A foot is exactly 0.3048 meters.
Feet to US survey feet Converter — ft to ftUS
Convert Foot (ft) to US survey foot (ftUS) using the exact conversion factor (1 foot = 0.999998 us survey foot). See the formula, worked examples, conversion table, history, and common uses.
Feet to US survey feet converter
Converter
Length Converter
Convert SI, imperial, US customary, astronomical, scientific, and historical length units.
Context values
Some unit families need one extra value for a physically accurate result.
The US survey foot is 1200/3937 meters and is retained for legacy land records.
Result = input x 0.3048 / 0.3048006096.
Length uses the meter as the base unit.
Reserved above the conversion cards and below the converter.
About Converting Feet to US survey feet
Foot and US survey foot both measure length. Foot is most often used for height measurement in the us and uk.
Formula
us survey feet = feet × 0.999998
This factor comes from each unit's defined relationship to the category's base unit: 1 foot equals 0.3048 base units, and 1 us survey foot equals 0.304800609601 base units, so dividing one by the other gives the direct foot-to-us survey foot factor of 0.999998.
Simple example
1 ft × 0.999998 = 0.999998 ftUS
1 foot = 0.999998 us survey feet.
Real-world example
10 ft × 0.999998 = 9.99998 ftUS
10 feet = 9.99998 us survey feet.
Conversion table
| Foot (ft) | US survey foot (ftUS) |
|---|---|
| 1 ft | 0.999998 ftUS |
| 5 ft | 4.99999 ftUS |
| 10 ft | 9.99998 ftUS |
| 21.0975 ft | 21.09745781 ftUS |
| 42.195 ft | 42.19491561 ftUS |
| 100 ft | 99.9998 ftUS |
Reverse conversion: US survey foot to Foot
0.999998 ftUS × 1.000002 = 1 ft
0.999998 us survey feet = 1 foot.
feet = us survey feet × 1.000002
For a page dedicated to this direction, see US survey foot to Foot.
Understanding the Foot
Foot (ft) measures distance. The international foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 meters. It is classified as a US/imperial customary unit.
Where it's used: United States (height, construction, aviation altitude) United Kingdom (height, some construction contexts)
Uses of the Foot today
- Height measurement in the US and UK
- US construction and real estate (square footage)
- Aviation altitude worldwide (feet remain standard even in metric countries)
History of the Foot
The foot has ancient roots (Roman 'pes', various regional English feet), standardized into the modern English foot over centuries. The international foot (exactly 0.3048 m) was fixed by the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement, resolving small historical differences between US and UK measurements.
Historical origin. Foot was not the invention of a single named person; it developed through the process described above.
Understanding the US survey foot (ftUS)
The US survey foot is 1200/3937 meters and is retained for legacy land records.
Foot — sources
- NIST — International yard and pound (1959) — Fixes the modern foot at exactly 0.3048 meters.
Reserved between the cards and the FAQ so the page stays balanced.
Frequently asked questions
How many us survey feet are in 1 foot?
1 foot equals 0.999998 us survey feet, using the exact defined conversion factor rather than an estimate.
How do I convert foot to us survey foot?
Multiply the foot value by 0.999998. The converter above does this instantly to whatever precision you set.
How do I convert us survey foot back to foot?
Use the reverse factor: 1 us survey foot equals 1.000002 feet. You can also use the swap control in the converter above to flip the direction instantly.
What is a foot?
Foot (ft) measures distance. The international foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 meters. It is classified as a US/imperial customary unit.
What is a us survey foot?
US survey foot (ftUS) is a unit of length.
Is the foot to us survey foot conversion exact?
Yes. The international foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 meters. That fixed definition is what the converter above uses, so any rounding you see is a display choice, not a limitation of the math.
Where is the foot still used today?
United States (height, construction, aviation altitude) United Kingdom (height, some construction contexts)