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How to Obtain a Definitive Concession Decree (ACD) in Ivory Coast? Detailed Steps, Required Documents, Timelines and Costs.
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You've heard about the ACD. Everyone talks about it. But when you ask concretely how to obtain it, the answers remain vague. "You have to file a dossier at the ministry." Okay — but which dossier? At which window? How much does it cost exactly? How long does it really take?
This guide answers every question, with official costs drawn from servicepublic.gouv.ci and texts from the Ministry of Construction published in BÂTIR magazines (2018-2024) and the MCLU Newsletter of August 2025.
The Arrêté de Concession Définitive (ACD / Definitive Concession Decree) is the act by which the Ivorian State officially transfers to you the ownership of a plot of land from the urban land domain. It is signed by the Minister of Construction, Housing and Urban Planning (MCLU) — or by the Prefect by delegation outside the Abidjan District — in application of Ordinance No. 2013-481 of July 2, 2013 and its implementing decree No. 2013-482, consolidated by Law No. 2020-624 of August 14, 2020 (Code of Urbanism and Urban Land Domain).
The ACD integrates the creation of the Land Title by the Conservation of Land Property and Mortgages (CPFH, attached to the Ministry of Budget, not to the MCLU). The TF (Titre Foncier / Land Title) is created at step 3 of the official procedure, before the ministerial signature at step 5. The ACD published in the Land Register (dgi.gouv.ci) is the TF published — these are not two titles of different levels, but the same act at two stages of the procedure.
Official ACD timeline: according to texts from the Ivorian administration published in BÂTIR magazine No. 004 (Jan-Mar 2022), 180 calendar days at the MCLU for a plot from an approved subdivision (excluding tax processing). In practice, this timeline can be significantly longer for various reasons that are not always clear.
ACD → Land Title timeline: 6 to 12 months on average for registration in the Land Register (these field durations are not stabilized; they can vary).
Before assembling your ACD dossier, four conditions must be met:
Without these four elements, the dossier will be rejected.
Note: for subdivisions approved prior to the mass titling reform, the circular note No. 0174/MCLU-CAB of April 1, 2025 governs the securing of customary information and applies as well.
| Document | Detail |
|---|---|
| Handwritten Request | Addressed to the Minister of Construction |
| ADU | Customary Land Use Certificate (since July 1, 2024) |
| Land Position Request | Mandatory preliminary step since March 31, 2025 |
| Site Plan | Prepared by a surveyor registered with OGECI |
| Boundary Marking Report | Signed by the surveyor, contradictory (in presence of neighbors) |
| National ID or Passport | Certified true copy |
| Land Rights Receipt | Paid to the Public Treasury (TrésorMoney, pay.tresor.gouv.ci) |
| Attestation of Land Development | If the land is already improved (fencing, construction) |
The dossier is filed at the Guichet Unique du Foncier et de l'Habitat (GUFH / Single Land & Housing Window) of the MCLU, Tower D Plateau, ground floor.
GUFH Contact: 27 20 21 74 78
MCLU General Call Center: 1378 (Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm)
Land Complaint WhatsApp: 07 89 04 87 36
| Profile | Cost |
|---|---|
| Individual | 100,000 FCFA/lot + 1,000 FCFA/dossier + 50,000 FCFA |
| Company / SCI | 450,000 FCFA/lot + 1,000 FCFA/dossier |
| Association / NGO | 150,000 FCFA/lot + 1,000 FCFA/dossier |
| Item | Indicative Cost |
|---|---|
| OGECI Surveyor (plan + boundary marking) | 150,000 to 500,000 FCFA |
| Domain Status (preliminary verification) | 5,000 FCFA |
| ADU (since January 1, 2025) | Free |
| Land Position Request (since 31/03/2025) | Per local GUF rate |
| Publication | Included in the procedure |
Estimated total for an individual (1 lot, standard land): between 300,000 and 700,000 FCFA all-inclusive.
Source: servicepublic.gouv.ci
According to doctrine published by the Ministry of Construction (BÂTIR magazine No. 000, Oct-Dec 2019), the ACD delivery chain mobilizes four actors distributed between two supervising ministries:
| Actor | Ministry | Role |
|---|---|---|
| GUF (Guichet Unique du Foncier / Single Land Window) | MCLU | Dossier reception, registration, transmission |
| DDU (Direction du Domaine Urbain / Urban Domain Directorate) | MCLU | Domain attestation, technical verifications |
| Land Conservation | MCBPE/SEPMBPE (not MCLU) | Land Title creation, registration |
| Cadastre | MCBPE/SEPMBPE | Cadastral map, boundary marking, reports |
Important: the Land Conservation does not fall under the MCLU but under the Ministry responsible for Budget and State Portfolio. This division of competencies explains why verification of an ACD and verification of a Land Title are conducted at two different windows.
With the deployment of SIGFU (Système Intégré de Gestion du Foncier Urbain / Urban Land Integrated Management System, Decree No. 2021-862 of December 15, 2021) and electronic signature SIGNE (operational since January 2024), the procedure has been largely digitized at the GUFH.
You file your physical dossier at the GUFH: ADU, land position verification, surveyor's technical dossier, identity documents, receipts. The dossier is registered in SIGFU and an IDUFCI (Ivory Coast Unique Land Identifier, Decree No. 2019-221) is assigned to the plot if not already done.
The MCLU technical services verify:
According to official Ministry doctrine (BÂTIR No. 000, 2019), the Land Title is created at this step, BEFORE the ACD signature, in the Land Conservation register. This sequence marks the difference from the old regime where the TF was created only afterwards.
The request is published to allow for possible oppositions. If a third party claims rights over the plot, the procedure is suspended pending resolution of the dispute. This publication can result in a stay of several months, which partly explains the gaps between official timelines and actual durations.
Since January 2024, the Minister signs ACDs electronically via the SIGNE platform (MCLU + Ministry of Public Service). This allows moving from approximately 1,000 ACDs signed per month (manual signature) to 2,000-2,500 ACDs per month (BÂTIR No. 008, Jan-Mar 2024). In annual volume, the target is 24,000 to 30,000 ACDs delivered per year, compared to 17,000 in 2020.
The signed ACD is published in the Land Register (Official Journal). It is at this moment that the Land Title becomes enforceable against third parties.
The secured ACD is delivered to you after confirmation of payment of domain fees.
2024 Operational Summary — as an indicator of actual volume, the South Comoé Regional Construction Directorate delivered 5,760 ACDs in 2024: Aboisso 388, Adiaké 913, Grand-Bassam 876, Tiapoum 8, Assinie-Mafia 1,280, Bonoua 2,295 (MCLU Newsletter, August 2025).
On timelines — official texts mention 180 calendar days at the MCLU for a plot from an approved subdivision. In practice, this timeline can be significantly longer for various reasons that are not always clear (backlog, oppositions, stays, incomplete documents, back-and-forth between services).
Once you have your ACD in hand, you can:
Official Sources:
To Learn More:
Yes, since July 1, 2024. The ADU is the mandatory preliminary document. It has been free since January 1, 2025 and is issued by the GUFH of the MCLU. Since March 31, 2025, a land position request must also be filed before any ACD dossier.
The official timeline per the law is 180 calendar days at the MCLU for a plot from an approved subdivision, excluding tax processing. In practice, these timelines can be much longer for reasons that are not always clear (workload of services, oppositions, stays, incomplete documents).
Yes, by notarial power of attorney (with apostille). Your representative files the dossier at the GUFH and follows the procedure in your name.
The procedure is suspended. The opposition is examined by MCLU services. If it is well-founded, the dossier is rejected. If it is unfounded, the procedure resumes. In case of persistent dispute, the parties are referred to the State Council (Law No. 2018-978 of 27/12/2018).
Yes: if the subdivision is not approved, if the land is in a non-buildable zone, if a dispute is recorded, or if the technical dossier is incomplete. The refusal is notified with reasons — you can file an appeal.
The ACD is accepted by some banks, but with reservations. The Land Title (registered in the Land Register) is the most bankable document — banks prefer it as support for mortgage credit.
Since January 2024, the Minister signs ACDs electronically via the SIGNE platform established by DMISSA (MCLU) and the Ministry of Public Service. This allows processing more acts, with complete traceability of the signature path.
Via your SIGFU number and the MCLU call center 1378 (Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm). To report anarchic construction or a land dispute, the MCLU WhatsApp is 07 89 04 87 36.
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