Length · Unit Converter

Convert US Survey Foot to Pole

Convert us survey feet to poles instantly. 1 us survey foot = 0.0606061818 pole — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Pole 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.

Imperial / US Customary

Pole

What is a pole?

A pole is an Imperial unit of length identical to the rod and perch — 16.5 feet (about 5.03 m). The names are regional and historical variants for the same measurement.

Origin of the pole

The pole derives from medieval English land-surveying. The name comes from the physical wooden pole used by surveyors to lay out the unit on the ground.

Where it is used

Poles appear in historical land records, particularly older US public-land surveys. Functionally identical to rod and perch in all calculations.

When and where it was developed

Medieval English surveying origin; identical to the rod since 1620; became exact via the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.

US Survey Foot to Pole 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 poles:

1 sft = 0.0606061818 pole
1 pole = 16.499967 sft

To convert us survey feet to poles, multiply the value in us survey feet by 0.0606061818. To reverse, multiply poles by 16.499967.

How to use this converter

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

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

  1. Write down the value in us survey feet (sft).
  2. Multiply that value by the factor 0.0606061818.
  3. The product is the equivalent value in poles (pole).
  4. To reverse, multiply the pole value by 16.499967.

Worked examples

Example 1 — Convert 1 sft to pole:
1 × 0.0606061818 = 0.0606061818 pole

Example 2 — Convert 100 sft to pole:
100 × 0.0606061818 = 6.0606181818 pole

Real-world example — Maritime depth conversion

A 10-us survey foot sounding depth converts cleanly into poles. Recreational divers and sailors translate between the two units whenever they read legacy charts against modern depth-sounder displays.

10 sft × 0.0606061818 = 0.6060618182 pole

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 × 0.0606061818 = 0.0606061818 pole

Real-world example — Adult height conversion

A 1.8-us survey foot-tall person measures a value in poles 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 × 0.0606061818 = 0.1090911273 pole

US Survey Foot to Pole conversion table

Standard reference values for converting us survey feet to poles:

US Survey Foot [sft]Pole [pole]
0.010.0006060618
0.10.0060606182
10.0606061818
20.1212123636
30.1818185455
40.2424247273
50.3030309091
100.6060618182
201.2121236364
301.8181854546
402.4242472727
503.0303090909
1006.0606181818
50030.3030909092
100060.6061818184

Frequently asked questions

How many poles is 1 us survey foot?
1 us survey foot equals 0.0606061818 pole.
How do I convert us survey feet to poles?
Multiply the value in us survey feet by 0.0606061818 to get poles.
How do I convert poles back to us survey feet?
Multiply the value in poles by 16.499967, or use the Pole to US Survey Foot converter.
How many poles is 100 us survey feet?
100 us survey feet equals 6.0606181818 poles, because 100 × 0.0606061818 = 6.0606181818.

Convert US Survey Foot to other length units

Show all US Survey Foot conversions

Sources & references

Conversion factor (1 sft = 0.0606061818 pole) verified against the following authoritative sources:

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