Convert a plat to CAD or DXF.

To convert a recorded plat to CAD, you either redraw it by hand - retyping every bearing, distance, and curve into your CAD package - or you use software that reads the plat and rebuilds the geometry for you. TerrainPlot does the second: upload the plat PDF (or scan, or photo, up to two sheets) and it reconstructs each lot from the calls on the drawing, checks closure lot by lot, and exports DXF that opens in Civil 3D or Carlson, plus SHP for GIS and PDF for sharing.

Why redrawing by hand is the slow part

A subdivision plat can carry dozens or hundreds of lots, with calls split across line tables, curve tables, and legends. Retyping them is hours of drafting, and one transposed digit means a lot that doesn’t close and a hunt back through the sheet. TerrainPlot cross-references the tables and legend automatically - a call like “L23” or “C7” pulls its value from the table - and shows the closure for every lot it rebuilds, so errors surface immediately instead of at review.

You review before anything is final

The redraw comes back as a review view: each rebuilt lot next to its closure, compared against the recorded plat. You accept what looks right, and accepted lots import into your project as editable shapes. Running a plat is free - the finished result appears next to its exact price, and you only pay for plats you accept.

See the Plat Builder for the full workflow, or the guide to turning a recorded plat into a drawing. Curious what DXF actually is? There’s a short glossary entry.