What is a shared driveway easement?

A shared driveway easement is a legal right allowing two or more property owners to use a driveway that crosses or sits on one or both of their lots, usually because the homes were built without separate access to each. It gets recorded against the deed and typically spells out maintenance responsibilities and each owner's rights of use. Buying a home with one means understanding those terms before closing, since disputes over shared driveways are a common source of neighbor conflict.