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Understanding Property Easements: What They Are and How They Work

An easement is a legal right that allows someone other than the property owner to use a portion of your land for a specific purpose. Think of it as giving another person or organization permission to cross through your property or use part of it without actually owning it. The person or organization holding the easement does not own the land—they simply have the right to use it in a defined way.

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There are several common types of easements you might encounter. A utility easement allows companies to run water lines, electrical cables, natural gas lines, or telecommunications equipment across your property. These are among the most common easements in residential areas. Access easements give people the right to travel across your land to reach another property—for example, if someone's driveway cuts through your yard. Conservation easements restrict how you can use your land to preserve natural features or agricultural character. Agricultural easements work similarly, protecting farmland from development.

Easements can be created in several ways. Some are established when a property is first developed and divided into parcels. Others are created through a formal agreement between property owners. In some cases, easements are granted to utility companies through public utility commissions. Occasionally, easements can be created through long-term use—if someone has openly crossed your property for many years without permission, they may eventually gain legal rights to do so.

The key difference between an easement and a deed is ownership. When you sell land through a deed, the new owner becomes the legal owner. With an easement, the easement holder gets only the right to use the land for a specific purpose; you retain ownership and can still use the land yourself, as long as you don't interfere with the easement holder's rights.

Practical Takeaway: Before buying property, review the title report and survey to identify any existing easements. Knowing what easements affect your land helps you understand limitations on how you can use your property and what to expect from neighbors or utility companies.

Common Types of Easements Affecting Residential Properties

Utility easements are by far the most common easements on residential properties. According to the American Public Power Association, approximately 180 million utility poles cross American landscapes, and the land underneath and around them is typically protected by easements. These easements allow utility companies to install, maintain, and repair infrastructure. You will often see utility easements marked on property surveys as strips of land, frequently along property lines or running through backyards. While you own the land, you cannot build permanent structures like sheds, pools, or decks over utility easements.

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Access easements occur when neighboring properties need a right-of-way across your land. This commonly happens with landlocked properties—land that has no direct access to a public road. The landlocked property owner may have a legal easement to cross your property to reach the public road. Some access easements are shared driveways, where two properties split the cost and use of a single driveway running across both parcels.

Drainage easements allow water to flow across your property as part of the natural or engineered drainage system. These are especially common in areas prone to flooding or in developments with retention ponds. The easement holder—often the municipality or a drainage district—has the right to access and maintain drainage systems on your land.

Conservation easements are growing in popularity. These voluntary restrictions limit development on environmentally sensitive land. A property owner might agree to a conservation easement to preserve wetlands, forests, or wildlife habitat. In exchange, the owner may receive tax benefits or a reduction in property value taxes. The easement runs with the property, meaning future owners must also honor the restrictions.

Solar easements are becoming more common as solar energy expands. These easements ensure that solar panels on one property are not shaded by structures on neighboring properties. A property owner installing solar panels might record a solar easement preventing neighbors from building in a way that would block sunlight.

Practical Takeaway: Review your property's title report and survey specifically for utility easements and access easements. Understanding where these easements are located helps you plan any future improvements and avoid expensive mistakes, such as building a structure where an easement exists.

How to Find Easement Information About Your Property

The most reliable source for easement information is your property's title report or abstract. If you have owned your property for a while, you likely received this document when you purchased it. The title report lists all recorded easements affecting your land. If you cannot find your original title report, you can obtain a new one by contacting a title company or real estate attorney. Title companies typically charge between $100 and $300 for a new title report, though prices vary by location.

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Your county assessor's office maintains records of all properties and many easements in the county. You can visit the assessor's office in person or access their online database. Most county assessor websites allow free searching by property address or parcel number. The assessor's records may show utility easements and other recorded easements. However, not all easements appear in assessor records—some older easements or informal agreements may not be recorded.

The county recorder's office maintains all recorded documents affecting property, including easement agreements. Like the assessor's office, many county recorder offices now offer online access to recorded documents. You can search by property address, owner name, or parcel number. Many online databases charge a small fee—usually between $1 and $5 per document—to view or download recorded easements.

Your property survey is another valuable document. A professional survey clearly shows easement locations with labels. If you don't have a survey, you can hire a surveyor to create one. Professional surveys cost between $300 and $1,000 depending on property size and complexity. The survey will show utility easements, access easements, and other recorded easements affecting your specific parcel.

Utility companies themselves can provide information about easements on your property. Contact your local electric company, water utility, gas company, and telecommunications provider. Ask them to confirm whether they have easements on your land and to provide maps showing the easement locations. Many utilities offer this information free of charge and may send representatives to mark easement locations on your property with paint or flags.

If you are considering purchasing a property, require that the seller provide a title report as part of the transaction. Real estate agents and attorneys typically facilitate this. The title report will disclose all known easements before you purchase.

Practical Takeaway: Start with your county assessor and recorder websites—these free online resources often provide the information you need. If you find easement references but want more detail, hire a surveyor to create a map showing exact easement locations on your property.

Understanding Your Rights and Responsibilities Regarding Easements

As a property owner with an easement on your land, you retain ownership and most usage rights. You can live on the property, farm it, or use it for most purposes. However, you cannot interfere with the easement holder's right to use the easement. This means you cannot block access, build permanent structures over the easement, or otherwise prevent the easement holder from exercising their rights.

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For utility easements, this means utility workers may access your property to install, inspect, repair, or maintain utilities. They typically must provide advance notice before entering your property, though emergency situations may not allow for notice. You should not plant trees over electrical lines or build structures that could interfere with underground utilities. Many utility companies maintain easement corridors by trimming trees and removing obstacles, which they may do without requesting permission.

Your responsibilities include not damaging the utilities or infrastructure within the easement. If you excavate or dig on your property, you should call 811 before digging. This free nationwide service locates underground utilities at your property so you can avoid hitting them. Hitting a utility line can result in injury, service disruption, and significant repair costs that you may be liable for.

For access easements, the easement holder has the right to cross your property as needed to reach their own land. You should not block the easement route or create hazards along it. However, you can still use the easement area yourself and can require the easement holder to maintain the shared area in reasonable condition.

You do have the right to seek compensation if an easement significantly reduces your property's value or limits your use. You might negotiate with the easement holder for a payment in exchange for allowing them to relocate the easement or modify its terms. This negotiation requires legal advice and typically involves the easement holder's company or organization