What is land due diligence?
Set of legal, technical, and financial verifications performed before purchasing land to ensure the legitimacy of the seller, the absence of disputes, and the compliance of documents.
Definition complete
Never Buy Without Verification
Land due diligence is the battery of checks that every buyer (or their advisor) must perform before signing.
The 7 Essential Verifications
- Seller's Identity: Is he the true owner?
- Land Documents: Are they authentic and up to date?
- Cadastral Status: Is the land properly registered?
- Absence of Disputes: No ongoing legal proceedings?
- Urban Planning: Is the land buildable?
- Easements: Cable passages, pipelines, rights of way?
- Transaction History: Coherent chain of ownership?
At Capital Foncier, due diligence is systematic and free on all land we market.
Exemple concret
Franck, based in France, wished to purchase land in Bassam. Due diligence revealed that the seller was not the true owner but an intermediary without valid authorization. Thanks to this verification, Franck avoided a 15 million FCFA scam.
Questions frequentes
How much does a land due diligence cost?
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Autres termes du glossaire
The ADU (Attestation de Droit d'Usage Coutumier / Customary Right of Use Certificate) is the single, secure document that replaces the former Village Certificate as of January 1, 2025. Established by Decree No. 2021-784 and secured by the SIGFU (Decree No. 2021-862), it requires a triple signature (village chief, CVGFR president, developer) and a unique IDUFCI. The ADU is not a property title: it constitutes a provisional recognition opening the path to the ACD (Arrêté de Concession Définitive / Definitive Concession Decree) — the ACD published in the Land Register IS the Land Title. In practice, the time between ACD signature and its publication in the Land Register is often longer than the official 180 calendar days (BÂTIR N°004, 2022). Published ACD = published Land Title — same legal deed, two stages.
The Rural Land Agency (AFOR — Agence Foncière Rurale) is the public institution responsible for implementing rural land policy in Ivory Coast. It oversees land certification, registration of rural properties, and coordination of boundary demarcation and surveying operations.
Legal document drafted by a notary that formalizes the transfer of land ownership between a seller and a buyer. The notarized deed of sale is mandatory and confers authenticity on the transaction.
Legal entity that must be established with a minimum share capital of 2 million FCFA held by Ivorian nationals, holding an approval from the Minister responsible for Housing and a financial guarantee from a bank or insurance company.
The alienation price is the sum that the buyer must pay to the State to obtain the Definitive Concession (ACD — Arrêté de Concession Définitive) of urban land. Calculated by an ad hoc commission, it corresponds to the market value of the parcel according to the official schedule.