Legal access
A recorded right to get to a parcel from a public road — not merely a track that happens to reach it.
A parcel has legal access when it touches a public road or benefits from a recorded easement across the land between it and one. Physical access — a gravel lane everyone has used for decades — is not the same thing. A parcel with no legal way in is “landlocked”.
Why it matters
Without legal access you may not be able to get a building permit, a mortgage, or title insurance, and the price should reflect that. Fixing it later means negotiating with a neighbor or going to court. A map can show whether a parcel touches a mapped road; whether the road is public and whether an easement exists is a question for the title search.
Related terms
- Easement
A recorded right for someone else to use part of your land for a specific purpose.
Articles on this topic
- Analyzing a property with Terranown: a walkthroughSeptember 30, 2026
- What a land report should tell you — and how to judge oneJuly 28, 2026
- How to research a property yourself, step by stepMay 20, 2026
- Why you should analyze land before you buy itMarch 12, 2026
See what the record says about your property
Find the parcel on the map and run a Basic report — no account needed to read the result.
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