What are the conditions for operating as a real estate agency in Ivory Coast?
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.
Definition complete
Legal Definition
Real estate agencies are governed by Law No. 2019-576 of June 26, 2019 (Construction and Housing Code, Articles 459-474). They conduct activities in the purchase, sale, and rental of real property, property management, and condominium syndicate management.
Conditions of Operation (Article 464)
To operate as a real estate agency, one must:
- Be a legal entity duly established
- Have a share capital of at least 2 million FCFA, held entirely by persons of Ivorian nationality
- Hold an attestation of tax compliance
- Provide proof of a financial guarantee (bank or insurance bond)
- Be the beneficiary of an approval from the Minister responsible for Housing
- Hold a sign reading "Approved Real Estate Agency"
Property Manager (Article 467)
The legal representative must be of Ivorian nationality, hold a minimum license with 2 years of experience, or hold a BTS (Higher National Diploma) with 5 years of experience in real estate.
Obligations (Articles 469-471)
- Hold a written mandate from the client
- Open a dedicated bank account for transactions
- Issue a receipt for any payment
- Amounts exceeding 500,000 FCFA are received by check or bank transfer
Limitations (Article 460)
Real estate agencies may not execute deeds relating to real property rights — such deeds must be executed before a notary.
Sources juridiques
Loi n°2019-576 du 26 juin 2019 instituant le Code de la Construction et de l'Habitat, Articles 459-474.
Questions frequentes
How do I verify that a real estate agency is licensed?
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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.