Limited common element
A shared-but-private area — like your balcony, patio, or assigned parking — that one unit uses exclusively.
A limited common element is a gray-area part of a condo: it's technically a common element the association owns, but only one unit gets to use it. Balconies, patios, the front stoop, assigned parking spaces, storage lockers, and sometimes windows and entry doors are the usual examples. Because it sits between 'yours' and 'everyone's,' responsibility for maintaining it is the most-disputed question in condo living — some declarations make the owner maintain it, others split the cost, and some keep it with the association. The only reliable answer is in your [CC&Rs](/glossary/ccandrs). See [who maintains balconies, windows, and other gray areas](/guides/hoa-vs-homeowner-maintenance-responsibilities).