A seller says a new lot is “approved,” but does that mean you can close on it or start building? Use this guide, Approved or Recorded? Checking a New Lot’s Platting Milestones, to ask for the documents behind that answer. Local government procedures distinguish approval, recording, and permit review; do not treat those milestones as interchangeable.
A plat is a map showing how land is divided. Nashville describes its final plat as showing the division along with the location and dimensions of public infrastructure easements and improvements. Easements identify rights to use land for particular purposes, such as utilities or access. For your project, ask which version of the plat you are looking at and what action has actually been completed.
Approved or Recorded? Checking a New Lot’s Platting Milestones
Preliminary review: Read the decision and its conditions
Preliminary approval is not the same as final approval. Pierce County, Washington, describes a sequence of preliminary approval, satisfying preliminary approval conditions, and final approval and recording. Its guidance says preliminary decisions are often subject to conditions.
Ask for the preliminary decision, the associated drawing, and the list of conditions. Then ask staff which conditions remain open. A useful question is: “What still has to happen before this subdivision can receive final approval?” That is more precise than asking whether the project is moving forward.
Do not assume every project follows the same preliminary process. Henrico County, Virginia, says preliminary plat approval is optional for subdivisions of 50 lots or fewer.
Final approval: Verify the document and the land it covers
Final approval is a government decision; recording is a separate step. Duluth, Minnesota, tells applicants they will receive an Action Letter documenting the decision. Its process then calls for Planning Commission signatures before the approved final plat is recorded with the county recorder.
Ask for the final approval document and the corresponding plat. Check that your proposed lot is included. Henrico County expressly allows a final plat to cover all or only a portion of the land on an approved preliminary plat. Approval of one portion should not be used as your evidence for another.
Recording: Ask for proof, not a forecast
Recording means filing the approved subdivision document in the appropriate public land records. The office varies: Duluth directs applicants to the county recorder, while Henrico describes recordation in the Circuit Court.
Request a recorded copy or other recording documentation, and ask the local office to confirm that it covers the lot you intend to purchase. Duluth specifically requires applicants to submit a receipt or other recording documentation to the city. “Ready to record” is not proof that this step has happened.
Why recording may not mean permit readiness
The wording of a local rule matters. Duluth says lots may be sold and building permits may be issued after final plat recording, but it also says the city must receive recording documentation before issuing building permits. Henrico says developers may submit plans for building permit approval after subdivision plats are recorded. Permission to submit plans is not an issued permit.
Plat notes deserve attention, too. East Baton Rouge Parish regulations include a minor-subdivision provision allowing lots to be labeled “Not a Building Site,” with a note withholding building permits until specified requirements are completed. The supplied provision includes sanitary sewer design and plan approval requirements. This is a local example, not a nationwide rule.
Before scheduling construction, ask the permitting office: “Can an application be submitted, is it under review, or has a permit actually been issued?” Ask separately about any restrictions written on the plat.
A status checklist before closing or construction
- Identify the approval path. Ask whether the project is a standard subdivision, minor subdivision, or another land-division process.
- Match the paperwork. Request the preliminary decision, final approval, and plat applicable to the specific lot and project portion.
- Check unfinished conditions. Ask planning staff what remains before final approval or recording.
- Verify recording. Obtain recording documentation and confirm whether the permitting office has received it.
- Check the clock. Ask for the applicable approval expiration date and any documented extension.
- Confirm permit status separately. Request a clear answer about application eligibility, review status, and issuance.
Deadlines are local, too. Duluth’s code says final plat approval lapses unless recording occurs within two years; approved minor subdivisions and boundary line adjustments have a 180-day recording deadline. Henrico gives applicants one year after final plat approval to record and allows written extension requests for consideration.
Requirements vary by state and locality. Before committing to a closing or construction date, have the city or county confirm the remaining steps in writing, and consult a licensed surveyor or attorney about questions specific to your lot or transaction.
Footnotes & Sources
- Subdivision Regulations, Nashville.gov. — Final plat description, including land division, infrastructure easements, and improvements.
- Land Division, piercecountywa.gov. — Pierce County’s preliminary approval, conditions, final approval, and recording sequence.
- Plans of Development, Site Plan and Subdivisions FAQs » Henrico County, Virginia, henrico.gov. — Henrico’s optional preliminary approval threshold, partial final plats, recording office, recording deadline, extension requests, and subsequent building permit plan submission.
- Subdivision – Plat Approval or Amendment | City of Duluth, MN, duluthmn.gov. — Duluth’s Action Letter, required signatures, recording documentation, and relationship between recording, lot sales, and building permits; utility and pedestrian easement examples.
- PERMITS AND FINAL PLAT APPROVAL, brla.gov. — East Baton Rouge minor-subdivision plat labels and sewer-related restrictions on building permits.
- Chapter 50 of the City of Duluth Legislative Code, duluthmn.gov. — Duluth’s final plat and minor-subdivision recording deadlines and lapse provisions.