FAQ

This is the procedure for recognising land rights over lands of the national land of first category, i.e. land developed before 5 August 1974.

An application for registration signed in four copies, the original of which is stamped.

Note: Any piece of land separated by a road or river is subject to as many applications as there are plots.

The application form for registration can be collected from the sub-divisional office, or from the divisional service of land tenure.

- Submit the duly filled application to the sub-divisional service.  Request for a receipt within a maximum three days.

- The divisional chief of service for land tenure will publish an extract of your application within 15 days.  Together with the sub-divisional Officer, he will choose the date for the field visit of the land consultative board to verify the effective developments of your plot.  After demarcation, you will have to pay the demarcation costs to the divisional land revenue collector against a receipt.

- 30 days later, the MINDCAF Divisional Delegate will forward your complete file to the Regional Delegate for the attention of the chief of the regional service of land tenure who enters it in the regional register for monitoring registration requests

-30 days after publication of the final demarcation notice of your plot, and in the absence of any opposition or dispute, the competent land registrar will proceed to register your land in the land register, and issue you a copy (duplicatum) of the land certificate after you have paid the land registration fee to the land revenue collector as well as the related stamps.

Yes. It is the only commission, comprising a cadastral sworn surveyor, that is competent to assess the occupancy or exploitation of the land.

As soon as the land consultative board assesses that the land use is effective.

No, always within the board, and in the presence of riperians.  He/she cannot carry out the demarcation on Saturdays and Sundays, on public holidays, nor at night

He/she must give you a copy of the land certificate, also called a duplicate.

Yes, but you must first apply to the court with a file containing the certificate of ownership and the certificate of loss, so that an ordinance can be issued authorising you to apply for another copy of the land certificate. Go to the Land Registrar with this ordinance.

Once established, this document becomes inviolable, indisputable and irrevocable.  However, it may be declared null and void by the Minister of State Property and Land Tenure if:

1- the same plot of land has been granted several certificates.

2- The land certificate was arbitrarily established without following the regulatory procedure or on the basis of a procedure other than that provided for in the regulations.

3- The land certificate was established in whole or in part on public Land, Private State Land or a public body.

A land certificate may be withdrawn by the Minister of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure only if he/she discovers there were shortcomings on the part of the administration in the procedure for its establishment, in strict compliance with prescribed deadlines.

Yes, but only the procedure for invalidating them differs.

 Unfortunately, you have no right of recourse on the specific plot.  In the event of fraud, you can only sue the fraudster for damages. 

Yes, in the event of a material error or omission in the certificate of ownership produced by the registrar or in the entries made by the latter. He or she is the person authorised to make these corrections.  However, only the Prime Minister can authorise a rectification that affects the rights of other persons.

Yes. In this case, you must immediately refer the matter to the divisional officer or district head, who chairs the Land Consultative board.

The matter must be referred to the registrar within 30 days of publication of the final demarcation notice in the regional land notice bulletin published monthly by each regional delegation.

A draft instrument is currently being prepared to regulate the fees to be charged. These costs take into account the distance between the field and the local MINDCAF service and will cover the transport of members of the commission and equipment. For now, the chairperson of the commission is required to set reasonable rates.

Opening of registration file: CFAF 3000 payable to the local land revenue collector.

-land registration fee: this is the amount you have to pay to collect a copy of your land certificate, set at the following rate:

Direct registration:

-CFA F 5/m2 in urban areas (minimum to be collected: CFAF 5,000)

-CFAF 1/m2 in rural areas (minimum to be collected: CFAF 3,000)

- Parcelling out of existing property:

-2% of the purchase price in case of an acquisition in return for payment

1% of the market value stated by the notary in case of an acquisition for free.

-Transformation of a deed into a land certificate:

-1% of the value of the property calculated on the basis of State lands in the locality.

-Merging of land certificates:

- 1% of the market value of the properties to be merged.

- Mortgages and preferential claims:

- From CFAF 1 to CFAF ten million: 1%

- From ten million to one hundred million: 0.75%

- From one hundred million to five hundred million: 0.50%

- From five hundred million: 0.3%

- Total transfers:

- By sale: 2% of the purchase price

- By death: 0.50% of the declared market value of the property

- By exchange: 1% of the value stated in the notarial deed

- As contribution to the capital of a company: 1% of the value of shares

- By donation inter vivos: 1% of the value stated in the notarial deed

- Registration of leases:

- 1% of the total amount of rents calculated over the duration of the lease

- Cancellations, prenotations, commands:

- CFAF 5,000 per land certificate (flat rate)

- Surveys of certificates of ownership

- Land surveys: CFA 5,000 per land certificate

- Registration or review of oppositions

- CFAF 3,000 (natural persons); CFAF 5,000 (legal entities)

It is the procedure by which the State authorises any person who so desires and who has a development project to carry it out over a period of 5 years, on a parcel of national land of second category.

An application in three copies on special forms, together with a photocopy of the national identity card or residence permit, the articles of association of the company (if applicable) and the proxy holder representing the company, four copies of a sketch of the land, the development programme outlining the stages of its implementation and a descriptive estimate of the work to be carried out. This application must be submitted to the head of the relevant divisional service of State lands, in return for a receipt.

It is carried out in two phases: first on a temporary basis, then on a final basis.

 At the request of the Senior Divisional officer, who is contacted by the head of the divisional service of State lands received your application, the Land consultative Board goes to the field and forward to the Minister in charge of the State Property a report with a reasoned opinion on the legal status of the land and the feasibility of the project on that parcel of land.

- Less than 50 hectares: the Minister in charge of State Property

- More than 50 hectares: the President of the Republic

The applicant has 5 years to complete his/her project, in accordance with the specifications signed with the Senior Divisional Officer.

It ends when it is established that the developments have been carried out or not, in accordance with the terms of the specifications.

In the light of the commission's report, the Senior Divisional Officer may propose either that the duration of the temporary grant be extended, or that you simply be asked to leave.

As soon as the commission establishes that you have complied with the clauses, the Senior Divisional Officer will propose a final grant if you are of Cameroonian nationality, or a long-term lease if you are a foreigner.

Yes, you are entitled to a land certificate.

CFAF 1 per square metre.