property

easement appurtenant

An easement appurtenant is a right to use part of a neighboring parcel that benefits a specific piece of land. It involves two parcels: the dominant tenement, which benefits, and the servient tenement, which is burdened. Because it is attached to the land rather than to a person, it "runs with the land" and automatically transfers to new owners of both parcels when they are sold.

Exam tip
Look for two adjoining parcels. If there is no dominant parcel and the right belongs to a person or company (like a utility), it is an easement in gross instead.
Example
A lakefront lot has a recorded driveway easement allowing the rear lot owner to cross it to reach the road. When the rear lot sells, the new owner keeps the right to use the driveway.

Related terms & state variants

Sources

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Last verified: 2026-10-23