In AutoCAD Civil 3D, labels and tags are controlled by label styles.
In the ToolspaceSettings tree, most feature collections, such as parcels, alignments, and surfaces, contain their own unique label styles. When you define a label style, you determine the purpose of the label and set up a relationship with the object that uses it. Labels always remain associated with the object they are annotating.
General line and curve label styles can be used for parcel segments labels, and alignment line/curve labels. Previously, general line label styles could modify only lines, curves, and polylines. For more information, see Editing Label Styles.
The general line label styles are available for the parcel, alignment, grading, and survey labeling commands. Parcel tables now support general line/curve label types. Parcel tables display either general/line curve labels or parcel segment labels. For more information, see Adding Parcel Tables.
There are three levels of label settings in addition to settings that you define in the label styles themselves. For more information, see The Hierarchy of Label Settings.
As you create AutoCAD Civil 3D objects in a drawing, they are labeled automatically using specified label styles. However, after an object is created, you can add more labels manually.
Labels are defined by the following properties:
- Type. There are three types of AutoCAD Civil 3D labels:
Anchored. Anchored labels are dependent upon a parent object for their location in the modelspace. If the parent object is moved, the anchored label moves with it. Examples of anchored labels include parcel segment labels and alignment station labels.
Unanchored. Unanchored labels are placed at a specific X-Y location in modelspace. If the object it labels is moved, the unanchored label stays in its X-Y location. Examples of unanchored labels include AutoCAD note labels and surface spot elevation labels.
Label Sets (or, group labels). A label set is a collection of label definitions for multiple anchored label types, such as station labels and geometry point labels. For example, alignment station labeling can be composed of major station labels, minor station labels, and geometry point labels.
- Location. Label location in a drawing depends on the object using the label.
For example, a parcel area label is usually placed at the center of the parcel, and surface contour labels are usually placed on the contour line.
- Appearance and Visibility. Whether a label is visible, and how it appears in a drawing, can be specified in the label style or by managing the AutoCAD properties. You can define different display settings, such as color, lineweight, and linetype, for each label component.
- Mode. Many label styles have two modes: label and tag. Tags are used to identify labeled objects within a table. For more information, see Setting Up Label Styles To Be Used as Tags.
- Behavior. Labels behave according to their association with objects. For example, if you move an object in a drawing, the label moves with it.
Also, behavior can also depend on how a label is positioned in a drawing.
- Placement. A label is placed in relation to an object or another label style component. For more information, see Anchor Points and Attachment Points.
- Plan-Readable text. Labels can be placed at any angle, but you can select a plan-readability setting to maintain legibility. For more information, see Using Plan-Readability and Changing Label Insertion.
- Orientation. Label orientation refers to the rotation angle of the labels in 3D space. For more information about label orientation, see Changing Label Orientation.
The commands used to add single and multiple label types from the parcels, alignments, and line/curve menus support each of the three object types. For example, if you click Annotate tab 
Labels & Tables panel Add Labels menu Line And Curve Add Single Segment Line/Curve Label 
and then select a parcel in the drawing, a parcel segment (line or curve) label is created.
The following object type/segments are supported by these commands:
- line
- arc
- polyline line segment
- feature line, line segment
- feature line, arc segment
- parcel line segment
- parcel curve segment
- alignment line segment
- alignment curve segment
- alignment spiral segment
The following table lists what determines the default style/style type when you use the add label command from particular menus.
| General Line/Curve Menu | Parcel Line/Curve Menu | Alignment Line/Curve Menu | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create label on line, curve, pline, or feature line | Styles come from line/curve settings (General line/curve style type). | Styles come from Parcel settings (General line/curve style type, or parcel types supported). | Styles come from line/curve settings (General line/curve style type). |
| Create label on Parcel Segment | Styles come from line/curve settings (General line/curve style type). | Styles come from Parcel settings (General line/curve style type, or parcel types supported). | Styles come from Parcel settings (General line/curve style type, or parcel types supported). |
| Create label on Alignment Segment | Styles come from line/curve settings (General line/curve style type). When labeling using "Multiple" or "Single," and any spirals are labeled they use the alignment settings for the spiral style. | Styles come from Alignment settings (General line/curve style type, or Alignment types supported). When labeling using "Multiple" or "Single," and any spirals are labeled, they use the alignment settings for the spiral style. | Styles come from Alignment settings (General line/curve style type, or Alignment types supported). |
| Create label on Line, Curve, Pline or Feature Line | Styles come from Add Labels dialog | Styles come from Add Labels dialog | Styles come from Parcel settings (General line/curve style type, or parcel types supported). |
| Create label on Alignment Segment | Styles come from Add Labels dialog. When labeling using "Multiple" or "Single," and any spirals are labeled, they use the alignment settings for the spiral label style. | If current style referenced in label tool is line/curve type, then that style is applied. If style is parcel type, get styles from alignment settings. When labeling spirals using "Multiple" or "Single," and any spirals are labeled, they use the alignment settings for the spiral style. | Styles come from Add Labels dialog. |
Topics in this section
- The Hierarchy of Label Settings
You can manage label style settings in a drawing at different levels using the Settings tree in Toolspace.
- Overview of Label Styles
Use a label style to define the behavior, appearance, and content of labels.
- Scaling Labels in Drawings
Labels are scaled relative to the drawing scale in model space, and are scaled to the assigned text height in paper space, regardless of the viewport scale.