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How to Find Your County's ArcGIS Parcel Layer URL

Published: March 2026 • 7 min read

Many county GIS departments publish parcel data through ArcGIS REST services. If you want to use UrbanKit Studio's Parcel Lookup Tool or build your own queries, you'll need the specific feature layer URL for your county's parcel dataset. This guide shows you exactly how to find it.

What Is an ArcGIS REST Service URL?

ArcGIS Server exposes geographic data through REST endpoints—web addresses you can query programmatically. A typical parcel layer URL looks like this:

https://gis.countyname.gov/arcgis/rest/services/Parcels/MapServer/0

The key parts are:

  • Host — The county's GIS server domain (e.g., gis.countyname.gov)
  • /arcgis/rest/services/ — The standard ArcGIS REST path
  • Service name — Often "Parcels," "AssessorParcels," or "CadastralData"
  • Server type — MapServer or FeatureServer
  • Layer index — Usually /0, but could be any number in a multi-layer service
FeatureServer vs MapServer: FeatureServer endpoints support querying individual features and returning GeoJSON. MapServer endpoints are read-only but also support queries. Either works for parcel lookups—FeatureServer is preferred when available.

Method 1: Search for Your County's GIS Portal

The fastest approach is a targeted web search:

  1. Search Google for: [Your County] [Your State] ArcGIS REST services
  2. Look for results containing /arcgis/rest/services in the URL
  3. Click through to the REST services directory page
  4. Browse the folder list for services named "Parcels," "Assessor," "Cadastral," or "Property"
  5. Click the service name, then click the layer (usually layer 0) that contains parcel polygons

Alternative search queries that often work:

  • [County Name] GIS parcel layer REST
  • site:arcgis.com [County Name] parcels
  • [County Name] GIS open data parcels

Method 2: Use the County's GIS Web Map

Most counties have an interactive web map (often called a "GIS Viewer" or "Property Search"). You can reverse-engineer the layer URL from there:

  1. Open your county's GIS web map (search: [County Name] GIS map viewer)
  2. Open your browser's Developer Tools (F12 or right-click → Inspect)
  3. Go to the Network tab and filter by "query" or "MapServer"
  4. Click on a parcel in the map and watch the network requests
  5. Look for requests to URLs containing /arcgis/rest/services/
  6. Copy the base URL up to and including the layer number
Pro tip: In the Network tab, filter requests by typing MapServer or FeatureServer. This quickly isolates the ArcGIS service calls from all other network traffic.

Method 3: Check ArcGIS Hub or Open Data Sites

Many counties publish data on ArcGIS Hub. To find parcel layers:

  1. Go to hub.arcgis.com
  2. Search for [County Name] parcels
  3. Find a result that's a "Feature Layer" or "Map Service"
  4. On the dataset page, look for a "View Full Details" or "URL" link
  5. The REST endpoint URL will be displayed, often under "Service URL" or in the metadata

Verifying Your Layer URL

Once you have a URL, verify it's the right layer:

  1. Paste the URL into your browser (e.g., https://gis.county.gov/arcgis/rest/services/Parcels/MapServer/0)
  2. You should see a page showing the layer details: name, geometry type, fields, etc.
  3. Confirm the Geometry Type is esriGeometryPolygon (not Point)
  4. Check the Fields list for attributes like APN, owner name, and mailing address
  5. Scroll down and click "Query" to test: set Where: 1=1, Return Geometry: true, Format: JSON, and click "Query (GET)"
Important: Some services require authentication or are restricted to internal networks. If you get a 403 error or empty results, the service may not be publicly accessible. Check if the county has a separate public-facing service.

Common URL Patterns by Platform

Different counties use slightly different URL structures:

  • Standard ArcGIS Server: https://gis.county.gov/arcgis/rest/services/[ServiceName]/MapServer/0
  • ArcGIS Online: https://services.arcgis.com/[orgId]/arcgis/rest/services/[ServiceName]/FeatureServer/0
  • ArcGIS Enterprise: https://gis.county.gov/server/rest/services/[Folder]/[ServiceName]/MapServer/0

What to Do If You Can't Find It

If web searches come up empty:

  • Call the county GIS department — Ask if they have a public ArcGIS REST endpoint for parcels
  • Check for alternative formats — The county may offer downloadable GeoJSON or Shapefiles instead. See our guide on getting parcel GeoJSON data
  • Try neighboring counties — Regional GIS consortiums sometimes host data for multiple counties
  • Use a data aggregator — Services like Regrid provide standardized parcel APIs across jurisdictions

Have your layer URL ready?

Try the Parcel Lookup Tool →

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