Blog · October 14, 2026 · Montana
Yellowstone County Plat Book, Montana
Township atlases, old editions and current owners in Yellowstone County, starting near Laurel.
Main page: Yellowstone County, MT GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Yellowstone County facts and neighboring maps).
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Old copies of the Yellowstone County plat book turn up at auctions and in kitchen drawers around Laurel, and new ones are harder to track down. Here's what a plat book is, where to look for one in Yellowstone County, and the free official map that stays current between editions.
Plat books vs. recorded plats in Yellowstone County
A plat book, sometimes called a land atlas, lists each township in Yellowstone County as a page, with ownership blocks labeled by owner name and rough acreage. Don't confuse it with a subdivision plat on file for lots in Broadview; that recorded plat is a legal document, while the atlas is a reference.
The county map you'll pair it with
The county's own public map is the Yellowstone County parcel viewer, and it opens without an account for parcels in Billings and the rest of the county. Use the search box for an address in Billings or a parcel number, or simply zoom in and click a piece of ground near Broadview. For a backup route to the map covering Broadview, our Yellowstone County directory entry keeps the link current.
Finding a printed Yellowstone County plat book
Private publishers have printed plat books for many rural counties, but editions for Yellowstone County come and go; inquire at the courthouse, the extension office or a farm supply store in Laurel. Older editions are useful for family history around Broadview, showing who held a farm decades ago.
Using the Yellowstone County map as a modern plat book
Between editions, use the Yellowstone County parcel viewer; it lists owners, acreage and parcel IDs for land near Broadview at no cost. Print a screenshot of the tracts around Laurel if you want a paper copy in the truck.
The lay of the land around Billings
Billings is the county seat, and Laurel and Broadview are among the other towns on the county map. Unincorporated communities in Yellowstone County, including Acton, Ballantine, and Custer, show up as small groups of parcels along the roads. Roughly 2,633 square miles of land and about 170,843 residents (2023 estimate) make up Yellowstone County. The Yellowstone County map mixes subdivision lots near Broadview with farm and wooded tracts farther out. Yellowstone County was organized in 1883, so deeds for older farms near Billings can run back a long way.
Reading a Yellowstone County atlas page
A typical atlas page for a township near Laurel lists sections, roads and streams, with each ownership block labeled. Small parcels and town lots in Laurel are frequently too small to label on an atlas page, which is another reason the online map is better for them. For a land purchase near Broadview, rely on the county parcel record and a title search, not an atlas.
Old atlases and family history in Yellowstone County
Farm families near Billings frequently keep successive editions of the Yellowstone County plat book, which together show how ownership shifted over decades. If you can't find a printed edition, a screenshot of each township from the county map serves as a handy homemade atlas for the area around Billings.
The Yellowstone County economy in brief
County Business Patterns counted 5,935 business establishments in Yellowstone County for 2022, led by construction, retail trade, and health care and social assistance. Oil and gas extraction and air transportation make up an above-average share of Yellowstone County businesses, a clue to how land around Laurel gets used.
Yellowstone County land records
The parcel layer for Yellowstone County points back to recorded deeds and plats, kept by the county's recording office (its title varies by state). Easements and access rights near Laurel live in recorded documents, so read the deed, not just the county map.
Yellowstone County plat book questions
What is the difference between a plat book and a plat in Yellowstone County?
No; a lot in Broadview answers to its recorded plat, and the county atlas is only a guide.
Can I buy a new plat book for Yellowstone County, Montana?
Editions come and go; inquire at the courthouse, extension office or farm supply stores in Broadview.
Are older plat books for Yellowstone County, Montana online?
Some libraries and historical societies keep older Yellowstone County atlases; ask what's available near Laurel.
Is the Yellowstone County, Montana online map better than a plat book?
For current owners near Laurel, yes; the county parcel viewer updates as deeds are processed.
Can I use a plat book to find lot lines near Broadview?
Only roughly; a Yellowstone County plat book is a reference, so a survey decides the real line.
Open the official Yellowstone County, MT parcel map Yellowstone County 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.