What Is a Parcel Number? Everything You Need to Know
Dave Moore - March 28, 2025
Parcel numbers are important numbers used for record-keeping. You’ll need this number when you want to work on a property, put an extension on your house, or even if you want to buy or sell land. That said, parcel numbers aren’t always easy to understand, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the term or haven’t done too much with a property yet. The good news is that we’re here to help.
So, what is a parcel number? In short, it’s a unique identifier for a property based on how the land was quantified for tax purposes. Still, there’s a lot more to it than that. In this article, we take you through what a parcel number is, why they’re important, and how you can find one. Read on to learn more.
What Is a Parcel Number?
Parcel numbers are unique identifiers for a specific property, usually land, that is used for record keeping. You may also hear them referred to as an assessor’s parcel number or APN.
Typically, the type of record-keeping it’s used for is tax purposes because the number is assigned by the local tax assessor. Depending on the township, parcel numbers tend to be assigned based on surveying, including the prime meridian, section number, range, and township.
While parcel numbers represent a piece of property, you’ll find that they’re commonly used for getting permits and buying or selling land. They’re also used interchangeably with other numbers, even though parcel numbers are specific to a plot of land that’s been quantified for taxation.
How Parcel Numbers Are Formatted
Parcel numbers are used to identify information on maps, so the format is designed in this way. For this reason, you’ll find that most parcel numbers are in groups of three to four sets of digits.
The first group of numbers is the book that the property is located in, the second number is the specific page in the book, and the last set is the specific parcel number assigned to a property. Therefore, while the first two groups of numbers are important, most of the value comes from finding the last set of numbers.
Are Parcel Numbers Public Record?
Yes, parcel numbers are public records. Because they’re useful for permits and are kept for tax purposes, anyone can view someone’s parcel number.
That said, it’s not something you’ll find on Google right away, and you’ll likely have to visit the tax assessor’s office or go through your old paperwork. Still, finding someone’s parcel number has never been easier, and we will go into more detail about how you can find it later on.
Is a Parcel Number the Same as a Lot Number?
No, parcel numbers are not the same as lot numbers. As we touched on earlier, parcel numbers, subdivisions, and parcel numbers are used interchangeably quite often, but that doesn’t mean they’re the same. While a parcel number represents land designated and surveyed for taxation, a lot number is a subdivision of a property with a legal description. This legal description addresses permissions, constraints, and other laws for the property.
Why Knowing a Parcel Number Is Important
Knowing a parcel number is important for a handful of reasons. Aside from address confirmation, you may need to use a parcel number to make changes to the property or to sell a property. For example, tax assessors may increase the tax rate on a property if you add an extension or a pool. In these cases, the assessor needs to know the parcel number to approve this construction.
Furthermore, parcel numbers help with tax payments and getting permits to do work on a property or make significant changes. You can also use a parcel number to confirm billing or shipping information. Overall, it’s a helpful number to know for your property or if you plan on working with someone’s property.
How to Find a Parcel Number
Finding a parcel number isn’t very difficult. Ultimately, it depends on who the number belongs to. If you’re looking for your property’s parcel number, it’s as simple as going through your paperwork.
On the other hand, if you want to find someone else’s parcel number, you might have to get your hands a little dirty. Learn about how you can find a parcel number below.
Information.com
One of the easiest ways to find a parcel number is to work with Information.com. We offer a wide range of people search tools that will help you find information about people, properties, and phone numbers. In this case, we’re referring to our address lookup tool, which helps you learn more about a specific address.
To use our address lookup tool, all you have to do is enter the address to get started. At the bare minimum, you’ll need the street address and state. However, you’ll have the best results if you also have the state where the address is located. You should be able to figure out the state based on the address. If you don’t have the address already, use our people search or phone lookup tools to find it before you get started.
Once you enter the necessary information, our people search engine will comb through all available public records about a property. The process takes around 10 minutes from start to finish, which tends to be faster than scrounging around in public databases or visiting the tax assessor’s office. After the necessary information is found, we compile it all into a full report that’s easy to scroll through on mobile, desktop, or any other device.
Not only will you find the parcel number in the full report, but you’ll also find the following information:
- Current residents
- Contact information for the home, including email address and phone number
- Billing address or shipping addresses associated with the property
- Information about the title and deed
- When a property was last sold
- How a property is zoned
- Whether or not there are liens on a property
Aside from this information, we can also help you with more niche details, including when the house was built and who built the house.
Tax Assessor’s Office
Parcel numbers are necessary for tax purposes, so it’s no surprise that you can find them at the local tax assessment office. You’ll need to visit the appropriate tax assessment office for the property, so make sure you know which office is assigned to the area – if you end up at the wrong one, the best they can do is point you in the right direction.
If you’re unsure about which office to visit, our address lookup tool can serve as a guide. Most counties won’t charge you a fee to view this information, but it is possible. It’s also important to note that many countries have websites and databases for this type of search. Therefore, it’s not a bad idea to try and start with a database to see if you can find the information yourself.
At the end of the day, it can save you a trip or prevent you from going to the wrong place, so it’s worth a few minutes of Googling.
Check Bills and Tax Paperwork
If you’re looking for your own parcel number, the good news is that you shouldn’t have to leave the house or even go online. Any tax records you have for the property will include the parcel number, along with many bills. While it’s common to throw out old bills and mail, you should have a record of your tax documents lying around. Since the parcel number doesn’t change, it doesn’t matter how old the record is.
If you don’t have any tax documents around the house or you’re unsure about where you left them, you can use an online database or our address lookup tool to help. These methods may take a little longer and might make you do some digging, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t keep the best records.
Understanding Parcel Numbers
Parcel numbers are significant for a lot of reasons. Not only are they useful for tax purposes, but you’ll need to know this number if you need permits and plan to work on a home. In fact, when buying or selling property, you won’t make it far if you don’t know the parcel number or how to find it.
The good news is that finding someone’s parcel number, even the one for your own property, has never been more simple. Online tools like our address lookup tool will help you find all the information you need about a property without leaving the couch. Plus, plenty of county websites will have information about parcel numbers, along with the local tax assessor’s office if you don’t mind making the trip.
