Legal description glossary

Metes and bounds walks the parcel boundary back to the point of beginning

Read it as a route, not a street address. Each call turns or measures to the next boundary point until the description closes.

Last updated: August 1, 2026

Metes and bounds: definition first

Direct answer: Metes and bounds is a legal-description method that identifies a parcel by tracing its boundary from a stated point of beginning through a sequence of directions, distances, monuments, curves, and adjoining boundaries, then returning to the point of beginning. Metes are measurements; bounds are boundary features or limits. The description must locate a definite parcel rather than merely describe its neighborhood.

Why it is on the exam: PSI expressly lists the metes-and-bounds method under land characteristics and legal descriptions in the 10 percent Property Ownership area. Questions commonly test the point of beginning, monument calls, closure, and the difference between a legal description and a property address.

Starting anchor

Point of beginning

Metes

Directions and distances

Bounds

Boundary features or limits

Completion check

Returns to beginning

Choose the description method from its identifying clues

Decision point	Metes and bounds	Lot and block
Core structure	Boundary calls from a point of beginning	Lot and block identifiers tied to a recorded subdivision plat
Typical words	Thence, bearing, distance, monument, curve	Lot, block, subdivision, plat, recording reference
Best fit	Irregular parcels and land not described solely by a recorded lot	Platted subdivision parcels
Verification	Boundary closes and can be located	Recorded plat and referenced lot match

Separate the reference point from the point of beginning

A description may begin with a point of commencement that helps a surveyor reach the parcel. The point of beginning, often shortened to POB, is where the actual parcel boundary trace begins and must end. A question can include both points to test whether the candidate recognizes which one defines the closed perimeter.

The POB must be connected to reliable survey evidence, such as a monument, section corner, recorded line, or other identifiable control. Saying 'near the old tree' is not useful if the tree and its relationship to the boundary cannot be established.

Locate the POB before following any boundary call.
Read each direction and distance in sequence.
Note monuments, curves, roads, water, and adjoining parcels.
Confirm that the last call returns to the POB.

Treat monuments as evidence, not decorative words

A monument is a natural or artificial object used to mark or identify a boundary, such as a stone, iron pin, marked corner, road, or water feature. When calls conflict, survey and property law use priority rules to determine which evidence controls. The exact result belongs to a qualified surveyor and applicable law, not a broker's guess.

Directions can be expressed by bearings, and distances can use feet or other units. Curved boundaries require additional geometric information. An exam question may ask only which method is being used, so recognize the vocabulary before attempting calculations the question does not request.

Closure is necessary but not a guarantee of the correct parcel

A mathematical route that returns to its starting coordinate closes. That catches an obvious missing distance or wrong direction, but a closed polygon can still be in the wrong location or use an incorrect monument. Closure tests internal consistency, not the full validity of title or survey evidence.

A street address, tax parcel number, or informal acreage statement can help identify property but is not a substitute for the controlling legal description. When documents conflict, the deed, recorded plat, survey evidence, and legal review determine the parcel intended.

The description stops ten feet short

Question: A metes-and-bounds description begins at an iron pin, follows four calls, and the final call ends ten feet from that iron pin. What problem should the candidate identify first?

Best answer: The description does not close back to its point of beginning.

Why: A complete perimeter must return to the POB. The gap signals a direction, distance, monument, curve, or drafting error that requires survey and document review before the parcel can be treated as reliably described.

Lock in the distinction

Exam trap

Do not call the first place named in a long description the POB automatically. It may be a point of commencement used only to reach the actual starting corner.

Memory cue

Begin, walk, turn, measure, close. If you cannot return to the POB, the boundary story is unfinished.

Quick questions

What is the point of beginning?

It is the point where the parcel's boundary trace starts and ends. A point of commencement can be used first to reach it.

What do metes and bounds mean?

Metes are measurements such as directions and distances. Bounds are monuments, adjoining lines, and other boundary limits.

Must a metes-and-bounds description close?

Yes. Its final call should return to the POB, although mathematical closure alone does not prove every monument and location is correct.

Is a street address a legal description?

A street address is useful for delivery and ordinary identification, but it is not the metes-and-bounds, lot-and-block, or government-survey description controlling the land conveyed.

Primary sources and review status

Checked through August 1, 2026. This definition is an exam-prep explanation, not a substitute for current law or advice about a live dispute. The current official source controls if the outline or Illinois rule changes.