Ugandan law stipulates that a foreigner cannot buy land but can only get a lease. However the same law allows you to buy land in the name of a company. After locating and identifying the desired property, you are advised;

To find a recommended lawyer

To ensure that you get a copy of the title and have it verified at the Ministry of Lands to ensure that the title is genuine.

After confirmation that the title is genuine, when ready to pay for the property, have a lawyer draft a sales agreement for the property which should be signed by both parties i.e. the seller and buyer plus witnesses and a lawyer subsequent to which payment is finalized.

Proceed and register the title deed in your names.

Purchase is carried out in 3 stages: the signature of a provisional sales agreement (key document that shows evidence of purchase),followed by issue of transfer forms (documents used to indicate evidence of property transfer) and the title deed (legal document that shows evidence of ownership of a property). Also required during purchase is a copy of the vendor’s/buyer’s identification documents, along with 2 passport photographs of the vendor/buyer.

ACQUIRE A LEASEHOLD LAND TITLE

Procedure

Required documentation:

• You must have fully completed forms 8, 10, 18, 23 from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development http://mlhud.go.ug/lands-management-forms/.
• A set of authentic deed plans.
• 3 passport photos
• Area land Committee report
• District land officer technical report
• Receipt of payment
• Forwarding letter requesting for a leasehold title signed by the District Land officer of the respective District where the land is located.
• Present original copies and photocopies (of the above documents) to the department of land Administration for processing where photocopies are stamped “Received” and returned to you.
• Check for approval of documents within a period of ten working days.
• Once approved the documents are then forwarded to the office of titles for preparation and issuance of lease agreements, sealing by the chairperson and secretary of the respective district land board. This takes ten working days.
• Pay stamp duty
• Once the lease documents have been fully signed, sealed and embossed at URA, you’re then issued photocopy of lease agreement (signed, stamped “Received”).
• On presenting the stamped “Received” copy you’re then issued a Leasehold title.

Fees paid to URA – 1% of the premium ground Rent.

Fees paid to Ministry and District

Registration fees: UGX. 10,000

Assurance of Title: UGX 20,000

Issuance of Title: UGX. 20,000

Preparation of lease: UGX 20,000

REGISTER CAVEAT

Procedure

Required documentation:

• Two sets of dated, embossed Caveat Documents duly witnessed by advocate and signed by you (Deponent).
• Statutory declaration signed by deponent and Commissioners for Oaths.
• 2 passport photos of deponent
• Present original copies and photocopies (of the above documents) to the Office of Titles for processing where photocopies are stamped “Received” and returned to you.
• Confirm entry of caveat in the register after a period of ten working days.

REMOVAL OF CAVEAT BASED ON A REQUEST BY PERSON WHO PLACED IT

Procedure

Required documentation:

• A letter of withdrawal of caveat
• 1 passport photo of deponent
• General receipts for payment of stamp duty and registration fee
• Present original copies and photocopies of the above documents to the Department of Land Registration for processing where photocopies are stamped “Received” and returned to you.
• Present the stamped “Received” copy after a period of five working days to confirm whether the caveat has been removed from the register.

Fees Involved

Registration fees – UGX. 10,000

Stamp Duty – UGX 5,000

ACQUIRING A MORTGAGE

Procedure

Required documentation:

• 2 sets of Mortgage deeds
• Duplicate title
• 2 passport photos
• Receipt of payment
• Present original copies and photocopies (of the above documents) to the department of Land Administration for processing where photocopies are stamped “Received” and returned to you.
• Check for approval of documents within a period of ten working days.
• On presenting the stamped “Received” copy you’re then issued a duplicate title and Mortgage deed.

Fees Involved

Stamp duty – 0.05% of the value of the mortgage.

registration fees – UGX. 15,000

If it’s a company an additional UGX 5,000 is paid for perusal of Company Records.

If the mortgage affects more than one title, an additional

UGX 5,000 is paid for each extra plot.