4.1 Plat Size, Reproducible Form, Title Contents & Required Plat Information (G.S. 47-30(a)-(f))

4.1 Statutory Plat Requirements & Technical Specifications (G.S. 47-30(a)-(c))

In the State of North Carolina, the recordation of land survey plats is governed by North Carolina General Statutes § 47-30 (G.S. 47-30), entitled "Plats and subdivisions; mapping requirements." The statutory framework establishes uniform technical standards, physical drafting dimensions, archival media criteria, and mandatory cartographic elements that every map or plat must satisfy before being accepted for registration by the county Register of Deeds.

The primary purpose of G.S. 47-30 is to ensure that all land records entered into the public registry possess permanent archival durability, optical legibility for microfilming and electronic document management, and rigorous legal and mathematical completeness to protect real property title throughout North Carolina.

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1. Statutory Sheet Dimensions and Border Margins (G.S. 47-30(a))

G.S. 47-30(a) does not command a size so much as deem three sizes sufficient: a plat presented to the register of deeds having an outside marginal size of 18" x 24", 21" x 30", or 24" x 36" is deemed to meet the size requirement. A county may specify (1) only 18 x 24; (2) 18 x 24 combined with 21 x 30; (3) 18 x 24 combined with 24 x 36; or (4) all three. Counties specifying anything other than all three must file their specification with the North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds for a master list kept in every register of deeds office. Where land area or legibility requires, a plat may be placed on two or more sheets with appropriate match lines. The statute also declares that "plat" and "map" are synonymous.

To maintain uniformity across North Carolina's 100 county registries, the General Assembly established standard physical dimensions for all maps presented for recording.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                        STATUTORY SHEET SIZES & MARGIN CLEARANCES                        |
|                                     (G.S. 47-30(a))                                     |
|                                                                                         |
|   <-------------------------------- Total Width --------------------------------->      |
|   +-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+  ^  |
|   |                               0.5" Top Margin                                 |  |  |
|   |   +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+   |  |  |
|   |   |                                                                       |   |  |  |
|   |   |                                                                       |   |  |  |
|   |   |                                                                       |   |  T  |
|   | 1 |                                                                       | 0 |  o  |
|   | . |                                                                       | . |  t  |
|   | 5 |                                                                       | 5 |  a  |
|   | " |                        ACTIVE DRAWING AREA                            | " |  l  |
|   |   |                                                                       |   |     |
|   | L |                     • Linework & Dimensions                           | R |  H  |
|   | e |                     • North Arrow & Meridian Basis                    | i |  e  |
|   | f |                     • Surveyor Seal & Certification                   | g |  i  |
|   | t |                     • Review Officer Certificate                      | h |  g  |
|   |   |                     • Title Block & Vicinity Map                      | t |  h  |
|   | B |                                                                       |   |  t  |
|   | i |                                                                       | M |     |
|   | n |                                                                       | a |  |  |
|   | d |                                                                       | r |  |  |
|   |   +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+   |  |  |
|   |                              0.5" Bottom Margin                               |  |  |
|   +-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+  v  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Mandatory Standard Sheet Sizes

Under G.S. 47-30(a), any plat presented for recording must conform to one of the following standard overall sheet sizes (measured from edge to edge in inches):

[!IMPORTANT] If a surveyor submits a plat with non-standard dimensions (such as 22" × 34" or 30" × 42"), the Register of Deeds has the statutory authority and duty to reject the plat unless the Board of County Commissioners and the Register of Deeds have formally approved that specific alternate size.

Mandatory Border Margins

To prevent the loss of drafting data when plats are bound into large map books or scanned by commercial flatbed and roller scanners, G.S. 47-30(a) imposes strict border margin rules:

• Landscape format: minimum one and one-half inch border on the left side.
• Portrait format: minimum one and one-half inch border on the top side.
• All other sides (either format): minimum one-half inch border.

The wide border is a binding allowance, and which edge carries it depends on sheet orientation — a detail that makes a clean exam item.

• Enclosure Rule: All linework, text, certifications, title blocks, seals, and Review Officer stamps must be situated entirely inside the interior borderlines. No text or stamps may cross or intrude into the 1.5-inch left binding margin.

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2. Reproducible Form & Electronic Recording (G.S. 47-30(b) & (o))

Public land records in North Carolina must endure for centuries without chemical degradation, ink fading, or dimensional distortion.

What G.S. 47-30(b) Actually Says About the Medium

The statute is one sentence, and it names exactly two acceptable forms:

"Each plat presented for recording shall be a reproducible plat, either original ink on polyester film (mylar), or a reproduced drawing, transparent and archival (as defined by the American National Standards Institute), and submitted in this form."

Two more requirements ride along with it: the recorded plat must be such that the public may obtain legible copies, and a direct or photographic copy of each recorded plat is placed in the plat book or plat file and properly indexed.

There is one statutory relief valve. In counties where the register of deeds has made a security copy of the plat from which legible copies can be made, the original may be submitted as black line on white paper instead of transparent and archival, and may be returned to the person indicated on the plat.

[!CAUTION] The statute prescribes no film thickness, no ink specification, no paper weight, and no archival standard beyond the ANSI reference. Specifications such as "4-mil matte-one-side mylar" are drafting-room and county-counter conventions, not law. Confirm the local register of deeds' practice, but do not present those figures as statutory requirements.

Reproducible Form — G.S. 47-30(b)

Each plat presented for recording "shall be a reproducible plat, either original ink on polyester film (mylar), or a reproduced drawing, transparent and archival (as defined by the American National Standards Institute), and submitted in this form." The recorded plat must be such that the public may obtain legible copies, and a direct or photographic copy goes into the plat book or plat file, properly indexed. In counties where the register has made a security copy from which legible copies can be made, the original may be submitted as black line on white paper instead of transparent and archival, and may be returned to the person indicated on the plat.

Electronic Plat Recording — G.S. 47-30(o)

Under the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act (URPERA, G.S. § 47-16.1 through § 47-16.11) and G.S. 47-30(a), county Registers of Deeds are authorized to accept electronic plat filings through approved secure electronic recording portals.

• What the statute actually requires: G.S. 47-30(o) says the size, reproducible-form, and certification requirements are met for an "electronic document" as defined in G.S. 47-16.2(3) if all five of the following are true: the register of deeds has authorized the submitter to register electronic documents; the plat is submitted by a federal or State governmental unit or instrumentality or a trusted submitter (one with a memorandum of understanding with that county register); evidence of required certifications appears on the digitized image as it will appear on the public record; a trusted submitter includes the prescribed "Submitted electronically by ____ in compliance with North Carolina statutes governing recordable documents and the terms of the submitter agreement with the ____ County Register of Deeds" statement on the first page of the image; and the digitized image otherwise conforms to all applicable laws and rules prescribing recordation.
• No format or resolution rule. The statute names no file format and no dots-per-inch threshold. Any specific DPI or TIFF/PDF-A requirement you encounter is a county e-recording vendor specification, not G.S. 47-30.
• Digital Signatures and Seals: Under 21 NCAC 56.1103, a Professional Land Surveyor may electronically sign and seal an electronic plat using an authenticated digital signature that is: (1) unique to the licensee, (2) verifiable, (3) under the licensee's sole control, and (4) linked to the document in such a manner that any subsequent modification invalidates the digital signature.

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3. The Title Block (G.S. 47-30(c)) and the Plat Content List (G.S. 47-30(f))

Split these two, because the statute does.

G.S. 47-30(c) — Information Contained in Title of Plat. The title of each plat shall contain seven items: (1) the property designation; (2) the name of the owner, shown for indexing purposes only and not to be construed as title certification; (3) the location, to include county and State, and the township or city if applicable; (4) the date or dates the survey was made; (5) the scale or scale ratio in words or figures and bar graph; (6) the name and address of the surveyor preparing the plat, including the firm name and firm license number, if applicable; and (7) the dates and descriptions of revisions made after original signing. The statute closes with a rule that catches many drafters: this information "shall be listed prominently on the plat. Information listed in the notes contained on the plat does not satisfy the requirements of this subsection."

G.S. 47-30(f) — Plat to Contain Specific Information. The north arrow and its meridian basis, the azimuth or course and distance of every property line surveyed, horizontal ground or grid measurement with the combined grid factor, curve data, subdivision street and lot geometry closing the perimeter, monumented corners, adjoiner names or legal references, visible and apparent rights-of-way and utilities, the coordinate/tie requirement, the vicinity map and legend, and the surveyor's subdivision-category certification are all in (f), not (c). Section 4.2 covers (f)(11) in full.

Mandatory elements at a glance (G.S. 47-30(c) and (f))

Under G.S. 47-30(c), every land survey plat submitted for recordation must contain specific graphic and textual data. The omission of any mandatory statutory element renders the plat legally defective and subject to rejection by the Review Officer or Register of Deeds.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|            MANDATORY PLAT ELEMENTS - TITLE (c) AND CONTENT (f)                          |
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| Statutory Element                  | Specific Drafting & Content Mandate                |
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| 1. Scales (Dual Presentation)      | • Graphic bar scale AND written numerical scale.   |
|                                    | • Example: "Scale: 1 inch = 100 feet" + Bar Scale. |
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| 2. North Arrow & Meridian Basis    | • Prominent North arrow with explicit datum source.|
|                                    | • Options: NAD 83 Grid, Astronomic, Magnetic (with |
|                                    |   declination & date), or Deed/Plat Record North.  |
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| 3. Curve Data Parameters           | • Curve table or annotated arc showing:            |
|                                    |   Radius (R), Arc Length (L), Chord Bearing,       |
|                                    |   Chord Distance (Ch), and Delta Angle (Δ).        |
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| 4. Adjoining Properties            | • Names of record adjoiners and/or lot & block     |
|                                    |   subdivision numbers with Deed Book/Page or       |
|                                    |   Plat Book/Page recording references.             |
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| 5. Title Block Information         | • Property name/subdivision, owner/developer name, |
|                                    |   County, Township, City, Date of Survey/Revisions,|
|                                    |   PLS name, license number, firm name & COA.       |
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| 6. Vicinity / Locator Map          | • Small-scale locator map identifying site relative|
|                                    |   to state roads (SR numbers), junctions, or cities|
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| 7. Boundary Linework & Bearings    | • Bearings to nearest second (or minute);          |
|                                    |   Distances to nearest 0.01 foot (hundredths).     |
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| 8. Monumentation Details           | • Clear distinction between monuments FOUND vs.   |
|                                    |   monuments SET (with physical descriptions/sizes).|
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| 9. Streets, R/W & Easements        | • Widths, centerlines, and public/private status of|
|                                    |   all streets, access easements, and utilities.    |
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Dual Scale Requirement

A plat cannot rely solely on a written text scale (such as 1" = 50'). Because historical reproduction processes (photocopying, optical reduction, microfilming) can distort physical paper dimensions, G.S. 47-30(c)(2) strictly requires both a written ratio scale and a readable graphic bar scale.

North Arrow and Meridian Basis Disclosure

Under G.S. 47-30(c)(3), every plat must display a prominent North arrow that clearly states the reference meridian upon which all bearings are oriented. Acceptable meridian references include:

• Grid North: Referenced to the North Carolina State Plane Coordinate System (e.g., Meridian Basis: NC Grid NAD 83 (2011));
• True North: Determined by solar or Polaris astronomic observations (e.g., Meridian Basis: Astronomic True North from Solar Observation);
• Magnetic North: Measured via compass needle, which must state the date of observation and magnetic declination (e.g., Meridian Basis: Magnetic North Observed June 2024, Declination 8°15' W);
• Record / Deed North: Tied to a prior recorded instrument (e.g., Meridian Basis: Oriented to the centerline of Oak Ridge Road as shown in Plat Book 45, Page 112).

Comprehensive Curve Data Tables

When boundary lines or right-of-way lines follow circular curves, G.S. 47-30(c)(4) mandates the full disclosure of curve geometry. Plats must display a curve table or direct on-arc annotations listing the five essential curve components:

$\text{Mandatory Curve Parameters: } \{R, L, \text{Chord Bearing}, \text{Chord Distance}, \Delta\}$

                         CIRCULAR CURVE GEOMETRY
                                    
                                   Arc (L)
                          +------------------------+
                         /                          \
                        /                            \
                       /                              \
         PC (Point of /................................\ PT (Point of
          Curvature)  \         Chord (Ch)             /   Tangency)
                       \                              /
                        \                            /
                         \                          /
                        R \                        / R
                           \                      /
                            \         Δ          /
                             \  (Central Angle) /
                              \                /
                               \              /
                                \            /
                                 \          /
                                  \        /
                                   \      /
                                    \    /
                                     \  /
                                      \/
                               Radius Point (O)

If a curve is non-tangent to the preceding or succeeding boundary course, the radial bearing at the point of intersection must also be clearly noted on the plat.

Adjoiner Identification and Chain of Reference

To provide comprehensive record notice, G.S. 47-30(c)(7) requires that all contiguous property lines identify:

1. The current legal name of the adjoining record owner;
2. The specific recording citation where the adjoiner's title is registered (e.g., N/F Robert M. Jenkins, Deed Book 2145, Page 389); or
3. In recorded subdivisions, the specific lot number, block designation, and map reference (e.g., Lot 14, Block B, Deerwood Phase II, Plat Book 32, Page 14).

[!CAUTION] G.S. 47-30(f)(7) requires the names of adjacent landowners, or lot/block/parcel/subdivision designations, or other legal reference, "where they could be determined by the surveyor" — and 21 NCAC 56 .1604(d)(7) allows a note where the information could not be determined. That qualifier is not a license to skip the record examination required by 21 NCAC 56 .1602(c); a bare "N/F Unknown" that no research supports is a standard-of-care problem.