What type of legal description uses specific measurements and directions?

The type of legal description that utilizes specific measurements and directions is the metes and bounds system. This method delineates a parcel of land by describing its boundaries using a detailed narrative that includes distances (metes) and angles or directions (bounds).

In the metes and bounds system, a starting point is defined with reference to a physical marker or landmark, and then a series of instructions is provided that trace the perimeter of the property. This includes precise measurements (like feet or meters), directions (such as north, south, east, or west), and sometimes even natural landmarks. Because of its flexibility and detail, metes and bounds can be extremely useful in describing irregularly shaped parcels of land.

Alternatives like lot and block rely on recorded plats and are generally easier for standard residential properties, while the rectangular survey system is based on a grid and is commonly used in wider geographic areas. Government surveys are similar to rectangular surveys and are utilized to manage larger tracts of land. Each of these methods serves its purpose, but they do not provide the same level of specificity in measurements and directions as metes and bounds.