Land records · Parcel maps · October 5, 2026
What Is a Land Trust? Two Different Meanings
What is a land trust? Either a title-holding trust that keeps owner names off records, or a conservation group that protects land. Both explained.
What is a land trust? The term has two common meanings. One is a title-holding trust, where a trustee holds legal title to real estate for a beneficiary who keeps control, a structure often used for privacy or estate planning. The other is a conservation land trust, a nonprofit organization that protects land through ownership or conservation easements. Both show up in property records in different ways. This page is general land-records background, not legal or tax advice.
Title-holding land trusts
In a title-holding land trust, sometimes called an Illinois-type land trust, the owner deeds the property to a trustee, often a bank or trust company, under a trust agreement. The beneficiary keeps the right to manage, use, rent, and sell the property, and directs the trustee.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who holds title | Trustee |
| Who controls | Beneficiary, through directions to the trustee |
| What public records show | Trustee’s name and trust number |
| Common goals | Privacy, ease of transfer, estate planning |
Benefits and limits
Benefits: owner names may not appear in recorder indexes; beneficial interests can transfer without recording a new deed in some states; and successor beneficiaries can avoid probate for that property.
Limits: the trust does not shield owners from all liability or taxes; privacy is not absolute, since courts and some agencies can require disclosure; lenders may have rules; and state recognition varies.
Revocable living trusts used for estate planning are a different structure, though they also hold title through a trustee. See what is vesting on a title.
Conservation land trusts
Conservation land trusts are nonprofits that protect farmland, forests, wetlands, and open space. They may buy land outright or hold conservation easements, recorded agreements in which an owner gives up certain development rights while keeping ownership.
Conservation easements in records
A conservation easement is recorded and runs with the land, binding future owners. It is an encumbrance that may restrict subdivision, building, or certain uses. Buyers should read any recorded conservation easement before purchasing. Donating an easement may qualify for tax benefits under specific rules.
How to tell which kind you are seeing
- A deed to “XYZ Bank as Trustee under Trust No. 1234” suggests a title-holding trust.
- A recorded “Deed of Conservation Easement” in favor of a nonprofit signals a conservation land trust.
Searching records for trust-held land
When land is held in a title-holding trust, the grantor-grantee index lists the trustee, often a bank, rather than the person who controls the property. To trace ownership, search by the trustee’s name and the trust number, or by parcel number in the assessor’s system. Tax bills may be mailed to the beneficiary or a manager. For conservation easements, search under the nonprofit’s name and look for the easement deed, which usually includes a baseline map of protected areas.
Bottom line
A land trust is either a title-holding trust that keeps a beneficiary’s name off public deed records, or a conservation nonprofit that protects land, often through recorded easements. Each affects records differently. Read trust deeds and easements carefully, and start your parcel search on the Platbookmapper map.
What is a land trust FAQ
What is a land trust used for?
Title-holding land trusts are used for privacy and estate planning; conservation land trusts protect land from development.
Does a land trust keep my name private?
Public deed records may show only the trustee, but privacy is not absolute.
Is a land trust the same as a living trust?
No. Both use trustees, but they are structured differently and serve different purposes.
What is a conservation easement?
A recorded agreement limiting development on land, often held by a conservation land trust, that binds future owners.
Can I sell land in a land trust?
Yes. The beneficiary directs the trustee to convey title or transfers the beneficial interest, depending on state law.