Out here the land matters as much as the house. Before you offer on an Acreage property, find out where the lines are and who else has rights on the lot.
Call Brian Wilder 561-201-4717
Before buying in The Acreage, order a boundary survey and give the surveyor your title commitment and exception documents. Check recorded easements before planning a fence, barn or driveway; the visible fence line is not proof of the legal boundary.
Boundary Survey in The Acreage: The Short Answer
Florida rule 5J-17.052 requires boundary research, but does not require a title search. Give the surveyor the title commitment and referenced documents, and confirm which easements can be located and shown. A survey and a title review answer different questions; neither should be treated as a promise that every property dispute has been resolved.
Why Property Lines Matter More Out Here
Out here, people buy land to use it. A barn. A paddock. A shop for the work truck. A fence for the dogs. A gate on the canal.
Each proposed improvement needs room within the property boundaries and applicable restrictions. An old fence or tree line may differ from the surveyed line.
A boundary survey is the best tool for showing where your land actually ends, and what other people may have a right to use. Lot size and setbacks decide how much of the lot you can really build on, so read our guide to lot sizes in The Acreage and our AR zoning guide alongside the survey.
Easement Types to Ask About in The Acreage
- Plat easements: shown on the recorded plat. The rule requires the surveyor to show them.
- Visible easements and rights-of-way: a road, a ditch or a power line you can see on the ground.
- Recorded easements off the plat: utility, drainage or access easements recorded somewhere other than the plat. These may appear among the title commitment exceptions, and the rule says that information must be furnished to the surveyor.
- ITID canal and swale easements: the Indian Trail Improvement District holds easements along its canals and the road swales. Details are below.
- Conservation or other deed restrictions: if the title commitment lists one, read the document before you plan to clear land or build.
Easement widths and uses differ by plat and by recorded document, so I do not give a standard width here. Read the document for the lot you are buying.
What a Survey Will Not Find on Its Own
Under rule 5J-17.052, a boundary survey shows the recorded public and private rights-of-way on the plat, easements on the plat, and open and notorious evidence of easements. It also has to indicate apparent physical use onto or from adjoining property and the extent of that use, like a neighbor's driveway or shed sitting over the line.
What it does not cover on its own is an easement of record other than those on the plat. For those, the rule says the information must be furnished to the surveyor. Here is the order that works:
1. Get the title commitment from your title company early. Review the listed exceptions and obtain their underlying documents.
2. Send the commitment and its exception documents to your surveyor before the field work.
3. Ask the surveyor to plot every easement from the commitment that can be located on the map.
4. Read the survey before your inspection period ends, not at the closing table.
Straight talk: skipping step 2 can leave a recorded restriction outside the information provided to the surveyor. Before you write an offer on land out here, get The Wilder Way Home, our free buyer's guide: what to get in writing, what to check, and when.
Get The Wilder Way HomeCanal Easements in The Acreage: Check the Recorded Rights
The Indian Trail Improvement District maintains local canals and road drainage. Its gate specifications describe canal easements over privately owned land and require unobstructed maintenance access.
ITID says its canal easements are not public property and limits use to the underlying lot owner, District staff and emergency vehicles. Its guidance encourages gate permits and No Trespassing signs, but a gate must preserve District access.
Check the recorded documents and ask ITID which easement and permit rules apply to the particular lot. A canal at the back of a property is not proof that ITID owns or maintains it.
Swales, Driveways and the Front of the Lot
The front of the lot has its own rules. ITID's FAQ says the swales along the road carry water to the canals and help store stormwater. Do not fill them with dirt or block the driveway culvert. It lists approved driveways, grass sod and mailboxes as allowed in swale easements, and says landscaping, trees, fences and ornamental structures are not.
Want a new driveway or to move the one you have? ITID asks you to contact it for driveway specifications and a permit first.
A shallow swale may look like spare yard, but filling it or obstructing a culvert can interfere with drainage. Keep the proposed driveway and fence locations on your due-diligence checklist.
Where to Look Up Easements on a Property
| What you need | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| Recorded easements and exceptions | Your title commitment, plus the documents it lists |
| The recorded plat | Palm Beach County Clerk official records |
| Owner, parcel and land use record | Palm Beach County Property Appraiser |
| Canal and swale rules, gate and driveway permits | Indian Trail Improvement District |
| Lines, plat easements, visible use and encroachments | A new boundary survey from a Florida licensed surveyor |
Browse all The Acreage homes for sale. Acreage buyer resources: palmbeachcountyhomeforsale.com/buying/
Selling Your Current Home Too?
If you are selling a home before buying land, plan the two closings together. A buyer moving from a smaller lot or a property with vehicle restrictions may need time to coordinate the sale, financing and next home. Start with a free value on your current home. Call or text Brian Wilder 561-201-4717. Spanish help: Lucy Lopez 561-285-8809.
What's My Home Worth? Explore Selling Your HomeBoundary Survey and Easement FAQ
Do I need a boundary survey to buy a home in The Acreage?
A new boundary survey is the best way to know where the lines of an Acreage lot are and whether anything crosses them. Rule 5J-17.052 requires the survey to show plat easements, open and notorious evidence of easements and apparent use across the lines. Give the surveyor your title commitment so recorded easements off the plat get furnished too.
How do I look up easements on a property in The Acreage?
Start with the title commitment, which lists the recorded easements and exceptions. Then check the recorded plat in the Palm Beach County Clerk's official records and ask the Indian Trail Improvement District about canal and swale rules. Our free guide, The Wilder Way Home, walks through what to check and when. Read The Wilder Way Home Buyer Guide
Does a boundary survey show all easements?
Not by itself. Under rule 5J-17.052, easements of record other than those on the plat must be furnished to the surveyor, and the rule is not intended to require the surveyor to perform a title search. That is why the title commitment goes to the surveyor first.
Can I put a fence or gate on a canal easement in The Acreage?
Not one that blocks it. ITID says owners may not obstruct its canal easements and needs unobstructed access along them. ITID encourages gate permits and has its own gate specifications.
Is the canal bank behind my house in The Acreage public property?
ITID says its canal easements are not public property and identifies the underlying lot owner, District staff and emergency vehicles as permitted users. Check the recorded rights and District guidance for the specific property.
Talk to Brian Before You Build
My advice: do not sink a post until the survey and the title commitment agree with each other. Moving a fence costs more than checking first. Get The Wilder Way Home before you write the offer, then tell me what you want to build. Call or text Brian: 561-201-4717.
Get The Wilder Way Home Book A Discovery Call Get The Wilder Way to a Stress-Free Sale Seller GuideWilder Real Estate Group at Keller Williams Realty
Brian Wilder 561-201-4717
Lucy Lopez 561-285-8809
Brian@WilderREG.com
Brian is a second-generation Realtor. 1,500+ homes sold. Investing in Palm Beach County real estate since 1996, licensed agent since 1998.
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Sources checked October 27, 2026: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, rule 5J-17.052; ITID Gate Specifications and Frequently Asked Questions linked above; Palm Beach County Property Appraiser. This is general buyer education. Confirm the parcel details with a Florida licensed surveyor, title company, ITID and your attorney.