landlocked
Landlocked describes a parcel of land that lacks direct access to a public roadway and can only be reached by crossing another person’s property. Owners of landlocked property may obtain access through an easement, which can be negotiated and purchased from a neighboring landowner. An easement may also arise by necessity when a landowner conveys part of their property to another, resulting in the conveyed parcel becoming landlocked. In such cases, the easement is implied in the original conveyance, but this doctrine applies only where the parcels were once under common ownership.
[Last reviewed in September of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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