FGDC-STD-014.1-2008

Geographic Information Framework Data Content 

Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral 

May 2008 
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.1-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral

 ii

Federal Geographic Data Committee 

Established by Office of Management and Budget Circular A-16, the Federal Geographic Data 

Committee (FGDC) promotes the coordinated development, use, sharing, and dissemination of 

geographic data. 

The FGDC is composed of representatives from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, 

Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and 

Urban Development, the Interior, Justice, Labor, State, and Transportation, the Treasury, and 

Veteran Affairs; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Federal Communications Commission; 

the General Services Administration; the Library of Congress; the National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration; the National Archives and Records Administration; the National Science 

Foundation; the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; the Office of Personnel Management; the Small 

Business Administration; the Smithsonian Institution; the Social Security Administration; the 

Tennessee Valley Authority; and the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

Additional Federal agencies participate on FGDC subcommittees and working groups. The 

Department of the Interior chairs the committee. 

FGDC subcommittees work on issues related to data categories coordinated under the circular. 

Subcommittees establish and implement standards for data content, quality, and transfer; 

encourage the exchange of information and the transfer of data; and organize the collection of 

geographic data to reduce duplication of effort. Working groups are established for issues that 

transcend data categories. 

For more information about the committee, or to be added to the committee's newsletter mailing 

list, please contact: 

 

Federal Geographic Data Committee Secretariat 

c/o U.S. Geological Survey 

590 National Center 

Reston, Virginia 22092 

Facsimile: (703) 648-5755 

Internet (electronic mail): fgdc@usgs.gov 

 World Wide Web: http://www.fgdc.gov
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.1-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral

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Contents 

Page 

Introduction.................................................................................................................................... v

1 Scope, purpose, and application .............................................................................................. 1

2 Normative references................................................................................................................. 1

3 Maintenance authority ............................................................................................................... 1

3.1 Level of responsibility...................................................................................................... 1

3.2 Contact information ......................................................................................................... 1

4 Terms and definitions ................................................................................................................ 2

5 Requirements.............................................................................................................................. 3

5.1 Application schema.......................................................................................................... 3

5.1.1 Parcel class....................................................................................................................... 3

5.1.2 OwnerType class .............................................................................................................. 3

5.1.3 ParcelSource class........................................................................................................... 3

5.1.4 ParcelGeometry class...................................................................................................... 3

5.1.5 ParcelCollection class ..................................................................................................... 3

5.2 Data dictionary.................................................................................................................. 5

5.3 Code list............................................................................................................................. 7

Annex A (normative) Normative references ............................................................................... 8

Annex B (informative) Sample diagram ...................................................................................... 9

Annex C (informative) Additional resources ............................................................................ 10

Figures 

Figure 1 – Cadastral UML model.................................................................................................. 4 

Figure B.1 – Four parcel polygons with centroids and ParcelIDs............................................ 9

Tables 

Table 1 – Data dictionary for cadastral ....................................................................................... 5

Table 2 – CodeList for OwnerType .............................................................................................. 7

Table B.1 – ParcelIDs related to a ParcelSource and OwnerType............................................ 9
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.1-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral

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Foreword 

Geographic information, also known as geospatial information, both underlies and is the subject 

of much of the political, economic, environmental, and security activities of the United States. In 

recognition of this, the United States Office of Management and Budget issued Circular A-16 

(revised 2002), which established the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) as a 

coordinating organization. 

Work on this standard started under the Geospatial One-Stop e-Government initiative. The 

standard was developed with the support of the member agencies and organizations of the 

FGDC and aids in fulfilling a primary objective of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), 

that is, creation of common geographic base data for seven critical data themes. The seven core 

data themes are considered framework data of critical importance to the spatial data 

infrastructure. 

As the Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard was developed using public 

funds, the U.S. Government will be free to publish and distribute its contents to the public, as 

provided through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Part 5 United States Code, Section 552, 

as amended by Public Law No. 104-231, “Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 

1996”. 
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.1-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral

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Introduction 

The primary purpose of this part of the Geographic Information Framework Data Content 

Standard is to support the exchange of cadastral (real property) data. This part seeks to 

establish a common baseline for the semantic content of cadastral databases for public agencies 

and private enterprises. It also seeks to decrease the costs and simplify the exchange of 

cadastral data among local, Tribal, State, and Federal users and producers. That, in turn, 

discourages duplicative data collection. Benefits of adopting this part of the standard also include 

the long-term improvement of the geospatial cadastral data within the community. 

This part provides a data content and high level Universal Modeling Language (UML) description 

for cadastral data. 

Cadastral data are produced and maintained by thousands of organizations across the county. 

This part provides a profile of that information to support the facilitation of exchange which has 

been defined as the information necessary for the navigation to and discovery of cadastral 

information from the many providers. 

Cadastral data are defined as the geographic extent of the past, current, and future rights and 

interests in real property including the spatial information necessary to describe that geographic 

extent. Rights and interests are the benefits or enjoyment in real property that can be conveyed, 

transferred, or otherwise allocated to another for economic remuneration. Rights and interests 

are recorded in land record documents. The spatial information necessary to describe rights and 

interests includes surveys and legal description frameworks such as the Public Land Survey 

System, as well as parcel-by-parcel surveys and descriptions. 

The Cadastral Data Content Standard (FGDC-STD-003), upon which this part is based, is 

intended to support the automation and integration of publicly available land records information. 

The Cadastral Data Content Standard is intended to be useable by all levels of government and 

the private sector. That standard contains the standardization of the definition of entities and 

objects related to cadastral information including survey measurements, transactions related to 

interests in land, general property descriptions, and boundary and corner evidence data. Any or 

all of these applications are intended to be supported by the standard. 

The intended geographic scope of the Cadastral Data Content Standard and this profile of that 

standard is all fifty States of the United States including all onshore cadastral as well as marine 

cadastral information. Applicability of this part of the Framework Data Content Standard in other 

geographic areas and business processes, such as the Insular Areas of the United States has not 

been determined. 
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.1-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral

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Framework Data Content Standard – Cadastral 

1 Scope, purpose, and application 

The Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard, Part 5: Cadastral part provides 

the information necessary to identify the existence of parcel-level cadastral information and the 

source of that information. The geospatial metadata provided in conformance to this part will 

include the contact, distribution, and access requirements for the cadastral data. Additional 

information on the content of the full parcel or cadastral data sets, its accuracy, and its spatial 

projection, is also provided with the metadata. 

This part of the standard is not intended to support homeland security, citizen query and access, 

real estate records, or other application-based information. The Cadastral part includes only the 

minimum data necessary to facilitate locating the existence of parcel-level information and 

identifying the source. These data, along with the appropriate metadata, will provide the 

information describing how and where to get the data needed to support applications. 

The purpose of this standard part is to facilitate the exchange of cadastral (real property) data. 

The Cadastral part is one of seven themes presently included in the National Spatial Data 

Infrastructure (NSDI). 

Data complying with the FGDC’s Cadastral Data Content Standard (FGDC-STD-003) would be 

necessary to locate a parcel by site address and to display the assessed value of property. The 

Cadastral part is a profile of the FGDC Cadastral Data Content and all of the elements in this 

profile are included in the full content standard. The Cadastral part profile supports the discovery 

of and the navigation to cadastral information. Associated metadata will identify the providers of 

additional cadastral information. The FGDC Subcommittee for Cadastral Data publishes and 

maintains other cadastral profiles of the Cadastral Data Content Standard based on identified 

business processes and application needs. These profiles can be found at 

http://www.nationalcad.org 

Cadastral data works in harmony with other data sets. For example, to determine whether there 

is parcel or cadastral information available in a specified city, users will need to navigate to that 

geography and then verify that the minimum core parcel information and its metadata have been 

made available for that area. 

The Cadastral part can be implemented using a variety of software packages and is designed to 

accommodate data encoded without geometry as well as to support the exchange of data 

encoded in a variety of GIS formats. 

2 Normative references 

Annex A lists normative references applicable only to the Cadastral part. Annex A of the Base 

Document (Part 0) lists normative references applicable to two or more parts of the standard. 

Annex D of the Base Document lists informative references applicable to all of the parts. 

3 Maintenance authority 

3.1 Level of responsibility 

The FGDC is the responsible organization for coordinating work on all parts of the Geographic 

Information Framework Data Content Standard. The Subcommittee for Cadastral Data, working 

with the FGDC, is directly responsible for development and maintenance of the Geographic 

Information Framework Data Content Standard, Part 1: Cadastral. The United States Department 

of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management - Geographic Sciences Team currently leads the 

Federal Geographic Data Committee, Subcommittee on Cadastral Data. 

3.2 Contact information 

Address questions concerning this part of the standard to: 
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.1-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral

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Federal Geographic Data Committee Secretariat 

c/o U.S. Geological Survey 

590 National Center 

Reston, Virginia 20192 USA 

Telephone: (703) 648-5514 

Facsimile: (703) 648-5755 

Internet (electronic mail): gdc@fgdc.gov

WWW Home Page: http://fgdc.gov

Or 

Bob Ader, BLM Cadastral Survey 

MS CO955 

2850 Youngfield Street 

Lakewood, Colorado 80215 

Telephone: (303) 239-3817 

Facsimile: (303) 239-3815 

Internet (electronic mail): bob_ader@blm.gov

World Wide Web: http://www.nationalcad.org

4 Terms and definitions 

Definitions applicable to the Cadastral part are listed below. More general terms and definitions 

can be found in the Base Document (Part 0). Users are advised to consult that part for a 

complete set of definitions. 

4.1 

owner type 

classification of the ownership for the primary surface interest 

4.2 

parcel identifier 

primary permanent identifier for the parcel defined by the jurisdiction referenced in the source 

identifier

4.3 

parcel map 

collection of parcel polygons, usually from a single source 

4.4 

parcel point 

point feature within the parcel polygon that can be used to attach related information 

NOTE The parcel point provides a general reference for locating a parcel. Parcel points can be 

provided when parcel polygons are not available or they can be provided as a supplementary geographic 

representation. 

4.5 

parcel polygon 

geographic extent of the parcel, as depicted using an area feature 

NOTE The parcel polygon is a closed polygon.

4.6 

primary 
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.1-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral

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Boolean (True or False) that indicates whether the parcel identifier and the source for that 

parcel identifier are the primary identifier and primary source 

NOTE If the primary is True then the parcel identifier and the source identifier are primary. If the 

primary is False then the parcel identifier and the source of that parcel identifier are secondary or alternative. 

There can be multiple alternative parcel identifiers and associate source identifiers but there can only be one 

primary parcel identifier and associate source for any parcel feature. 

4.7 

source identifier 

permanent identifier for the agency, organization, or jurisdiction that assigns and maintains the 

parcel identifier; that is to say, namespace

NOTE The source should identify itself using the appropriate jurisdiction Federal Information 

Processing System (FIPS) code where possible. 

5 Requirements 

5.1 Application schema 

The Cadastral part extends the basic Framework Data Content Standard UML model by adding 

five part-specific classes, as shown in Figure 1. The primary class for the Cadastral part is the 

Parcel. These classes define the Cadastral part referenced in the Base Document. The five 

Cadastral part classes are described below. 

5.1.1 Parcel class 

The Parcel class is the main class to convey cadastral information. It is stereotyped as a 

<<Feature>> and as such has identity and geometry properties. 

5.1.2 OwnerType class 

The OwnerType class is a code list of valid values that classify the owner type. This is not the 

ownership type, but rather is the classification of the owner. 

5.1.3 ParcelSource class 

The ParcelSource class groups elements regarding each parcel and its source information. 

5.1.4 ParcelGeometry class 

This class represents a choice between a centroid or polygon representation of the parcel. 

5.1.5 ParcelCollection class 

These features were introduced for conformance with the other Geographic Information 

Framework Data Content Standard parts and as such are not a part of the Cadastral part. These 

represent a super type of data collection with metadata. They are a set of features that occur 

within the context of a container object known as a “feature collection”. This is a convention used 

to delimit a group of features of a given type and common schema. 
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.1-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral

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Figure 1 – Cadastral UML model 

The class shown in green or gray is an inherited class and is shown for convenience. The tan or 

light gray classes are the Cadastral theme classes and are described below. 
Federal Geographic Data Committee 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard Part 1: Cadastral

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5.2 Data dictionary 

Table 1 – Data dictionary for cadastral 

Line Name/Role Name Definition Obligation/ Condition Maximum Occurrence Data Type 

1 ParcelCollection <<Feature>> 2 metadata 

Information that describes this information transfer represented as a URL or as a block of text 

M 1 CharacterString 

3 Role name: parcel Links ParcellCollection to the Parcel that belongs to the ParcelCollection M * Parcel 4 Parcel <<Feature>> 5 parcelGeometry Centroid or polygon representation of parcel location M 1 <<Union>> ParcelGeometry 6 parcelIdentity Parcel identifier M * <<DataType>> ParcelSource 7 ownerType Classification of the ownership for the primary surface interest O 1 <<CodeList>> OwnerType 8 Framework::Feature::identifier Feature identifier for the Parcel M 1 <<DataType>> Framework::Identifier 9 Framework::Feature::geometry Shape and geolocation of a feature O * <<Type>> GM_Object 10 Framework::Feature::metadata 

Structured or unstructured metadata as defined by the community of practice 

O 1 CharacterString 

11 Framework::Feature::topology Connectivity of the participating elements O * <<Interface>> TP_Object 12 Framework::Feature::attribute Producer-defined attribute for inclusion in transfer O * <<DataType>> Framework:: 
Federal Geographic Data Committee 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard Part 1: Cadastral

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Line Name/Role Name Definition Obligation/ Condition Maximum Occurrence Data Type 

ExtendedAttribute 

13 ParcelSource Group of parcel source information that is maintained together <<DataType>> 14 parcelId Unique identifier for the parcel M 1 <<DataType>> Framework::Identifier 15 sourceId 

The linkage to the agency or organization that assigned the parceled 

M 1 <<DataType>> Framework:Identifier 

16 primary Designation that the current record describes the primary parcel M 1 Boolean 17 ParcelGeometry Choice of centroid or polygon representation of the parcel <<Union>> 18 polygon M 1 <<Type>> GM_Surface 19 centroid M 1 <<Type>> GM_Point 
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.0-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral 

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5.3 Code list 

OwnerType is a CodeList of the parcel owner’s administrative designation. 

Table 2 – CodeList for OwnerType 

Name Definition 

federalGovernment The United States federal government and its agencies and departments 

localGovernment A county, parish, or borough government 

municipalGovernment A municipality of government 

notForProfit A not for profit organization which is also exempt from real estate taxes 

other Any other organization 

private A private firm, for profit organization, or an individual or group of individuals

state A State government or the city of Washington DC 

tribalNation An American Indian Tribe or nation 

unknown The type of ownership is not known 
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.0-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral 

Annex A (normative): Normative references

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Annex A 

(normative) 

Normative references 

This annex lists normative standards that support only this part of the Framework Data Content 

Standard. Annex A of the Base Document (Part 0) lists normative references applicable to two or 

more parts of the standard. 

ANSI and ISO standards may be purchased through the ANSI eStandards Store at 

http://webstore.ansi.org/ansidocstore/default.asp, accessed October 2006. 

ANSI NCITS 353:2001, Spatial data standard for facilities, infrastructure, and environment 

FGDC-STD-003-2003, Cadastral data content standard, Version 1.3, 

http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standardsprojects/cadastral/?searchterm=cadastral%20data%20content%20standard, accessed October 

2006
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.0-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral 

Annex B (informative): Sample diagram

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Annex B 

(informative) 

Sample diagram 

The diagram below shows four parcel polygons each with a centroid and a related table that 

contains attributes for those features. 

Figure B.1 – Four parcel polygons with centroids and ParcelIDs 

The table below contains attributes for the features in the figure above. 

Table B.1 – ParcelIDs related to a ParcelSource and OwnerType 

ParcelID ParcelSource OwnerType 

1 39-063 TribalNation 

2 39-063 LocalGovernment 

3 39-063 Private 

4 39-063 Private 

1

3 

2 

N Parcel centroid 

4
Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-014.0-2008 

Geographic Information Framework Data Content Standard 

Part 1: Cadastral 

Annex C (informative): Additional resources

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Annex C 

(informative) 

Additional resources 

The FGDC Subcommittee for Cadastral Data in partnership with Federal agencies, Tribes, State 

and local governments and agencies, and the private sector maintains reference information and 

educational materials in support of the profile described in this document as well as profiles 

serving many other business processes and applications. If an organization needs additional 

attributes or has implementation questions there are profiles for various business cases on the 

nationalcad site. This information is freely available and can be found at 

http://www.nationalcad.org. Other information related to implementation, jurisdictions serving 

cadastral information, and ongoing projects can be found at this site. 

ANSI and ISO standards may be purchased through the ANSI eStandards Store at 

http://webstore.ansi.org/ansidocstore/default.asp, accessed October 2006.