Blog · September 27, 2026
What Is a Paper Street
A paper street is a right of way drawn and dedicated on a plat but never built.
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It still appears on old plats and sometimes on GIS, as a line through woods or yards. Vacation proceedings are how an owner asks to clear it.
On the recorded sheet
Until it is vacated, it can block a building permit or a lot merger because the land is dedicated.
The mix-up to avoid
Trees growing in it do not prove it was abandoned. The record does.
Find the county map
Open Platbookmapper and pick the county that taxes the land. Use that viewer to get the parcel ID, then match it to the recorded plat if you need the easements and lot numbers.
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.