How to query a parcel and add it as a layer in MapLab Survey
A common field question is how to find a parcel, add it as a layer and measure around it.
Field takeaways
- Parcel query helps locate official parcel information, but field checks are still required.
- MapLab Survey can use queried or map-selected parcels as layers for drawing and measurement.
- Satellite imagery may have offset and should not be treated as legal boundary evidence.
- Official property decisions rely on authorised records.
What a parcel query solves
A parcel query finds a property's basic location from the province, district, neighbourhood, block and parcel numbers, or by picking it on the map. In Türkiye the official parcel query application is the authoritative starting point, and MapLab Survey's in-app parcel query works for Türkiye. In the field the need is usually simple: see the parcel on the map, get its boundary into a layer, and measure and draw on top of it.
Querying by identifiers or from the map
With the numbers known, enter province, district, neighbourhood, block and parcel and the boundary is added to the project as its own layer — name it "parcel_query" or after the job, so freshly measured RTK points, drawn lines and notes never mix with the reference. Without the numbers, panning to the area and picking the parcel from the map is faster, and just as practical for reading neighbour relations, spotting the access road or describing a working boundary.
What the layer is used for
- Keeping the parcel boundary as a visual base.
- Checking distances and the approximate area along the boundary.
- Collecting newly measured points on a separate layer.
- Attaching photos, descriptions and field notes.
- Preparing KML/KMZ, DXF, GeoJSON or CSV to share.
The technical cautions
Do not use the queried boundary as a legal stake-out line. The imagery base can shift, older data can carry datum-transformation effects, and the official interpretation of a boundary belongs to the authorised procedure. Differences between the reference layer and what you measure are normal — old cadastral work, walls built by eye and datum differences all contribute. Treat the query layer as a field guide; on precise work, proceed with control points, authoritative data and proper procedure.
Leave a note on export
When sharing the parcel layer as KML or DXF, add the source note: query method, date, project coordinate system, measurement method and any control differences. Services update — last year's layer will not match this year's, and the note tells the recipient how to read the line.
See it in action
MapLab Survey | Professional Mobile GIS, GPS Surveying & Land Measurement App
Visit the YouTube channel ->Try these steps on your own phone.
MapLab Survey handles RTK/GNSS point capture, drawing, area and volume calculations and coordinate conversion, then exports to DXF, KML/KMZ, GeoJSON, Shapefile, GeoPackage, NCZ or CSV. Capture, calculation and export work offline. Live NTRIP corrections and online basemaps need a connection.
Frequently asked questions
Can a queried parcel be added as a layer?
Yes, the parcel can be used as a project layer for drawing and measurement.
Is parcel query a legal boundary decision?
No. Use authorised records and procedures for official decisions.
Technical references
The field guidance in this article is aligned with the technical and official references below.
Related: Preparing KML for cadastre · How to measure land · Open KML on phone · MapLab Survey