Registering Property in Cameroon

19/Sept/2022

---

No

Procedure

Time to complete

Associate cost

1

Obtain a copy of the property deed at the Land Registry “Service Des Domaines”

Agency: Land Registry (Conservation foncière du Wouri)

The buyer should perform due diligence before entering into a sale agreement with the owner of the property by requesting a copy of the property deed from the Land Registry. The copy will include all useful information regarding the property and its history since its registration with the Land Registry. The party will see whether the seller is indeed the owner of the property and whether the property is encumbered with mortgages or liens.

14 days

XAF 5,000 for the certificate + 1,000 for the stamp attached to the request + 1,000 for the stamp attached to the copy of the property deed

2

A notary drafts the sale agreement

Agency: Notary's Office

The law requires that the sale agreement be notarized. It is the practice that parties ask the notary to draft the sale agreement himself. The Notary will draft a preliminary sale agreement and will take the parties’ final observations. The notary finally asks the parties to sign the agreement and the notary will register the agreement with the tax authorities.

3 Days

Notary fees is fixed by Decree No. 95/038 of 28/02/95 (article 188) on a sliding scale:

Percentage rate fees based on the property value: 

1 to 3 million francs: 4.5%

3 to 10 million francs: 3.0%

10 to 25 million francs: 1.5%

25 to 50 million francs: 0.75%

50 million francs and above: 0.5%

3

Notarize the registered sale agreement

Agency: Notary's Office

The sale agreement is signed by the buyer and seller, and then by the Notary. The Notary's signature makes the document official and authentic. Subsequently, the document will be presented to the Service des Impôts for registration. After this formality, the Notary will be able to submit a request for the transfer of property, to which will be attached and original copy of the title, addressed to the Conservateur.

2 Days

Included in Procedure 2

4

Register the sale agreement with the Tax Authorities “Centre divisionnaire des Impôts”

Agency: Tax Authority (Centre Spécialisé des Impôts des Professions Libérales et de l'Immobilier)

The sale agreement should be registered with the tax authorities. The sale agreement registration fees would amount to 15% of the sale value.

7 Days

15% of the Property Value

5

Final transfer of the property title with the Land Registry “Service des Domaines”

Agency: Land Registry (Conservation foncière du Wouri)

The form can now be taken to the Land Registry and file a request of transfer of property. It can take up to 2 months before the title is effectively transferred to the buyer.

60 Days

2% of the property value