In real estate and constitutional law, police power is the authority of the state to enact and enforce laws to protect the public’s health, safety, morals, and general welfare. This power forms the legal basis for many regulations affecting the use and ownership of real property.
Through police power, governments may impose zoning ordinances, building codes, environmental regulations, and other land use controls. While these regulations may limit private property rights, they are generally upheld as valid when they reasonably promote the public interest.
