To manage and use water resources more efficiently and equitably, the rules and arrangements that govern access to water resources need to be well understood. Water tenure assessment helps to clarify these arrangements, which are based on formal laws as well as customs and traditions. It provides an unbiased view of the relationships between people and water resources with a view to reviewing and improving water governance processes. This publication clarifies basic concepts and lays out the six basic steps of a water tenure assessment. It describes practical tools and methods to apply the assessment in practice.