Product Information

The following are common questions associated with our product development methods and product line. Should you have a question that is not answered here or on our corresponding product pages, please contact us at 800-321-1MAP (1627) or rmpsales@rockfordmap.com.

How do we gather information?

Because plat books are published as a guide to the community, all ownership data are gathered from the Official Public Record at the County Courthouse by our researchers. Though continual sales and transfers of property make it impossible to guarantee 100% accuracy, direct access to tax records, land descriptions and the insight of county officials help our researchers gather the ownership and acreage information necessary to produce a new edition.

What is a land description?

A land description is a description of a tract of land in legally acceptable terms; so as to show exactly where it is located and how many acres it contains.

What is RMP's coverage area?

We now have a map library of over 600 counties throughout 18 states, with primary coverage in the Midwest. Buy Now!

When does the plat information get updated?

Updating a county depends on various factors. If certain criteria are not met, a county may not be selected for updating. Some of these factors include but are not limited to the rate of land sales and transfers, local interest (advertising, distribution and sales potential), and the overall condition of the local economy.

How can I be notified of upcoming releases and new releases?

We post new and upcoming releases in the What's New section on the left-hand side of the home page.

Do you only publish plat data as a spiral bound book?

No. In addition to the spiral bound book, we produce County Wall Maps, Township Map Prints and in various digital formats on CD-ROM. Sample Downloads of our CD-ROM formats (County PDF File, County Image Files, County GeoPDF, RMP SmartImage, County Vector File and County GIS Files.) are available for your review.

Do you produce custom maps with land ownership and acreage information?

Yes. We produce custom maps using our plat data in conjunction with other data sets provided by the customer (census, land use, advertising information, school district lines, etc.) within a specified radius or boundary. Limitations due to currency of our plat data and size or scale of the finished map do exist. If you have an idea for a custom map, tell us more and we'll provide you with a free quote!

Are Rockford Map Publishers' plat maps copyrighted?

Yes. Our entire plat library is registered with the Library of Congress and fully protected by Federal Copyright Law.

What is a license?

A license is written permission granting the licensee permission to use and reproduce a copyrighted work, such as a plat book, for personal and business applications. A royalty fee is paid to the licensor (author of the copyrighted work) in order to obtain this right.

Why is having a license important?

All copyrighted works are protected by Federal Copyright Law under Title 17 United States Code. This law limits the duplication (physically, electronically or by other means) of works by third parties to ensure recognition of the author as well as the time and expense necessary to create/produce the copyrighted work. By right, the author can pursue violators. The result may include court action and penalty fees.