Easement in Wisconsin
State-specific overview · Property & Real Estate
Wisconsin recognizes easements by express grant, implication, necessity, and prescription with a 20-year adverse possession period.
How Wisconsin treats Easement
Wisconsin treats easements as real property interests that bind successors and run with the land. Prescriptive easements require 20 years of open, notorious, exclusive, and continuous use. Wisconsin courts apply easement by necessity when land lacks reasonable access to public roads or when utility connections are essential. Express easements must satisfy the Statute of Frauds and recording in the register of deeds office provides constructive notice.
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 Wisconsin.