U.S. Territories · Parcel maps · October 24, 2026
Parcel Maps for the U.S. Territories, Territory by Territory
Which U.S. territories have free official parcel maps, and how land records work in Puerto Rico, the USVI, Guam, the Northern Marianas and American Samoa.
Most national parcel sites stop at the 50 states. The five inhabited U.S. territories each keep their own land records, under their own laws, and four of the five publish an official parcel map. They are worth knowing about for people with family land there, for buyers looking at the Caribbean or Micronesia, and for anyone who has wondered why the territories never show up on U.S. parcel searches.
At a glance
| Territory | Free official viewer | Parcel identifier | Who can own land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | CRIM Catastro Digital | Número de catastro (tax); finca (Registro) | No special restriction |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | USVI parcels (Lt. Governor GIS Division) | Plot and estate | No special restriction |
| Guam | Guam Property map (Bureau of Statistics and Plans) | Lot in a municipality | No general restriction; Chamorro Land Trust land is separate |
| Northern Mariana Islands | CNMI parcel viewer (BECQ) | Lot number | Freehold and leases over 55 years limited to people of Northern Marianas descent |
| American Samoa | No public parcel map | Registered land title | Most land can't be sold to people with less than one-half Samoan blood |
USVI parcels (Lt. Governor GIS Division) in ArcGIS Map Viewer ↗
Guam Property map (Bureau of Statistics and Plans) ↗
CNMI parcel viewer (BECQ Division of Coastal Resources Management) ↗
All four viewers opened with no login when we checked on October 24, 2026.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has one cadastre for all 78 municipios, kept by CRIM, which assesses and collects property tax. Its free Catastro Digital covers the main island, Vieques and Culebra. Legal ownership is recorded separately in the Registro de la Propiedad by finca number. Read more in our Catastro Digital guide and finca number guide.
U.S. Virgin Islands
The USVI was the Danish West Indies until the United States bought it in 1917. Land is still described in the Danish-era way: by plot within an estate, grouped into quarters on each island. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor maintains the official parcel layer through its GIS Division, and also runs the Tax Assessor and the Recorder of Deeds. See USVI estate and plot numbers.
Guam
The Bureau of Statistics and Plans publishes a territory-wide property map for planning use. The Department of Land Management holds the legal land records and identifies land by municipality and lot. Guam also has Chamorro Land Trust land, leased to native Chamorros, which works differently from private land. See our Guam property map guide.
Northern Mariana Islands
The CNMI's Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality (BECQ) publishes a parcel viewer covering Saipan, Tinian and Rota. Article XII of the CNMI Constitution restricts permanent and long-term interests in land, meaning freehold and leases of more than 55 years including renewal rights, to persons of Northern Marianas descent. Others can lease for up to 55 years. See CNMI land rules and parcel map.
American Samoa
There is no public parcel map. Most land is communal family land under the control of a matai (family chief). Under American Samoa law (A.S.C.A. § 37.0204), land other than freehold land can't be alienated to anyone with less than one-half native Samoan blood, and alienating communal land needs the Governor's written approval. Records are kept by the Territorial Registrar. See American Samoa land records.
Why the territories are different
Each territory came under U.S. sovereignty at a different time and under different agreements, and each kept or developed its own land law. In the Pacific territories, land is central to culture and family identity, and the CNMI and American Samoa protect it with ownership restrictions that would not be allowed in a state. In the Caribbean territories, the Spanish and Danish legacies shape how land is described and recorded.
Using the maps
- Not a survey. All four viewers are for reference. Legal boundaries come from recorded survey plats.
- Ownership is in the land records, not the map: the Registro in Puerto Rico, the Recorder of Deeds in the USVI, the Department of Land Management in Guam and the land registration office in the CNMI.
- Hire local professionals for any purchase. Each territory has its own rules on deeds, leases, taxes and recording.
What each viewer shows
- Catastro Digital (Puerto Rico). CRIM's island-wide tax map, in Spanish, with the número de catastro for each parcel.
- USVI parcels. The Lieutenant Governor's GIS Division parcel layer, opened in ArcGIS Map Viewer. Click a parcel for its plot and estate.
- Guam Property map. A Government of Guam web map with property parcels, administrative boundaries and development constraints.
- CNMI parcel viewer. A BECQ web app showing parcels on Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
All four are for planning and reference. None of them is the legal record of ownership.
Ownership restrictions compared
| Territory | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Mariana Islands | Freehold and leases over 55 years (including renewals) limited to persons of Northern Marianas descent | CNMI Constitution, Article XII |
| American Samoa | Land other than freehold can't be alienated to anyone with less than one-half native blood; communal land needs the Governor's approval | A.S.C.A. § 37.0204 |
| Guam | Chamorro Land Trust land is leased to native Chamorros under the trust's rules; private land is bought and sold | Chamorro Land Trust Act |
| Puerto Rico, USVI | No ancestry-based restrictions on buying land | — |
Tips for researching family land
- Get the local identifier. A número de catastro or finca in Puerto Rico, a plot and estate in the USVI, a municipality and lot on Guam, a lot number in the CNMI.
- Expect informal transfers. In every territory, family land is often passed down without a recorded transfer. The registered owner may be a grandparent.
- Use local professionals. Territory law on inheritance and land is distinctive.
Before you buy in a territory
- Find the parcel on the official viewer and note its identifier.
- Check ownership rules (CNMI and American Samoa especially).
- Search the land records with a local attorney or title company.
- Check hazards: flood zones, coastal permits and typhoon or hurricane exposure.
- Survey if the boundary matters.
Common questions
Do the territories appear on U.S. county parcel sites? Rarely. Our U.S. territories pages link each official viewer.
Can a U.S. citizen buy land in American Samoa or the CNMI? In the CNMI, people who aren't of Northern Marianas descent can lease for up to 55 years but can't own freehold. In American Samoa, most land can't be sold to people with less than one-half Samoan blood; freehold land is the exception.
Which territory has the best free map? Puerto Rico's Catastro Digital is island-wide and detailed. The USVI, Guam and CNMI viewers are also territory-wide.
Related guides
- Puerto Rico Catastro Digital guide
- USVI estate and plot numbers
- Guam property map
- CNMI land rules and parcel map
- American Samoa land records
Sources
- Official viewers opened and checked October 24, 2026.
- N. Mar. I. Const. art. XII, sec. 3 and CNMI Law: Constitution.
- A.S.C.A. § 37.0204, Restrictions on alienation of land.