california real estate licensing
real estate san diego california
california real estate form
online real estate course california
real estate antioch california
california real estate broker license
california department of real estate license
appraiser california estate license real
merced california real estate
oakland california real estate
coldwell banker real estate california
san marcos california real estate
xmls real estate southern california
loomis california ca real estate agents
real estate private water ski lake california
real estate loomis california ca
san marcos real estate california
california truckee real estate
real estate agents california
real estate loomis california ca for sale
real estate in souther california
real estate appraisal school in california
appraiser california estate pasadena real
real estate in california
california estate real sales
oroville california real estate
san clemente california mls real estate
loomis california ca real estate new homes for sale
real estate investors california
real estate in oroville ca california
ontario california real estate
california real estate
fresno california real estate
california real estate agents
granite bay california ca real estate for sale
real estate stockton california
carmel california real estate
california real estate broker
hemet california real estate listings
manhattan beach california real estate
![]() |
| Property law |
|---|
| Part of the common law series |
| Acquisition of property |
| Gift · Adverse possession · Deed |
| Lost, mislaid, and abandoned property |
| Alienation · Bailment · License |
| Estates in land |
| Allodial title · Fee simple · Fee tail |
| Life estate · Defeasible estate |
| Future interest · Concurrent estate |
| Leasehold estate · Condominiums |
| Conveyancing of interests in land |
| Bona fide purchaser · Torrens title |
| Estoppel by deed · Quitclaim deed |
| Mortgage · Equitable conversion |
| Action to quiet title |
| Limiting control over future use |
| Restraint on alienation |
| Rule against perpetuities |
| Rule in Shelley's Case |
| Doctrine of worthier title |
| Nonpossessory interest in land |
| Easement · Profit |
| Covenant running with the land |
| Equitable servitude |
| Related topics |
| Fixtures · Waste · Partition |
| Riparian water rights |
| Lateral and subjacent support |
| Assignment · Nemo dat |
| Other areas of the common law |
| Contract law · Tort law |
| Wills and trusts |
| Criminal Law · Evidence |
An easement is the right to do something or the right to prevent something over the real property of another. At common law, an easement came to be treated as a property right in itself and is still treated as a kind of property by most jurisdictions. In some jurisdictions, another term for easement is equitable servitude, although easements do not have their origin in equity.
The right is often described as the right to use the land of another for a special purpose. Unlike a lease, an easement does not give the holder a right of "possession" of the property, only a right of use. It is distinguished from a licence that only gives one a personal privilege to do something on the land of another. An example of a licence is the right to park a car in a parking lot with the consent of the parking lot owner. Licences in general can be terminated by the property owner much more easily than easements. This is similar to but not the same as a wayleave. Easements also differ from licences in that they are attached to the land, not to a person. This means that a property that enjoys an easement over another will continue to enjoy the easement even if the property gets transferred to a different owner.
Easement concepts differ substantially from country to country, and in the U.S. from state to state. Historically, it was limited to the right-of-way and rights over flowing waters, although this is no longer true. Traditionally, it was a right that could only attach to an adjacent land and was for the benefit of all, not a specific person; this is also no longer true in many jurisdictions.