Site plan (land plan)

A licensed surveyor visits the land, locates or plants boundary beacons and draws the plot to scale. A good site plan shows:

• the boundaries and beacon numbers;
• the dimensions of each side and the total area;
• grid lines, grid values or coordinates fixing the plot on the national grid;
• neighbouring plots and roads;
• the surveyor's signature and licence details, and the Regional Surveyor's certification.

How it is used:

• Search. The Lands Commission runs an official search on the site plan to see who is recorded as owning the land and whether there are competing claims. It needs the grid information to do this.
• Indenture. The site plan is attached to the indenture and signed by both parties.
• Registration. It goes with the indenture for stamping and registration. For title registration, a stricter cadastral plan is prepared.

Ghana has relatively few licensed surveyors, so much survey work is done by others and then endorsed by a licensed surveyor. A plan drawn by someone with no licence may be rejected or may place the plot in the wrong spot.

Before you buy. Commission your own survey rather than relying only on the seller's plan. A fresh survey confirms the beacons, the area and whether the plot overlaps a neighbour's. Keep the original signed plan with your indenture, because you will need it again for registration, building permits and any later sale.

The same standards apply across Ghana. In Greater Accra searches are made through the Lands Commission's online services; in other regions you apply at the regional office.