Last updated: May 31, 2026. Educational, screening-grade county-call preparation guide only.
Before you call
Start with planning or zoning, then move through septic, roads, building, floodplain, records, tax, and utilities. If the first office points you elsewhere, follow that routing path.
Planning and zoning
Use planning or zoning to confirm the district, allowed use, overlays, minimum lot size, frontage, setbacks, density, and whether your intended use needs another review step.
For broader buildability screening, see Can I build on this land?. For source mapping, see county land due diligence sources.
Septic and health
This office may handle septic or onsite wastewater records, perc history, soil evaluation, repair history, and the review path for your intended use.
For deeper wastewater screening, see septic and perc questions before buying land. For utility-heavy lots, see buying land with no utilities.
Roads and access
Road and public works staff can help with road status, maintenance, driveway or culvert questions, and the practical access path for the parcel.
For a deeper access screen, see landlocked property and access before buying.
Floodplain, drainage, wetlands, and soils
Floodplain staff can help with mapped flood context, local review steps, drainage, stormwater, and whether a site plan needs extra attention.
For map-risk screening, see flood, wetlands, and soil red flags before buying land.
Recorded documents
Use the recorder or clerk to locate plats, easements, covenants, road agreements, and other recorded documents tied to the parcel.
Recorded documents may still need title, survey, or legal interpretation. The sample report shows how LandCheck keeps that distinction clear.
Assessor and tax
The assessor or tax office can confirm the tax account, parcel classification, and any special assessment or exemption questions that matter before closing.
For source mapping, see county land due diligence sources. For the first-pass screen, see Can I build on this land?.
Utilities
Ask the provider whether the parcel can actually be served, what route or easement is needed, and what costs or timing remain uncertain.
For the broader service screen, see buying land with no utilities.
Use-case blocks
What screening can prepare
Organize parcel identity, APN, tax ID, county, map links, and source categories before calling.
Point to likely offices: planning or zoning, building or permitting, septic or health, floodplain, roads, records, tax, and utilities.
Flag visible zoning, GIS, flood, wetland, soil, access, road, septic, and utility questions.
Create a next-step checklist so the county call is more focused and less intimidating.
This prepares the call. It does not replace the call.
Limits of screening
Public-source screening can organize county questions, but it cannot answer on behalf of the county or replace professional review.
Script
“I’m considering buying parcel [APN] at or near [location]. I’m trying to confirm [intended use]. Which office should I ask about zoning, access, septic, floodplain, driveway permits, building permits, utilities, and recorded restrictions?”
Keep it plain. Ask which office handles each issue and what records you should request before buying.
Public sources
Find the source path before you trust a claim.
Use this when electric, water, sewer, internet, or gas availability is uncertain.
Parcel maps, boundaries, roads, layers, flood context, access clues, and map references.
Zoning district, allowed use, overlays, setbacks, frontage, density, and future-use questions.
Building permit path, prior permits, inspections, address, occupancy, and improvement records.
Septic permits, perc tests, soil evaluations, sewer, wastewater, repair, and reserve-area questions.
Floodplain, floodway, drainage, elevation, development permit, and local flood-review questions.
Road status, maintenance, driveway, culvert, emergency access, drainage, and public works questions.
Deeds, plats, easements, covenants, road agreements, restrictions, and recorded documents.
Parcel number, tax account, classification, tax status indicators, assessment, and exemption questions.
Flood map context for floodplain and floodway screening.
Wetlands screening indicators that may need field or agency follow-up.
Broad soil, drainage, slope, hydric soil, and septic limitation clues.
Electric, water, sewer, internet, gas, easements, extension, connection, and cost questions.
Related checks
Use this when electric, water, sewer, internet, or gas is the main issue.
Use this when wastewater questions could affect the parcel.
Use this when floodplain, wetlands, drainage, or soils may matter.
Order the parcel-specific source-backed pre-screen when you are serious about the parcel.
FAQ
Have the parcel number or APN, county, state, property address or map link, intended use, and the listing claims or assumptions you want to verify. That makes the first call more useful.
Start with planning or zoning unless the parcel is mainly a septic, access, or utility question. If the first office is not the right one, ask which office handles that parcel question next.
The county can help screen pieces of the question, such as zoning, permits, access, septic, floodplain, or records. That does not replace survey, title, engineering, septic, utility, or other parcel-specific review.
Yes. Ask who handles septic or onsite wastewater review, whether prior records exist, whether a perc or soil evaluation was done, and what the parcel needs for the intended use.
Yes. Nearby lines or provider maps do not guarantee service. Ask the provider which parcel, territory, easement, extension, or connection questions still need confirmation.
County staff may point to road status, maps, or recorded documents, but legal access often still needs title, survey, legal, or recorded-document review. Do not treat a map view as final confirmation.
Ask which office owns the question, request the record or ordinance path, and write down the date and name of the person you spoke with. If the answer stays vague, treat it as unresolved until it is documented.
Yes. Ask whether any part of the parcel is in a mapped floodplain or floodway, who the floodplain administrator is, and what review steps may apply to the site plan you have in mind.
Source and methodology
LandCheck-style screening organizes parcel identity, zoning, septic, access, floodplain, road, recorder, tax, utility, flood, wetland, and soil source categories into a focused county-call checklist.
The goal is to make the county call more specific, not to replace county verification.
Scope and disclaimer
This page is educational and screening-focused. It is not legal, tax, title, survey, zoning, septic, engineering, utility, insurance, lender, county, or permit advice.
Next step
See how LandCheck separates public-source clues from verification questions.
Order a Parcel Pre-Screen Report when the parcel is close to an offer.