Certified Residential Appraiser Practice Exam

Which system of legal descriptions uses townships?

1. Lot and block system

2. Metes and bounds

3. Rectangular survey system

4. Surveyor's system

The correct answer is: Rectangular survey system

The system of legal descriptions that utilizes townships is the rectangular survey system, also known as the Public Land Survey System (PLSS). This system divides land into a grid of townships and ranges, primarily used in the United States for the systematic description of land parcels. In this context, a township is generally a square that measures six miles on each side, resulting in an area of 36 square miles. The rectangular survey system breaks down land further into sections, which are one-mile square subdivisions of a township. Each section contains 640 acres, making it easier to identify and locate specific parcels of land. Unlike the rectangular survey system, the lot and block system is typically used in urban areas to describe individual lots within a subdivision, relying on a recorded plat map. The metes and bounds system employs a narrative description of the perimeter of a property, utilizing physical landmarks and distances, while the surveyor's system generally refers to methods used by surveyors, which can include but are not limited to the PLSS. Therefore, the rectangular survey system is the valid choice as it directly involves the concept of townships in its land description methodology.