What is the land register in Ivory Coast?
Official register maintained by the land registry office in which all Land Titles, ACD (Definitive Concession Decrees), and real property rights are recorded. Registration in the land register confers a definitive and incontestable right of ownership.
Definition complete
The Supreme Register
The Land Register is the central registry where all Land Titles and ACD (Arrêtés de Concession Définitive / Definitive Concession Decrees) of the country are recorded. Maintained by the Conservator of Land Property, it serves as proof of ownership of a plot of land. The ACD is fully enforceable against third parties only after its publication in the Land Register.
Consultation
The Land Register is accessible to any person who requests it from the land conservation office. This verification is essential before any land purchase.
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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 has replaced the former Village Certificate since July 1, 2024; it is free of charge (MCLU, August 2024). Provided for by Order No. 0059/MCLU/DGUF/DDU of December 7, 2022, under Decree No. 2021-784, it is drawn up by the Ministry of Construction in the SIGFU (Decree No. 2021-862), with a unique IDUFCI, then handed over by the village chieftaincy. Only the village chief's signature is mandatory; those of the CVGFR president and the developer depend on the community's decision. 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.
