What Is It
The Building Floor Plan (建物図面, tatemono zumen) is an official drawing filed at the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局) as part of a building's registration records. When a building is first registered — a process known as Building Title Registration (建物表題登記, tatemono hyodai toki) — a floor plan must be submitted showing the building's footprint, the layout of each floor, and the total area per level.
This document serves as the official record of the building's physical configuration within the property registry system. It shows the building's position on the lot, the outline of each floor, and the calculated floor area that is recorded in the building section of the registry. It is a technical document, typically drawn to scale by a licensed land and building surveyor (土地家屋調査士).
The building floor plan is distinct from architectural drawings used during construction. It is a simplified, official representation focused on the building's footprint and area for registration purposes, not a detailed construction blueprint. However, it provides authoritative information about the building's registered dimensions.
Who Needs It
- Property buyers — to verify the building layout and floor area match what was advertised
- Renovation planners — to understand the existing registered layout before planning changes
- Building registration changes — required as reference when modifying a building's registration due to extensions, demolitions, or changes in use
- Insurance applicants — to verify floor areas and building footprint for property insurance
- Mortgage lenders — to confirm the building's registered specifications as collateral
- Legal proceedings — as official evidence of a building's registered physical characteristics
What's Included
- Building footprint — the outline of the building as it sits on the lot, drawn to scale
- Floor layout by level — the outline of each floor (1st floor, 2nd floor, etc.) showing the shape and extent
- Total area per floor — the calculated floor area of each level in square meters
- Building location on the lot — the position of the building relative to lot boundaries, often with distance measurements
- Scale — the drawing scale (typically 1/250 or 1/500)
- Lot reference — the lot number on which the building sits
How to Obtain
The building floor plan can be requested at the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局) that has jurisdiction over the building's location. You specify the building by its registration details (typically the lot number and building number), and the bureau provides a copy from its records. This is a public record — anyone can request it.
The floor plan is usually stored together with the building's registry certificate, so they can be requested at the same visit. For buildings that predate the current registration system, a floor plan may not be on file.
Through JapanPropertyDocs: We obtain the building floor plan from the Legal Affairs Bureau and provide it with an English annotation explaining the layout, floor areas, and building position on the lot.
Processing Time
Same day at the Legal Affairs Bureau counter. The document is retrieved from records and a copy is provided on the spot. Through JapanPropertyDocs, standard processing takes 3 to 5 business days.