Geometric plan

What it means

A geometric plan is a technical document prepared by a surveyor showing the division, merger or survey of a plot or a new building. It is the basis for recording changes in the land register, which records property by precisely surveyed boundaries.

It is prepared by an authorised surveyor and cartographer and must be officially verified by the cadastral department of the district office before use. The verified plan shows the new area, parcel numbers and the changes, which are then reflected in the cadastral map.

A plan is needed, for example, when selling part of a plot, merging parcels, registering a new building after occupancy approval, defining an easement over part of a plot or settling land under a road. Without it, the change cannot be entered in the register.

How it works in practice

When selling part of a plot, the geometric plan creating the new parcel is prepared first, and only then is the purchase contract signed with reference to it. The verified plan is attached to the application for registration, or the land register will reject it.

For a new building, the surveyor measures its actual position and prepares a plan to register it in the land register. The survey is also needed for occupancy approval and is best done during construction so the building stands where the building permit allows.

A change in area or land type under the geometric plan may affect land tax. After registration, the change must be reported to the municipality in the real estate tax return so the tax reflects the new situation.

What to watch out for

Verifying the plan and registering it take weeks, so this must be built into the timetable for a sale or financing. For a mortgage on a new build, the bank often requires the building to be registered, which is impossible without a geometric plan.

A geometric plan has a limited period of usability, and if the land register changes in the meantime it may need updating. In boundary disputes, distinguish between a plan for changes and setting out boundaries on the ground, which is a separate surveying task.