Blog · September 27, 2026
What Is a Plat Book
A plat book is the recorder's volume of subdivision drawings, organized so a deed can cite book and page.
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Before digital filing, plats were bound or stored in cabinets. The deed's legal description often ends with 'as shown on the plat recorded in Plat Book 12, Page 40.'
On the recorded sheet
That citation is the address of the drawing. The parcel viewer may show the lot, but the book and page is how you order the recorded sheet.
The mix-up to avoid
County GIS and a plat book are not rivals. The viewer helps you find the account. The book holds the recorded picture.
Find the county map
Start at Platbookmapper, search the county, and open the local GIS link. Write down the parcel number before you compare the screen to a paper plat.
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.