Land boundary app: occupation line, parcel reference and legal boundary
Recording an occupation line and determining a legal boundary are different jobs. MapLab Survey helps with the field record.
Field takeaways
- Occupation lines may be fences, walls, ditches, roads or vegetation rows.
- Parcel lines are references, not legal declarations by themselves.
- Measured boundary, parcel reference and RTK control should be separate layers.
- Photos and notes make field interpretation understandable.
- For disputes, the app is documentation, not an authority.
Two different boundaries
There is the boundary you can see and the boundary in the register. An app measures the first and can display an approximation of the second; only a licensed survey determines it.
Measure what exists
Record the fences, walls and corners actually on the ground, with photographs. That documentation is useful whatever the register says.
Compare, do not conclude
Overlay the reference geometry and note the differences. A gap is information, not proof of encroachment.
Know when to escalate
If the difference affects a sale, a build or a neighbour, document it properly and bring in a licensed surveyor before anything is built.
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 an app determine a land boundary?
It can record field references, not declare legal boundaries.
Can a field line be walked?
Yes, for reconnaissance.
Is a fence a parcel boundary?
Not always.
How does MapLab Survey help?
It organizes layers, measurements, photos and exports.
Technical references
The field guidance in this article is aligned with the technical and official references below.
Related: Walk parcel boundary · Find parcel by phone · Registry area comparison · MapLab Survey