Easement in Rhode Island
State-specific overview · Property & Real Estate
Rhode Island enforces easements by express grant and recognizes prescriptive easements after 10 years of open use.
How Rhode Island treats Easement
Rhode Island law allows easements to be created through written agreement and recorded in the land records. A prescriptive easement arises after 10 years of open, notorious, continuous, and uninterrupted use without the owner's permission or license. Rhode Island courts recognize easements by necessity for landlocked properties and enforce the terms of express easements according to their language and intent.
The general definition of Easement
The right to use someone else's land for a specific purpose, like crossing it or running utilities.
An easement gives one person or entity the legal right to use another person's property in a limited way. For example, a utility company might have an easement to run electric lines under your yard, or a neighbor might have an easement to cross your land to reach their property. The property owner still owns the land but cannot prevent the easement holder from exercising their right.
Read the full Easement entry →This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. State laws change frequently. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney in Rhode Island.