What a CTS number is, why it matters for verifying land records, and how to check it online.
A CTS number — City Town Survey number — is a unique identifier assigned to a plot of land within certain municipal survey systems, distinct from the revenue survey number used in rural records. It's one of the reference points used to confirm exactly which parcel of land a sale document refers to.
Where CTS numbers are in use, they're usually searchable through the relevant municipal or survey department's land records portal, using the village or ward name along with the number itself.
If a property's documents quote a CTS number, it's worth cross-checking it against the physical location and the other survey references in the sale deed — discrepancies between numbers are one of the more common documentation issues buyers run into.