Obtain a Transfer deed form
Agency: Liberia Land Authority (LLA)
The parties obtain a transfer deed form to provide to the surveyor who will be surveying that property. At that time, the seller provides a copy of the deed to the new owner. The transfer deed form can be obtained at LLA.
Time and cost: 1 day, USD 4
Buyer contacts a surveyor to survey the property
Agency: Private licensed surveyor
One of the requirements before transferring property in Liberia is to conduct a survey of the property by a licensed surveyor. The potential buyer will contact a certified surveyor to do the study of the property to be transferred. The property cannot be surveyed during the notice period. Any person wishing to introduce a claim of ownership on the property must come forward during the notice period. If there are no disputes recorded after the notice period, then the surveyor will conduct the survey of the property with the potential buyer as a witness, and anyone else who wishes to be present.
Time and cost: 21 days, USD 125
Publication of survey in newspaper and radio by the surveyor
Agency: Newspaper/radio
By law, the surveyor must inform the public that the survey or re-survey of a particular property will be conducted on a set date. The notice will also provide the location of that property. The announcement is published in local newspapers and is also aired for 15 days. But the law is silent as to the length of this notice.
Time and cost: 1 day, included in previous rocedure
Parties contract a lawyer to start the official transfer process
Agency: Lawyer
The parties give the lawyer the deed on which the licensed surveyor has sketched the property. The transfer process will then start.
Time and cost: 2 days, USD 3,750 (10% – 15% property value)
A lawyer visits the Registry to check the status and ownership of the property
Agency: Liberia Land Authority (LLA)
The records are kept in ledgers, and the search for ownership is done manually and electronically by checking the ledgers. An application for the search of deeds/titles document is completed. It takes a week for Liberia Land Authority (LLA) to search for the deeds.
Time and cost: 4 days, USD 85 (10 USD for the research request form, 25 USD for the search, 50 USD for the certified copy of the deed)
A lawyer visits Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to check for outstanding taxes on the property
Agency: Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA)
The LRA issues an official tax receipt evidencing that all delinquent real property taxes have been paid in full. This tax receipt is mandatory, as of June 1st, 2009 to have the deed probated at the Probate Court.
Time and cost: 3 days, no charge
Parties sign the deed form at the lawyer’s office
Agency: Lawyer
Once all verifications are done by the lawyer to ensure that the property is free of all encumbrances and established the rightful owner of the property, both parties can sign the deed, which will be probated at the Probate Court. The deed must have detail descriptions of the building.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
A lawyer visits Probate Court to request the transfer
Agency: Probate Court
The lawyer visits the Probate Court to request the transfer (1 business day). The Court will then publish a notice of the transaction for 4 business days. If there are no objections, on the fifth business day, the lawyer can pick up the deed with the seal of approval from the Court. The Probate court rules state that only lawyers are allowed to submit the deed for probate.
Time and cost: 7 days, no charge
Parties register the deed at the Registry
Agency: Liberia Land Authority (LLA)
The buyer will complete the Registration Form for Deeds and Titles Documents. A bill form will be provided at that time and payment is made at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA).
Documents to be provided at the time of registration:
- A copy of the Real Estate Tax receipt (obtained in procedure 6)
- Flag receipt from the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) as proof of payment
- Original and two copies of bill form
- Probated deed
Time and cost: 4 days, USD 25
The seller goes to Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to change the owner’s name on the property
Agency: Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA)
The parties will change the ownership name at Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA). It is in the interest of the seller to ensure that the name is adjusted so that the new owner is responsible for future taxes.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
