How Much Does It Cost To Transfer A Land Title In Uganda

How Much Does It Cost To Transfer A Land Title In Uganda

A title is simply a legal document that shows legal ownership to a property and grants a person, or persons exclusive use and possession meaning you can build on the land.

How Much It Cost To Transfer A Land Title In Uganda

Land in Uganda is one of the hot fashionable areas aka hot cake since everyday which goes and comes by, many people are either buying and or selling land, and which calls for transfers of titles, deeds and others related. Therefore, having knowledge on how things work out is the very best thing one need to know since it can save in addition to making things easier and all processes faster.

Fees

Total fees may go up to 47500/= and 67500 for companies. The fees is broken down as below.

  • Search and Consent Fee – UGX 25,000 /= (UGX 10,000 search fee + UGX 2,500 bank fee, UGX 10,000 Consent fee + UGX 2,500 bank fee)
  • Companies Registry a Special Resolution – UGX 20,000/= (When the transaction involves companies, they must file with the companys registry a special resolution authorizing the transaction, which costs)
  • Registration Fee – UGX 22,500 (UGX 20,000 in fees + 2,500 bank fee).

Check How T o Transfer a Land Title in Uganda

Step 1

The Applicant must have in his/her possession fully completed set of Transfer forms which include a Transfer form and two Consent forms, A photocopy of the duplicate certificate of title and two authentic Passport photographs of the buyer and seller.

Step 2

The Applicant presents the documents to the Valuation Division for valuation assessment for Stamp duty. The Applicant checks with the Valuation Division within a period of 3 working days to pick the form and proceed to pay stamp duty and registration fees in the Bank. Stamp duty is 1% of the value of the land.

Assessment for payment of Registration fees is done by the respective District Cashiers.

Step 3

Pay the fess in the Bank, get a receipt and your Transfer form embossed. Submit all documentation together with the Duplicate Certificate of Title, receipts and photocopies of all documents to the Mailo Registry.

Step 4

The photocopy is stamped ‘Received’. The applicant is asked to check after 10 working days.

Step 5

The Applicant presents identification documents and the Photocopies to collect the Duplicate Certificate of Title.

The applicant signs for the Title and the Photocopy is stamped ‘Returned’ on completion.

Documents required: Duplicate Certificate of Title, set of Passport photographs, embossed Transfer form and consent form and General receipts of Payment.

Fees paid: Stamp duty- 1% of the value of the land; and Registration fees –UGX 22,500 (UGX 20,000 in fees + 2,500 bank fee).

Features of a genuine land title in Uganda

A legitimate land title from the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development has to have :

  1. The seal should be visible and raised on both sides of the top sheet of the certificate.
  2. Same plot number, block number on the deed plan and certificate title
  3. Exact same ink of owner and registrar copy
  4. Has a unique block number
  5. Bears official signature from land’s regional office

Additional measures to control land fraud in Uganda

  1. Specific bar code on land title
  2. Phone number and National Identification Number
  3. Postal address and email address
  4. Authenticate a printout on a map
  5. Four page printout on a special paper

How do I transfer ownership of land in Uganda?

Land can be transferred either from the seller to the buyer by both providing signatures through the agreement but it is supposed to be in person.

Or through letters of administration after the loss the owner. A care taker is chosen as the next of kin and applies for the letters of administration which gives them full authority for care taking all the property of the deceased.

You can start by requesting a search form and consent form from the ministry of lands, planning and development. Pay the search fee of 10,000shs and assurance of the title 20,000shs. This phase is optional but it acts as a security check.

Also fill the consent and declaration for, present the form with the title duplicate to the registry for the chief government valuer to assess and value the land.

After the valuing The Chief Government Valuer values the land signs the consent form and posts the amount to URA E-tax.

Before generating the PRN, the URA officer checks the amount on the consent form to match it with the one in the system. The information in the system (e.g. the buyer and seller’s names, plot and block numbers) should match what is on the forms.

The officer confirms that the date on the consent form signed by the Chief Government Valuer doesn’t go beyond 6 months from the time the taxpayer delivers the declaration for the PRN.

Now, the taxpayer obtains a Payment Registration Form with a Payment Registration Number (PRN) from a URA officer by presenting the declaration form, the transfer form and the signed consent form.

The amended act of stamp duty tax is now at 1.5% of the value of the land. Fully clear the stamp duty fee from a designated bank as instructed.

The file is sent back to the registrar at the ministry and you are requested to provide the authentic passport photographs, transactional agreement, duplicate land title and the receipts for stamp duty and consent form.

Then, the transfer documents are later stored at the Registry of lands and then transmitted to the Registrar who passes the instrument of transfer. It is then later sent to the commissioner in charge of land registration for verification.

The registrar cancels out the old owner and replaces him with the new owner in handwriting. The buyer and seller are required to provide passport photos for this process.

NB: “Effective 6th December 2021, URA made it a requirement for buyers and sellers of land where the value of such land is UGX 10 million and above to have Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs)