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Buying Land In The Philippines Part 5: Land Registration Authority

Buying Land In The Philippines Part 5: Land Registration Authority
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Disclaimer

This is the fifth part in the series about buying land in the Philippines. As always, nothing you read here is to be taken as legal advice or professional guidance. This is our personal experience that we are sharing with you. So caveat lectorum.

Documents Required By The LRA (Registry of Deeds) For Titling:


REQUIRED DOCUMENT
NOTES
Notarized Letter of Request

I have provided this sample Letter of Request. The letter includes a listing of generic requirements for the LRA document package.
Owner’s Duplicate Copy of Title

Obtained from the seller.
 
Original or Certified True Copy of Deed of Sale

It is a good idea to have multiple copies of the DOAS notarized with original signatures at the time of execution.

sample DOAS

BIR CAR/ Tax Clearance Certificate

Obtained from the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

see BIR post

DAR CLEARANCE

Obtained from the Department of Agrarian Reform.

see DAR post

REALTY TAX CLEARANCE

Obtained from the Municipal Treasurer.

TRANSFER TAX RECEIPT


The Transfer Tax Clearance fee is paid first to the Provincial Treasurer who issues the receipt.
Certified True Copy of Tax Declaration

Obtained from the Municipal Assessor.

Technical Description

Obtained as a deliverable from the surveyor if you had the lot subdivided. 

Otherwise, the Technical Description can be obtained from the Land Management Bureau.

Certified True Copy of the Subdivision Plan (Blue Print)


Obtained as a deliverable from the surveyor if you had the lot subdivided. 

Otherwise, the Subdivision Plan can be obtained from the Land Management Bureau.
Special Power of Attorney

Required if the applicant is other than the buyer. 

 sample SPOA
 

Submission Of Documents

  • Originals and one (1) set of copies.
  • The LRA did not require submission of originals and copies in separate folders, as DAR asked us to do.
  • Never leave your paperwork or any money with the LRA without receiving an official receipt.
  • Never use fixers or people who say that they can expedite paperwork.
  • The receipt that we received from LRA listed all documents that we submitted to LRA.
  • We also had LRA stamp "received" on our copy of each document that we submitted.
  • It may take up to six months for LRA to complete their processing. Ours took three months.

 

The Bottom Line


It is very important to acquire an updated copy of your landholdings from the Municipal Assessor every year. This is how you can know that your land is secure in your name and that no one has changed it by error or otherwise.

Once you get your title there is one last step and that is to obtain a Tax Declaration in your name.