Length · Unit Converter

Convert US Survey Foot to Meter

Convert us survey feet to meters instantly. 1 us survey foot = 0.3048006096 meter — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Meter to US Survey Foot converter for the reverse conversion.

Written by Sunith Babu L, Ph.D., Lead Engineer Reviewed by Girish V Kulkarni Ph.D.
Length category 2 min read Published Last reviewed Updated

Units explained

Imperial / US Customary

US Survey Foot

What is a us survey foot?

The US Survey Foot is a legacy unit of length defined as exactly 1200/3937 meters (approximately 0.3048006 m). It differs from the modern international foot by about 2 parts per million.

Origin of the us survey foot

Established in the United States by the Mendenhall Order of 1893, which defined the foot in terms of the meter as 1200/3937 m. The US continued using this value for surveying even after the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement standardized the international foot at exactly 0.3048 m.

Where it is used

Used in US land surveying, geodetic measurements, state plane coordinate systems, and legal land descriptions. The US Survey Foot was officially deprecated by NIST and NOAA effective December 31, 2022, with the international foot becoming the sole US standard. Legacy data and recorded land surveys still reference it.

When and where it was developed

Mendenhall Order of 1893 defined the foot as 1200/3937 m; persisted in US surveying after 1959; officially deprecated by NIST/NOAA as of December 31, 2022.

Metric / SI

Meter

What is a meter?

The meter is the SI base unit of length. Since 2019, the meter has been defined by fixing the numerical value of the speed of light in vacuum to exactly 299,792,458 meters per second. Every other SI length unit derives from the meter.

Origin of the meter

The meter was originally defined in 1793 by the French Academy of Sciences as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a meridian through Paris. It has been redefined multiple times — by physical prototype, then by atomic transitions, and finally in 2019 by fundamental physical constants.

Where it is used

The meter is the international standard for length in science, engineering, construction, athletics, and everyday measurement in metric countries. It underpins definitions of area (m²), volume (m³), and most derived SI units.

When and where it was developed

Established 1793 in France; ratified internationally via the Metre Convention 1875; redefined in 1960, 1983, and most recently 2019 when the SI redefinition fixed it to the speed of light.

US Survey Foot to Meter conversion formula

Note: this conversion uses a generally accepted modern value. Historical and regional definitions of this unit varied across times and places.

The relationship between us survey feet and meters:

1 sft = 0.3048006096 m
1 m = 3.2808333333 sft

To convert us survey feet to meters, multiply the value in us survey feet by 0.3048006096. To reverse, multiply meters by 3.2808333333.

How to use this converter

Type a value into the calculator. The result in meters updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Meter to US Survey Foot converter for the reverse direction.

Step-by-step: convert us survey feet to meters

  1. Write down the value in us survey feet (sft).
  2. Multiply that value by the factor 0.3048006096.
  3. The product is the equivalent value in meters (m).
  4. To reverse, multiply the meter value by 3.2808333333.

Worked examples

Example 1 — Convert 1 sft to m:
1 × 0.3048006096 = 0.3048006096 m

Example 2 — Convert 100 sft to m:
100 × 0.3048006096 = 30.4800609601 m

Real-world example — Reference scenario in case of fallback

Conversion between human-scale length units is the everyday workflow of architecture, athletics, and apparel design — three of the most common contexts that span metric and imperial systems.

1 sft × 0.3048006096 = 0.3048006096 m

Real-world example — Adult height conversion

A 1.8-us survey foot-tall person measures a value in meters that converts the height to the unit favoured by American forms, schools, or driver's licences. This is daily routine for anyone living between metric and imperial systems.

1.8 sft × 0.3048006096 = 0.5486410973 m

Real-world example — Fabric purchase length

Two us survey feet of fabric equals a value in meters essential for tailors and textile buyers sourcing material from international suppliers that quote in different units.

2 sft × 0.3048006096 = 0.6096012192 m

US Survey Foot to Meter conversion table

Standard reference values for converting us survey feet to meters:

US Survey Foot [sft]Meter [m]
0.010.0030480061
0.10.030480061
10.3048006096
20.6096012192
30.9144018288
41.2192024384
51.524003048
103.048006096
206.096012192
309.144018288
4012.192024384
5015.2400304801
10030.4800609601
500152.4003048006
1000304.8006096012

Frequently asked questions

How many meters is 1 us survey foot?
1 us survey foot equals 0.3048006096 meter.
How do I convert us survey feet to meters?
Multiply the value in us survey feet by 0.3048006096 to get meters.
How do I convert meters back to us survey feet?
Multiply the value in meters by 3.2808333333, or use the Meter to US Survey Foot converter.
How many meters is 100 us survey feet?
100 us survey feet equals 30.4800609601 meters, because 100 × 0.3048006096 = 30.4800609601.

Convert US Survey Foot to other length units

Show all US Survey Foot conversions

Sources & references

Conversion factor (1 sft = 0.3048006096 m) verified against the following authoritative sources:

Results are provided for general reference. Verify critical measurements against an authoritative standard.