Virginia Real Estate Level 1 Pre-License (PL) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The ownership of water bordering a property is associated with littoral rights. Littoral rights apply specifically to properties that are adjacent to large bodies of water such as oceans, seas, and lakes. Property owners with littoral rights have the right to access and use the water, as well as enjoy the water's natural resources. These rights typically allow the owner to use the water for personal purposes, such as boating or fishing, but do not grant ownership of the water itself.

In contrast, riparian rights pertain to properties adjacent to flowing bodies of water, like rivers and streams. While percolating water rights deal with underground water sources that exist beneath the property, subsurface rights relate to the ownership of minerals and other substances found below the surface of the land. Each of these concepts addresses different aspects of water and resource rights in real estate, but littoral rights are the specific type associated with stationary bodies of water.