Eminent Domain Compensation Calculator
Just compensation from appraised value and damages.
About this calculator
The Fifth Amendment requires "just compensation" when the government exercises eminent domain to take private property, and this calculator applies the "before and after" appraisal method described in the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions — commonly known as the "Yellow Book" and used by federal agencies and the U.S. Department of Justice's own appraisers in condemnation litigation — to estimate it. For a full taking, that's simply the fair market value of the land plus improvements. For a partial taking — where only some acreage is acquired and an owner keeps the remainder — the math gets more involved: the calculator prices the land taken and the improvements taken directly, then adds severance damages, the diminished value the remaining parcel suffers because of its now-awkward size, shape, or access.
Severance damage is entered as a percentage applied to the remainder's land and improvement value, so a higher percentage assumes more collateral harm to what's left. Working the other direction, a special benefits offset reduces compensation when the government project itself increases the remainder's value (say, a new road improving access) — capped here at 50% either way. On top of the core property calculation, the tool adds Uniform Relocation Act moving costs and, where state law permits, lost business income, neither of which is universally compensable, so check your jurisdiction. The most common mixup is treating the government's opening offer as the ceiling: this figure is meant to help you gauge whether that offer is fair, not to substitute for an independent appraisal or legal counsel before you sign anything away.
Legal Disclaimer
This calculator provides general estimates only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws, regulations, and court procedures vary significantly by jurisdiction. Consult a licensed attorney in your area for advice specific to your situation.
Figures current as of 2026. Source: Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions ("the Yellow Book"), developed and adopted by the Interagency Land Acquisition Conference; applied by the U.S. Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Total Acreage and Acres Being Taken to determine the proportional taking.
- Set Fair Market Value per Acre and Total Improvements Value (structures, buildings).
- Enter Improvements Taken % and Severance Damage % — the loss in value to the remaining property.
- Input Special Benefits Offset % if the government project increases the remaining land's value.
- Add Relocation Costs and any Lost Business Income eligible for compensation.
- Review Total Just Compensation and compare against the government's initial offer to assess whether to negotiate.
How the result changes with Total Improvements Value ($)
| Total Improvements Value ($) | Total Just Compensation | Property Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| 125,000 | $252,000.00 | $237,000.00 |
| 187,500 | $314,500.00 | $299,500.00 |
| 375,000 | $502,000.00 | $487,000.00 |
| 625,000 | $752,000.00 | $737,000.00 |
What each input means
- Total Property Acreage
- Total acreage of the entire property before the taking.
- Acres Being Taken
- Number of acres the government is acquiring.
- Fair Market Value per Acre ($)
- Appraised fair market value per acre.
- Total Improvements Value ($)
- Value of all structures and improvements on the property.
- Improvements Taken (%)
- Percentage of improvements that fall within the taken area.
- Severance Damage (%)
- Estimated percentage loss in value to the remaining property (partial takings).
- Special Benefits Offset (%)
- Value increase to remainder from the project (offsets severance damages).
- Relocation Costs ($)
- Moving and relocation expenses under the Uniform Relocation Act.
- Lost Business Income ($)
- Documented lost business income (where state law allows).
What each result means
- Total Just Compensation
- Complete compensation including property value, damages, and relocation.
- Property Compensation
- Compensation for property value (land + improvements + severance - benefits).
- Land Value Taken
- Fair market value of the acres acquired.
- Improvements Value Taken
- Value of improvements within the acquired area.
- Severance Damages
- Diminished value of the remaining property after a partial taking.
- Special Benefits Offset
- Value increase to remainder that offsets severance damages.
- Before Value (Entire Property)
- Total property value before the taking.
- After Value (Remainder)
- Estimated value of the remaining property after the taking.
- Relocation Costs
- Moving and relocation assistance.
- Lost Business Income
- Documented business income losses.
- Compensation per Acre Taken
- Total compensation divided by acres taken.
- Remaining Acreage
- Acres remaining after the taking.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersTotal Property Acreage = 5, Acres Being Taken = 1, Fair Market Value per Acre ($) = 80000, Total Improvements Value ($) = 250000 = 9 input(s) provided
- Calculate Total Just CompensationTotal Just Compensation = r(totalCompensation)377000 = $377,000
- Calculate Property CompensationProperty Compensation = r(propertyCompensation)362000 = $362,000
- Calculate Land Value TakenLand Value Taken = r(landTakenValue)80000 = $80,000
- Calculate Improvements Value TakenImprovements Value Taken = r(improvementsTakenValue)250000 = $250,000
Figures and sources
- The "before and after" appraisal method for valuing partial takings under the Fifth Amendment's Just Compensation Clause (2026) — Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions ("the Yellow Book"), developed and adopted by the Interagency Land Acquisition Conference; applied by the U.S. Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division.
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is severance damage actually calculated here?
Severance damage is entered as a percentage and applied only to the remainder parcel's value — the land and improvements left after the taking — not to the whole property or to the portion being acquired. So a 10% severance damage figure on a remainder worth $200,000 in land and improvements adds $20,000 to the compensation, on top of the direct value of the acres and improvements taken. The calculator caps this input at 50% since severance damage claims above that are unusual and would need strong appraisal support.
What does the special benefits offset do, and can it wipe out my compensation?
If the government project itself increases the value of your remaining land — a new road improving access is the classic example — that increase can legally offset severance damages, and the calculator applies the special benefits percentage to the remainder's land value and subtracts it from property compensation. It's capped at 50% and can only offset severance-related damages in this model, not reduce the direct value of the land and improvements actually taken, so it can't zero out your full compensation.
Are relocation costs and lost business income always included in just compensation?
Not universally — relocation costs are added here under the assumption the Uniform Relocation Act or a similar state program applies, and lost business income is only compensable in some states, which is why the calculator lets you set it to zero. These two figures are added on top of the core property compensation (land, improvements, severance damages minus offsets), so confirm your jurisdiction actually allows them before including nonzero values in a real negotiation.
Why does the calculator distinguish full takings from partial takings?
In a full taking, acresTaken equals totalAcreage, so there's no remainder parcel and severance damages and special benefits are both zero by definition — compensation is simply the value of the land and improvements taken. In a partial taking, the 'before and after' method described in the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (the 'Yellow Book') kicks in: the calculator separately values the remainder before and after the taking to capture damage the taking causes to the parcel you keep, which a full taking can't produce since nothing remains.
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