A property line in Revit is a model element that marks the legal boundary of your site. You can add it two ways: sketch it when you only have a drawing to trace, or enter distances and bearings when you have a survey. The steps below are checked against Autodesk’s Revit help for property lines, including the distance and bearing formats the dialog accepts.
If you only need the command: go to Massing & Site tab > Model Site panel > Property Line, then pick Create by sketching or Create by entering distances and bearings.
Quick answer
To add a property line in Revit, open a site plan view and go to Massing & Site > Model Site > Property Line. Choose Create by sketching to draw the boundary by hand, or Create by entering distances and bearings to type in the values from a survey. Then click Finish Edit Mode (sketch) or OK (bearings).
Do not use detail lines for this. They are 2D, view-specific, and cannot give you a site area.
Practice file · .RVT
Follow this guide on the same Revit file
The Revit project (.rvt) from this tutorial and its reference files are on the Mashyo Patreon. Open it beside this page and create the property line yourself instead of starting from an empty project.
Get the property line practice file
$5.5/month on Patreon. One membership unlocks all 40 Mashyo practice files. Cancel anytime. See the full file library.
Why Use Property Lines in Revit
If you are working on a site plan in Revit, you need property lines. They define the boundaries of your site and help you calculate the site area, check setbacks, and comply with zoning regulations.
You might be tempted to draw the boundary with detail lines because they are quick to draw and edit. That is a mistake. Detail lines are 2D elements that appear in only one view, and they can be inconsistent when you copy and paste them to other views. They are not property lines, so Revit cannot report an area from them or tag them as boundary segments.
This guide shows how to add a property line in Revit using both methods: sketching, and distances and bearings. Not sure which to use? Use this table.
| What you have | Use this | Steps |
|---|---|---|
| A plan, image or rough outline to trace | Create by sketching | Sketch |
| Survey data with lengths and compass bearings | Create by entering distances and bearings | Bearings |
| Property lines that look wrong in every view | Object Styles | Line style |
| A property line you cannot tag or see | Reset temporary hide/isolate | Tagging |
Method 1 – Sketch a Property Line in Revit
If you do not have the exact coordinates of your property lines, you can create them by sketching. This works well for concept designs and for tracing a linked image or CAD file of the site.
Steps
- Open a site plan or floor plan view.
- Go to the Massing & Site tab > Model Site panel > click Property Line.
- Click Create by sketching.
- Draw lines on the boundary of your property.
- Click Finish Edit Mode.
Note: a property line sketch does not have to form a closed loop, but the lines cannot intersect each other.
If you leave a gap in your sketch, Revit warns you that the property lines do not form a closed loop. An open boundary means you cannot calculate the site area from the property lines, so close the loop whenever you need an area.
After you finish the sketch, the property lines appear in your model and in all other floor plan views.
Learn about other Revit site plan tools.
Method 2 – Create a Property Line with Distances and Bearings
If you have the exact measurements of your property lines, such as from a site survey, create them by entering distances and bearings. This is the most accurate way to add a property line in Revit because each segment comes straight from the legal description.
Steps
- Go to the Massing & Site tab > Model Site panel > click Property Line.
- Click Create by entering distances and bearings.
- In the Property Lines dialog, click Insert to add a row for each segment, then enter its distance and bearing from the survey. Choose Arc as the type for a curved boundary and enter its radius.
- Click OK, then set the property line in place in the view.
Entering the values
Type distances and bearings in the format Autodesk documents, for example a distance of 32′ 2 153/256″ and a bearing of 82° 30′ 00″. For a fraction of a foot, use a decimal to get an accurate result.
For an arc, the radius must be greater than half the length of the line segment. Revit aligns the survey data with True North, so check your project’s north setting before you place the lines.
To control the visibility of property lines in different plan views, use the hide and unhide in Revit tools.
How to Change the Property Line Style in Revit
You can change the line settings for all property lines at once, such as the type, color, or weight:
- Go to the Manage tab > Settings panel > click Object Styles.
- Open the Model Objects tab.
- Find Property Lines under the Site category.
- Change the projection line weight, color, and pattern.
- Click OK.
Can’t Tag a Property Line in Revit?
If you cannot tag Revit property lines, reset the temporary hide/isolate mode and then tag the property line segment.
The summary: sketch the property line when you only have a drawing to trace, and enter distances and bearings when you have survey data. Either way, keep the boundary as a real property line, not detail lines, so Revit can report the site area and show the boundary in every plan view.
Practice file · .RVT
Now do it once on a real model
Entering bearings is quick to read and easy to get wrong the first time. The practice file for this lesson gives you the Revit project from this tutorial, so you can run each step yourself and keep the file for reference.
Download the property line practice file
$5.5/month on Patreon. One membership unlocks all 40 Mashyo practice files. Cancel anytime. See the full file library.
FAQs
How do I add a property line in Revit?
Go to Massing & Site > Model Site > Property Line, then choose Create by sketching or Create by entering distances and bearings. Draw or enter the boundary and finish the command.
Can I use detail lines instead of property lines?
You should not. Detail lines are 2D, view-specific elements, so they do not appear in other views and cannot give you a site area. Property lines are model elements that show in every plan view.
Does a Revit property line have to be a closed loop?
No, but the lines cannot intersect. If the loop is open, Revit warns you and cannot calculate the site area from the property lines.
What format do I use for distances and bearings?
Autodesk’s examples are a distance such as 32′ 2 153/256″ and a bearing such as 82° 30′ 00″. For a fraction of a foot, use a decimal. Revit aligns the survey data with True North.
How do I change the property line color or weight?
Go to Manage > Object Styles > Model Objects, find Property Lines under Site, and change the line weight, color, and pattern. The change applies to all property lines.
Is there a Revit practice file for this tutorial?
Yes. The Revit project file for this lesson is available to Mashyo members on Patreon for $5.5/month, together with the practice files for the other Mashyo tutorials. You can cancel at any time. Open the property line practice file on Patreon.
Mohamed Fakhry has helped thousands of architects and designers find their next project with step-by-step guidance on his blog, mashyo.com. About Mohamed
His journey began during his university years when he recognized the need for information-rich 3D models to accelerate learning and improve production processes. Now, Mohamed shares his expertise through Revit tutorials that are accessible to all.
