Which of the following would be considered a private restriction on property rights?

• A. Zoning ordinance
• B. Deed restriction
• C. Building code
• D. Eminent domain

Answer: (B)

Private restrictions on property rights are limitations created by private parties that stay attached to the land. The most common example is a deed restriction, a covenant recorded in the property's deed that limits how the land can be used or developed. Because it’s private, it’s enforced by those who have an interest in the property—such as neighboring owners or a homeowners association—and it binds future owners as it runs with the land.

Public restrictions come from government authority. A zoning ordinance is set by the municipality to regulate land use; a building code establishes public safety standards for construction; eminent domain is the government’s power to take private property for public use with compensation. Thus, the private deed restriction is the option that represents a private, rather than public, limitation on property rights.