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State Tax Credits for Conservation

Individuals who donate land or easements for conservation often qualify for a federal tax deduction. In addition, in 12 states these donors may also qualify for a state tax credit.

Each state's program is unique, and qualifying for a federal tax benefit does not automatically qualify a donor for a state benefit. Basic information on the existing state tax credit programs can be found below. You may also find this 2003 chart comparing ten state tax credits a useful resource.

The list of states with tax credit programs is expanding - the New York and Georgia programs described below were enacted in early 2006. Several other states are working on their own programs and you can learn more about pending tax credits here.

If you have information on a pending credit, or would like to update the information below, please e-mail policy@lta.org.

California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Georgia | Maryland | Mississippi | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | South Carolina | Virginia

CALIFORNIA

The Natural Heritage Preservation Tax Credit Act offers incentives to preserve wildlife and plant habitat, agricultural lands, open spaces, and water rights on private lands. Landowners, including pass-through entities who donate land, an easement, or water rights are eligible for the credit. Eligible donations must meet the goals of a conservation plan, protect species or habitat, conserve threatened agricultural land, or increase public access to open space or archaeological resources. The tax credits are managed by the state resource agencies and essentially "granted" to landowners. Donors are allowed an income tax credit of 55% of the fair market value of the donated property against their income, with an eight-year carry-forward period. The tax credit program was suspended in 2002, but reinstated in 2005. Under the reinstated program, the state resource agencies and departments have to provide funds to the state's general fund to replace any tax credit claimed by a landowner. Please see the links below for details on the current status. The California conservation easement tax credit is non-transferable and applies in addition to federal tax benefits.

COLORADO

A conservation tax credit is available to Colorado residents, corporations, estates, and trusts who donate a conservation easement. For easements worth less than $100,000, the credit is worth 100% of the fair market value of the easement. For easements of greater value, the credit is worth $100,000 plus 40% of the easements value above $100,000. The maximum credit that can be claimed is $260,000. An unused credit can be carried forward for 20 years. This law was recently amended and the new legislation will take effect January 1st, 2007. It will replace the two-tiered tax credit structure with a single-tier in which 50% of the charitable donation can be claimed as a tax credit, up to a maximum credit of $375,000. A taxpayer can also sell all or part of a credit to a "transferee.” More information on transferring tax credits in Colorado.

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut provides a state corporate income tax credit for donations of conservation land or easements equal to 50% of the donation's fair market value. A 10-year carry forward period is available to donors whom do not use up the entire credit in the year of its origination. Donated land or easements must a) conserve natural or scenic resources, b) protect natural streams or water supplies, c) conserve of soils, wetlands, beaches, or tidal marshes, d) enhance neighborhood parks, forests, wildlife preserves, nature reservations, or other open space, e) enhance public, recreation opportunities, or f) preserve historic sites. The Connecticut conservation easement tax credit is non-transferable and applies in addition to federal tax benefits.

DELAWARE
    
Delaware provides a tax incentives to individuals or corporations that donate land or conservation easements. The credit is equal to 40% of the fair market value of the donation with a maximum credit of $50,000 for individuals per year. A 5-year carry forward period is available to individuals whom do not use up the entire credit in the year of its origination. Delaware conservation donations aim to conserve open space, natural habitat, recreational properties, resource conservation, and historic properties. The Delaware conservation easement tax credit is non-transferable and applies in addition to federal tax benefits.

GEORGIA

Georgia provides a state tax credit to individuals and corporations donating land or easements for conservation. The tax credit allows taxpayers to claim a credit against their state income tax liability of 25 percent of the fair market value of the donated property interest, up to a maximum credit of $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations. The allowed tax credit may not exceed the amount of tax owed for the taxable year, but any unused portion of the tax credit may be carried forward for the next five years. The Georgia conservation easement tax credit is non-transferable and applies in addition to federal tax benefits.

MARYLAND

Maryland income tax payers who donate a conservation easement (not land in fee) may be eligible for a conservation tax credit. Easement donors qualifying for the State Income Tax Credit can deduct up to $5,000 per year with a 15 year carry forward period. Easements must be held or co-held by the Maryland Environmental Trust or the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, and approved by the Board of Public Works. In addition, easement donors may also qualify for the Conservation Porperty Tax Credit if their easement protects unimproved, non-commercial land. This credit is worth 100% of the property tax paid on the eased land. The Maryland conservation easement tax credit is non-transferable and applies in addition to federal tax benefits.  

MISSISSIPPI

The state of Mississippi offers a credit toward 50% of allowable transaction costs associated with donating an easement, up to $10,000. The credit may be carried forward for 10 years. The Mississippi conservation easement tax credit is non-transferable.

NEW MEXICO

The Land Conservation Incentives Act of New Mexico offers a tax credit of up to $100,000 per year to anyone donating a qualified fee interest or conservation easement to an open space program or environmental organization or government entity. The credit is for 50% of the fair market value of the land and may be carried forward for twenty successive years. Qualifying land or easements must be donated for natural resource, open-space or biodiversity conservation, or agricultural, watershed or historic preservation (note: this is different from the federal tax code specification). The New Mexico conservation easement tax credit is non-transferable and applies in addition to federal tax benefits.

NEW YORK

Beginning in 2007, this innovative credit will give New York State landowners whose land is restricted by a conservation easement income tax credit. The landowner's state income tax will be reduced by 25% of the property tax paid on the eased property, up to $5,000. It is available to all owners of easement-restricted land, regardless of when the easement was created, provided that the easement was wholly or partially donated to a land trust or a governmental agency. The New York conservation easement tax credit is non-transferable and applies in addition to federal tax benefits.

NORTH CAROLINA

The North Carolina Conservation Tax Credit Program provides an income tax credit to some land easement donors. Land or easement donations must provide public access to land or water, fish and wildlife conservation, or fulfill other land conservation purposes (note: this is different from the federal tax code specification). The credit is worth 25% of the fair market value of the donation with a total credit of $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations. Any unused portion of the credit may be carried forward for five succeeding years. Credit taken in any year may not exceed the amount of income tax imposed by the state, reduced by the sum of all other credits. The North Carolina conservation easement tax credit is non-transferable and applies in addition to federal tax benefits.

SOUTH CAROLINA    

The amended section of the 1976 code requires that a landowner has qualified for and claimed on their federal income tax return a charitable deduction for a gift of land for conservation, or for a qualified conservation contribution, to be eligible for the state income tax credit. South Carolina’s tax incentive comes in the form of a tax credit equal to 25% of the fair market value of the conservation gift. The tax credit is limited to a maximum of $52,000 per year, and to $250 per acre. The South Carolina tax incentive allows the landowner to carry the unused portion of the credit forward indefinitely until the full credit is claimed. The South Carolina conservation easement tax credit applies in addition to federal tax benefits.

VIRGINIA

Under the Virginia Land Conservation Act of 1999, every landowner who donates land or an easement for conservation is entitled to a credit against state income tax. The credit is worth 50% of the land’s fair market value, up to $100,000 per year. Virginia’s income tax credit is available to tax-payers who donated a conservation easement after January 1, 2000. This tax credit applies to any person, corporation, partnership, organization, trust or estate subject to state or local taxation. If the credit is not used up in the year of the easement donation, it can be carried forward for an additional five years. Furthermore, if the easement was donated after 2001, the credit may be sold or transferred to other Virginia taxpayers. Individuals and corporations in the state of Virginia may buy or sell conservation tax credits, as long as a notification of the transfer of the credit is sent to the tax commissioner.

If you have information on a pending credit, or would like to update the information below, please e-mail policy@lta.org.

(updated 6/18/2007)