Blog · October 14, 2026 · California
Using the Novato Plat Map
Lots in Novato trace back to recorded plats filed with the county.
Main page: Marin County, CA GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
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When a listing near San Anselmo mentions a lot number, the Novato plat map is where those numbers come from. Covered here for Novato: where to request a copy, plat versus tax map, and the details that matter to buyers.
The Novato plat map: start here
For a lot in Novato, the deed or parcel record often names the subdivision and plat reference; that makes the request quick.
The viewer Marin County publishes
Begin with the Marin County parcel viewer; it covers each tax parcel in the county, Larkspur included. For acreage around San Anselmo, enter a street address, an owner's name or a parcel number, and the viewer zooms to the match. For property near Ross, the parcel card usually lists the owner of record, assessed acreage, a parcel ID and sometimes recent sales.
Replats and vacations
An amended plat may change lots around Mill Valley, search the index for replats of the same subdivision; vacated streets or alleys also get recorded.
Where Novato fits in
Novato is part of Marin County, California, and the county assessor maps its lots. On ground around San Rafael, city or town hall handles things like zoning, permits and utilities for lots inside the boundary, while the county keeps the tax map. Lots just outside the town limits out by Larkspur usually falls under county rules, not municipal ones.
Recorded plat or GIS layer
When the two disagree for a lot near Ross, the recorded plat and a survey control.
The paper trail behind a parcel
The map is an index, not the title: recorded deeds, subdivision plats and easements covering ground around San Rafael are kept by the County Recorder. Long-held tracts near Ross can trace back through a long string of deeds, and a title company is worth hiring on a real sale.
Land outside a subdivision
Rural land near San Rafael that was never subdivided may have no plat at all; the deed and any recorded survey describe it instead.
Offices that can help
Deeds, mortgages and recorded plats for land near San Anselmo come from the County Recorder, usually searchable by name or document number. Building or septic questions for a lot near Corte Madera go to planning, building or health offices, and the answer depends on jurisdiction.
Marin County in a few facts
San Rafael holds the county offices, which is where the courthouse records live. Smaller places on the map include San Anselmo, Ross, and Larkspur, where town lots give way to larger tracts. Around 254,407 people live in Marin County (Census Bureau estimate, 2023) on some 520 square miles. Features like San Pablo Bay, San Francisco Bay, and Golden Gate National Recreation Area help you orient on the aerial around Ross.
Sections, lots and bearings
California is laid out under the Public Land Survey System, so deeds around Corte Madera reference sections and townships. Each section is nominally a mile square, about 640 acres, and a township holds 36 of them, though sections near Ross can be irregular. Keep the legal description for land near Mill Valley for any title or survey request.
Next door to Marin County
Marin County borders Contra Costa County, San Francisco County, Solano County, and Sonoma County, and each of those keeps its own parcel map. Acreage along the edge near San Anselmo can be split in two county records, so check the neighboring map before you assume the acreage. Out toward San Rafael, our state page lists every neighboring county map for California.
What a plat shows
In and around Larkspur, the sheet usually includes lot and block numbers, dimensions and bearings, street rights-of-way and easements.
Field tips
The parcel map usually runs in a mobile browser, which helps when you're standing on land near Ross, though signal can drop in rural spots. A screenshot of the parcel near Corte Madera with its ID helps when you meet an owner or agent.
Online indexes and office visits
For a tract near Mill Valley, many recorder offices offer an online index, otherwise call or visit with the reference; copy fees are usually small.
Limits of the parcel data
Acreage on the record is a tax-roll number; just a licensed surveyor can set the real corners on land around Ross. Around Ross, owner names and values update on a schedule, so a deed recorded last month might lag behind.
Questions about the Novato plat map
Are old plats online in Novato?
In most cases, older plats near San Rafael may be on film or paper; call before you visit.
What is a lot and block description around Ross?
Usually, it points to a spot on the plat for that subdivision near San Rafael.
How is a plat different from the parcel map near Mill Valley?
In most cases, the plat near Larkspur is recorded, while the GIS layer is an approximation; trust the plat when they differ.
What is a replat around Mill Valley?
Short answer: lot splits in Novato go through the planning office.
How do I save a parcel from the viewer around Corte Madera?
Some viewers offer PDF export; include the record panel for the lot near Mill Valley.
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.