novato, dashed lines often mark easements or building lines; read the plat notes.
Where can I find the Fairfax plat map?
In most cases, recorded plats near Larkspur are filed with the County Recorder.
Who do I call about a parcel near Mill Valley?
For land near Corte Madera, assessment goes to the County Assessor and deeds to the County Recorder, while zoning questions go to planning
Open the official Marin County, CA parcel map See it in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.