Land records · Parcel maps · October 7, 2026
What Is a Life Estate Pur Autre Vie?
What is a life estate pur autre vie? A life estate measured by someone else's lifetime, often created when a life tenant sells or gives away the interest.
What is a life estate pur autre vie? A life estate pur autre vie, from the old French for “for the life of another,” is a life estate that lasts for the lifetime of someone other than the person who holds it. For example, a deed might give a house “to Ann for the life of Bob.” Ann can live in and use the property, but her interest ends when Bob dies, not when Ann dies. The person whose life sets the length of the estate is called the measuring life. This page is general land-records background, not legal advice.
How it arises
There are two common ways a life estate pur autre vie comes into existence:
- Directly by deed or will, as in “to Ann for the life of Bob.”
- By transfer of an ordinary life estate. If Carol holds a life estate for her own life and sells or gives it to Dan, Dan holds a life estate measured by Carol’s life. Carol is still the measuring life, so Dan’s interest ends when Carol dies.
See what is a life estate deed for the ordinary form.
Who is who
| Role | Description |
|---|---|
| Life tenant | Holds the right to possess and use the property |
| Measuring life | The person whose lifetime sets the duration |
| Remainderman | Receives the property when the estate ends |
| Reversioner | The grantor or heirs, if no remainder was named |
What if the life tenant dies first?
Because the estate is measured by another person’s life, it can outlast the holder. If Ann dies while Bob is still alive, the remaining interest generally passes to Ann’s heirs or the beneficiaries of her will, depending on state law, until Bob dies. Older common law had complicated rules for this situation, but modern statutes usually treat the remaining interest as part of the life tenant’s estate.
Rights and duties
The holder of a life estate pur autre vie has the same basic rights and duties as any life tenant: possession, the right to rent the property, and the duty to pay ongoing expenses such as taxes and routine repairs. The holder may not commit waste that harms the remainderman’s future interest. The holder can usually sell or mortgage their interest, but only for the remaining duration.
Why it matters in title work
A life estate pur autre vie can be hard to value or insure because no one knows how long the measuring life will last. Buyers and lenders usually want the life tenant, the remainderman, and sometimes the measuring life’s status confirmed. When the measuring life dies, a death certificate and affidavit are often recorded to show the estate has ended.
Comparison with fee simple
Unlike fee simple ownership, a life estate cannot be passed down indefinitely. It ends at the measuring life’s death. A fee simple determinable also can end, but because of a condition rather than a lifetime.
Reading the deed
Look for phrases such as “for the life of,” “during the natural life of,” or “pur autre vie.” Note who the measuring life is and who takes afterward. Check the grantor-grantee index for later transfers of the life estate, which may create a pur autre vie interest.
Bottom line
A life estate pur autre vie lasts for someone else’s lifetime rather than the holder’s. It often arises when a life tenant transfers their interest. If the holder dies first, the remaining interest usually passes through their estate until the measuring life ends. Find county recorders via the Platbookmapper map.
What is a life estate pur autre vie FAQ
What does pur autre vie mean?
“For the life of another.”
Who is the measuring life?
The person whose lifetime sets how long the estate lasts.
What happens if the holder dies before the measuring life?
The remaining interest usually passes through the holder’s estate.
How is it created?
By deed or will, or by transferring an ordinary life estate.
Can the holder sell it?
Usually yes, but only for the remaining duration.