Owning Land in Jamaica

There are two types of titles to land in Jamaica, Registered Titles and Common law Titles. The Registered Titles System in Jamaica is modeled on the Australian Torrens System and is governed by our Registration of Titles Act. An Original and a Duplicate Certificate of Title (DCT) are issued in relation to each parcel of land registered under the Act. Generally, titles issued under the Act are conclusive evidence of the particulars stated on their face. Common Law Titles exist where the land has not been registered under the Act. Proof of ownership of such land is established by possession and/or documentation. There is a move in Jamaica to bring Common Law lands under the operation of the Act, and so where land is purchased, oftentimes the Purchaser takes steps to have the land registered under the Act and to obtain a title thereunder.

Generally, any individual, whether it be a person or corporation may own an interest in land in Jamaica. There is no prohibition on foreign nationals ownership of an interest in Jamaican lands. There is no requirement of Jamaican citizenship or residency. Interests in land may be purchased, sold, mortgaged or otherwise dealt with without necessitating the owner's/purchaser's presence in the island. Closings do not require the presence of the parties as this is usually conducted by the parties' Attorneys-at-Law.

The National Land Agency (NLA), the responsible agency for land transactions in Jamaica, has undertaken a number of initiatives geared towards improving the quality of service to the public. They have introduced eLandjamaica, an internet-based service which provides selected land information to NLA customers. With eLandjamaica and the upgraded services of the NLA, processing periods have been drastically reduced, thereby fostering a climate conducive to real estate development, and facilitating the expeditious completion of land matters by Attorneys for their clients.


Owning Land in Jamaica
Tax Issues
Registration Of Companies In Jamaica