What Is the SG Number (SG Code) on a Property?

If you have ever looked at a property's paperwork in South Africa, you may have come across an "SG number" or "SG code" and wondered what on earth it refers to. It is one of those small reference codes that quietly carries a lot of weight. In short, the SG number is the Surveyor General's reference for a property's survey diagram — the unique fingerprint that ties a piece of land to the official document showing its boundaries, beacons and size.

What the SG number actually is

Every approved survey diagram of a property in South Africa is registered and given a reference by the Surveyor General. That reference is the SG number (sometimes written as an SG code or SG diagram number). It is how the survey records identify one specific diagram out of millions on file.

Remember what an SG diagram is in the first place: it is the survey of the property. It shows the boundaries, the corner beacons (the pegs that mark each corner), the lengths and bearings of each boundary line, the total extent (the size in square metres or hectares) and any servitudes crossing the land. The SG number is simply the filing reference that points to that diagram.

Crucially, the SG number lives in the survey world — the cadastral record of where land sits and how big it is. It is not the same as your title deed, which is the ownership record kept at the deeds office showing who owns the property, the bonds against it and its transfer history. The SG number belongs to the diagram, not the deed.

Where the SG number appears

You will typically come across an SG number in a few places:

• Printed on the survey diagram itself, usually in the title block or corner of the document.
• Referenced in the property description on a title deed, which points back to the diagram that defines the land.
• In conveyancing and bond paperwork, where attorneys cite the diagram that the deed relies on.
• In municipal or valuation records that link a stand to its surveyed extent.

The exact format varies depending on when and where the property was surveyed, which is why two diagrams for neighbouring stands can have quite different-looking SG references.

SG number versus erf number — they are not the same

This is the most common mix-up, so it is worth being clear. The erf number is the everyday identifier for an urban stand — "Erf 4521, Brackenfell", for example. It is what people use in conversation, on municipal accounts and in property listings. It tells you which stand you are talking about.

The SG number, by contrast, is the reference for the survey diagram of that stand. One identifies the property in plain terms (the erf number); the other identifies the official survey document that defines its boundaries and extent (the SG number).

• Erf number: the common name for the stand — easy to remember, used everywhere.
• SG number: the Surveyor General's filing reference for the diagram of that stand.
• Title deed number: a third, separate reference — the one that records ownership at the deeds office.

Farms and agricultural holdings (rural properties) work the same way, except they are identified by farm name and portion number rather than an erf number, and each portion has its own diagram and SG reference.

Do you need the SG number to find a diagram?

Here is the good news: no, you do not need the SG number to search on SGCheck. The whole point of the tool is that it does the matching for you. You search by the property — either by pinning the address on a map, or by entering the erf number along with the town and portion — and SGCheck shows you for free which SG diagrams exist for that property. You never have to dig up the SG code yourself.

Once you can see which diagrams are on file, you pay a single R230 fee to retrieve and download every diagram for that property as a PDF. Sectional title properties (flats and townhouses) are sourced manually on request rather than instantly, but for ordinary erven, farms and agricultural holdings the diagrams come straight through.

So if you have been hunting for an SG number just to look up a diagram, you can stop. The address or the erf number is enough. Try the free SGCheck search and let it find the matching diagrams for you.

Where the SG number is not the answer

If what you actually want is ownership information — who owns the property, what bonds are registered against it, or its transfer history — then the SG number and the survey diagram are the wrong place to look entirely. That information sits in the deeds record, not the survey record. For ownership and title deed questions, head over to DeedsCheck, which is built for exactly that. Keep SGCheck for the survey diagram and boundaries; use DeedsCheck for the ownership story.

Frequently asked questions

Is the SG number the same as the title deed number?

No. The SG number is the Surveyor General's reference for the survey diagram, which shows boundaries, beacons and extent. The title deed number is a separate reference at the deeds office that records ownership, bonds and transfers. They point to two different documents in two different offices.

Do I need the SG number to search on SGCheck?

No. You can search simply by pinning the address on a map, or by entering the erf number with the town and portion. SGCheck matches your property to its diagrams for you, so you never have to find the SG code yourself.

Where can I find the SG number for my property?

It is usually printed on the survey diagram itself, and it is often referenced in the property description on the title deed and in conveyancing paperwork. If you only want the diagram, though, you do not need to track the number down first.

Does every property have an SG number?

Every property with an approved, registered survey diagram has an associated SG reference. Some older or unusual properties may have more than one diagram on file, each with its own reference, which is why a single search on SGCheck can return several diagrams.