What is the primary legal document from which land is patented in the GLO system?

The primary legal document from which land is patented in the GLO system is an approved GLO plat. This plat serves as a graphical representation of the land's boundaries, showing the surveyed parcels and their locations, and is vital for establishing legal ownership.

When land is patented, it is essentially being transferred from government ownership to private ownership, and the approved GLO plat provides the necessary details and validation for this transfer. The plat includes important information such as the descriptions of the land's location and size, which are critical for recording the patent correctly and ensuring that the boundaries of the land are clearly defined.

The other choices do not serve as primary documents for land patenting in the GLO system. A certificate of survey is typically used to confirm survey results but does not have the same authoritative bearing as an approved GLO plat. A public land grant involves the gifting of land from the government, which is different from the patenting process. A deed from the local government usually pertains to the transfer of land ownership at a local level and does not encompass the broader, federally recognized process involved in GLO patents.