Perceels

Perceel is a Dutch term used in land administration to denote a defined parcel of land with legally established boundaries that is registered in the land registry. The standard plural is percelen; perceels is uncommon in formal writing. A perceel can be agricultural land, a building plot, or any tract of land that can be owned, bought, or sold.

In cadastral practice, each perceel has a unique identifier called a perceelnummer and is shown on the cadastral map (kadastrale kaart). The land registry records ownership, mortgages, liens, and easements (erfdienstbaarheden) associated with the perceel. These records underpin property transactions, taxation, zoning, and urban planning, and are often integrated into geographic information systems (GIS).

Boundaries are established by surveys and may follow natural features or man-made borders. The area is measured in square meters or hectares, and legal descriptions may reference coordinates, boundary markers, or boundary lines.

Difference from related terms: kavel is frequently used in urban development to denote a plot intended for construction or sale, whereas perceel emphasizes the legal cadastral unit recorded in the registry. In everyday discourse, people may refer to “my perceel” or “the perceel of the property,” but the precise cadastral sense is the formal ownership unit.

Historically, cadastral systems emerged to manage land rights, taxation, and development. In the Netherlands, the Kadaster administers the land registry and cadastral maps, with similar agencies operating in other countries.