Legal Description

A legal description is the written way of defining the property’s location, boundaries, and any existing easements on the property. The legal description is commonly provided in a deed, mortgage, title commitment or other purchase document. It can also be obtained from a county recorder, tax assessor, or similar official.

On a very basic level a legal description will involve a Lot, a Block and a Subdivision name to define the property. The legal description pinpoints the location of the subject property within its particular Township, Range and Section, which might also involve degrees and distance.

Here is an example of a legal description:

LOT 12 IN BLOCK 5 IN ROGER T. MULLEN AND COMPANY’S HILLSIDE ADDITION TO KNOLL WOODS SUBDIVISION IN SECTION 5, TOWNSHIP 34 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

 **Disclaimer: The legal description above contains fictitious data for demonstration purposes only. It does not describe any parcel of land that actually exists. 

How do I obtain my property’s legal description?

 

You can obtain your legal description form your county’s Recorder of Deeds Office. If you can’t find your legal description (usually located in your deed, mortgage, title commitment or other purchase document) click on your county’s link below for instructions on how to obtain it. 

Cook County
Lake County
DuPage County
McHenry County