How do I find out if a property used to be a gas station?
Check your state's underground storage tank database and EPA's UST Finder for registered or leaking tanks at the address, then look at old fire insurance (Sanborn) maps, city directories and aerial photos for the telltale canopy and pump islands. A station that closed before tank registration began in the 1980s may show up only in the old maps and photos.
Where to look
State tank databases list registered tanks, removals and leak cases. EPA's UST Finder puts the states' data on one national map.
Sanborn maps, kept by the Library of Congress for many towns, mark gas stations and tanks by building. City directories list the business at each address by year.
Aerial photos back to the 1940s or 1950s show canopies, pump islands and the station's footprint.
Why it matters
Leaked fuel can sit in the soil and groundwater for decades and move onto neighboring lots. A former station on the site or uphill is one of the most common reasons a Phase I recommends sampling.
Check a property’s flood zone free
Type the address. See the FEMA flood zone and map, free. Add your email to see which buildings sit in the flood area.
Read next
- How to check for underground tanks
- State tank and cleanup databases
- See how a report traces past uses
- How much does a Phase I environmental site assessment cost?
- Do I need a Phase I environmental site assessment to buy a commercial property?
- What is a pre-Phase I environmental screen?
- How do I look up a property's FEMA flood zone?
Sources (checked 2026-11-10)