Legal descriptions for the Florida real estate exam
Last reviewed: November 2026
A legal description identifies one parcel of land so precisely that no other parcel fits it. A street address is not a legal description. In the United States there are three methods: metes and bounds, lot and block (recorded plat) and the government (rectangular) survey system, also called township and range. The Florida exam tests all three.
Legal descriptions are exam area X (5% of the Florida sales associate exam), and the area includes math: definitions plus acreage calculations.
The three methods compared
| Method | How it describes land | Key terms |
|---|---|---|
| Metes and bounds | Walks the boundary from a starting point, using directions and distances, back to the start | Point of beginning (POB), monuments, courses (directions), distances |
| Lot and block | Refers to a lot number on a recorded subdivision plat | Plat, plat book and page, lot, block |
| Government survey | Locates land in a grid of townships and sections measured from a principal meridian and base line | Township, range, section, quarter section |
What is metes and bounds
"Metes" are measurements (distance and direction); "bounds" are boundaries, often marked by monuments such as iron pins, trees or roads. A metes and bounds description:
- starts at a point of beginning (POB), usually tied to a known reference point;
- follows each boundary line as a course, such as "north 45 degrees east, 200 feet";
- must return to the point of beginning so that the boundary closes.
Bearings are read from north or south toward east or west, so "N 45° E" means start facing north and turn 45 degrees toward east. A bearing never starts with east or west.
Metes and bounds example
"Beginning at the iron pin at the northwest corner of the parcel (POB); thence east 264 feet; thence south 495 feet; thence west 264 feet; thence north 495 feet to the point of beginning." This closes, so it is a valid description. The parcel is 264 × 495 = 130,680 square feet. Divide by 43,560 square feet per acre and you get exactly 3 acres.
Lot and block (recorded plat)
When land is subdivided, a surveyor draws a plat, which Florida law defines as a map that is a "complete exact representation of the subdivision" (s. 177.031(14), F.S.). A lot is the smallest fractional part of subdivided land with fixed boundaries and an assigned number or name, and a block is a group of lots within fixed boundaries, usually surrounded by streets (s. 177.031(11), (2), F.S.).
Once the plat is recorded, a deed can say: "Lot 7, Block C, of Palm Grove Subdivision, according to the plat recorded in Plat Book 52, Page 18, of the public records of the county." The plat itself carries the metes and bounds measurements, so the short description is still exact.
Government survey system (township and range)
The rectangular survey system divides land into a grid measured from a principal meridian (north–south) and a base line (east–west).
- Township: 6 miles by 6 miles, containing 36 sections. Rows of townships north or south of the base line are numbered as townships (T); columns east or west of the meridian are ranges (R).
- Section: 1 mile by 1 mile, which is 1 square mile or 640 acres.
- Acre: 43,560 square feet.
A typical description reads "the SW 1/4 of Section 12, Township 3 South, Range 4 East".
How to calculate acreage in a section
Read the description from the end backward and multiply 640 by each fraction. Two rules:
- "of" means multiply;
- "and" (or a semicolon) means add two separate parcels.
| Description | Calculation | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| N 1/2 of the SW 1/4 | 640 × 1/4 × 1/2 | 80 |
| W 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 | 640 × 1/4 × 1/4 × 1/2 | 20 |
| NE 1/4 and the N 1/2 of the SE 1/4 | 160 + 80 | 240 |
Price example: the 20-acre parcel above sells for $4,500 per acre. 20 × $4,500 = $90,000. More acreage and area formulas are on the real estate math page.
Metes and bounds vs township and range
- Metes and bounds works for any shape; it depends on a boundary that closes.
- The government survey works best for large, square tracts; small or irregular parcels are usually then described by metes and bounds or by plat.
- Lot and block is the everyday method in subdivisions and depends on a recorded plat.
Where legal descriptions show up in Florida practice
A written listing agreement must include a description of the property (s. 475.25(1)(r), F.S.). Florida's statutory warranty deed form leaves a space for the property appraiser's parcel identification number, but that number is not part of the legal description and cannot replace it (s. 689.02(2), F.S.). See deeds for the Florida exam.
Exam traps
- A metes and bounds description that does not return to the POB is defective.
- A section is 640 acres; a township has 36 sections. Do not confuse 36 with the township's 6-mile side.
- Work fractions from the end of the description; the result can never be larger than 640 acres per section.
- "And" adds, "of" multiplies.
- A parcel ID number or street address is not a legal description.
Practice question
How many acres are in the S 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of a section?
A) 10. B) 20. C) 40. D) 80.
Answer: B. 640 × 1/4 = 160; × 1/4 = 40; × 1/2 = 20 acres.
Test yourself
The free Florida practice test includes legal description and acreage questions with worked explanations. For more area X questions and full timed exams, see the paid question bank.
Real Estate Drill is an independent study tool, not legal advice. We are not affiliated with FREC, DBPR or Pearson VUE.