What Is an APN? How to Look Up a Land Parcel

The APN, or assessor parcel number, is the number a county uses to identify a parcel of land for tax purposes. It is the fastest, most reliable way to look up a specific piece of land, and it is the first thing to ask for when you are buying or selling acreage.

What an APN is

An APN (also called a parcel ID, PIN or tax ID, depending on the area) is a unique number the county assessor assigns to each parcel. It is used to assess and bill property taxes and to find the parcel in county records. The format varies by county: some are short numbers, others are long strings broken up with dashes.

Where to find it

  • On the property tax bill or assessment notice.
  • On the county assessor or GIS parcel viewer: click the parcel and the APN appears.
  • On the deed or title documents for the property.
  • On a listing, if the seller includes it. A serious seller should be able to give you the APN.

What you can look up with it

  • Owner of record and mailing address.
  • Acreage and approximate boundary.
  • Assessed value and property-tax amount, including any delinquency.
  • Zoning designation and sometimes land use and flood-zone information.
  • The recorded deed and its recording information with the county recorder.

Limits to keep in mind

GIS boundaries are approximate and should not be treated as a survey. Assessed value is a tax number, not a market price. And the APN tells you the owner of record, not whether the seller has a clean right to sell, which is what a title search is for.

Using an APN when selling

If you want a buyer to review your land quickly, give them the APN and acreage. With those two items a buyer can pull the parcel, check the boundary, taxes and zoning, and respond with a real offer instead of asking a long list of questions.

Frequently asked questions

Is an APN the same as a legal description?

No. The APN is the county's tax identifier. The legal description is the precise written description of the land's boundaries used in the deed. Both identify the same parcel but serve different purposes.

Can I find an APN from an address?

Usually yes. Most county assessor sites let you search by situs address. Vacant land often has no street address, so search by owner name or click the parcel on the GIS map.

Does the APN show who really owns the land?

It shows the owner of record according to the assessor. To confirm the seller can legally convey the land, order a title search.