What Is APN on a Deed?

Assessor's parcel numbers identify specific properties.

Assessor's parcel numbers identify specific properties.

A deed is a document that is used to transfer real estate ownership or other rights relating to real estate. One of the key parts of a deed is a description of the real estate that it refers to. Deeds typically use at least two different descriptions for a piece of property -- a legal description and an assessor's parcel number, frequently abbreviated as an APN.


An assessor's parcel number is a number that county assessors use to identify a piece of land. Frequently, the APN is built using the different parts of a property's legal description. For instance, a 10-digit APN might consist of the four-digit number of the map book that covers the property's area, the three-digit map number that shows the property and its boundaries and the three-digit parcel number that identifies the particular property.

About the Author


Photo Credits

  • Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Suggest a Correction