Landowner

A landowner is an individual or organization that holds the legal title to land, giving them the primary rights of use, exclusion, and transfer, subject to applicable laws, covenants, leases, and encumbrances. Ownership may be private, corporate, communal, or governmental, and can involve full ownership or partial interests such as surface rights or mineral rights.

Legally, ownership is established and protected through land registries and title documents. In many jurisdictions, ownership is accompanied by duties such as paying property taxes and maintaining the premises, as well as compliance with zoning, building, environmental, and planning regulations. Landowners may grant leases or easements, and may be subject to restrictions like covenants or eminent domain.

Common forms include private individuals or families, corporations, trusts, government bodies, and indigenous or communal groups with customary tenure. Ownership types influence land use decisions, housing markets, farming, conservation, and resource extraction.

Historical context shows land ownership as central to social and economic systems, from feudal tenure to modern freehold arrangements. Patterns of ownership shape wealth, political power, and access to resources. Variation exists by country and region, with policies such as land reform, public ownership, or collective stewardship affecting how land is held and managed.