Legal Description Guidelines

All legal descriptions submitted to the City and County of Denver (City) shall be referred to the office of the City Surveyor for review. The City Surveyor or assigned staff shall review the description for conformance to City records. The submitted document shall be in 8 ½" by 11" format and shall consist of a written description accompanied by an illustration depicting the description.

Minimum Requirements for the Written Description

Each description shall have a TITLE.
The title shall be centered and consist of the following:

EXHIBIT A
LEGAL DESCRIPTION
PAGE XX OF XX

Each description shall have a CAPTION.
If there are multiple parcels within a single Exhibit, each parcel should have an identifiable name (Parcel 1, Parcel 2, Parcel A, Parcel B, etc.) along with a caption for each parcel.

Nothing in the Title, Caption or Body shall describe a "use" for the parcel.

Caption shall refer to the underlying lots, blocks, and subdivision. Recording information for metes and bounds description is required. Caption shall also include ¼ Section, Section, Township, Range West of the 6th Principal Meridian, City and County of Denver, State of Colorado, described as follows: (this phrase is to be used when the body is separate from the caption).

Each description can include a BODY.
Descriptions shall be written in the simplest form possible; Caption and Body may be combined.

Example:
     The West 2.00 feet of Lots... or
     The South 5.00 feet of the parcel described in...

If a metes and bounds description is required, the Body shall include:

  • Use the term "Commencing" if the point you are commencing from is NOT on the boundary that is being described
  • Point of Beginning
  • Basis of Bearings, if bearings are used
  • Locative calls to clearly described bounding elements and/or monuments
  • Closure tolerance of 0.01' by 0.01'

Area Statement containing square feet (nearest sq ft) and acreage (nearest one ten thousandth of an acre), more or less.

Seal; sign and date across Seal.

Each description shall be prepared by a Colorado Licensed Land Surveyor and include an AUTHORED BY / PREPARED BY statement containing the name, professional license number, address, and phone number of the preparer of the description.

Minimum Requirements for the Illustration

Each description shall have a TITLE.
The title shall be centered and consist of the following:

EXHIBIT A
ILLUSTRATION
PAGE XX OF XX

Nothing in the illustration shall describe a "use" for the parcel.

The illustration shall show:

  • The parcel(s) being described along with the closest north/south and east/west streets.
  • The parcel(s) should be shown at a scale that fills as much of the sheet as possible, and so that all parcel lines & dimensions are legible
  • The boundary should be a solid, heavy line
  • North Arrow
  • Scale (may include scale bar)
  • No hatching or gray fill
  • Basis of Bearings, if bearings are used
  • Area Statement
  • Underlying lots, block, subdivision and/or aliquot lines
  • Point of Commencement and/or Point of Beginning, if applicable

Seal; sign and date across Seal.

Once approved by CCD Survey Reviewer

When the Exhibit A description and illustration is approved by the CCD Survey Reviewer, provide a signed .pdf, with original dated signature and seal, and a digital file (Word .docx file) containing the description to the CCD Survey Reviewer.

Legal Description Guidelines and Exhibits(PDF, 2MB)

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