For most people, buying a plot of land is the biggest investment after a home. And yet many purchases are finalized with less paperwork than when renting an apartment. This is the list a lawyer would review before letting you sign. None of these points are optional.
The 12-point checklist
- 1. Valid title registration. Request a copy of the registration with a certificate of validity from the Real Estate Registry (Conservador de Bienes Raíces). The seller must be listed as the current owner—not a family member or a dissolved corporation.
- 2. Certificate of mortgages, liens, and restrictions. This is also issued by the CBR. It reveals mortgages, liens, usufruct rights, or restrictions on sale that would follow you after the purchase.
- 3. Own property tax ID (rol) with the SII. Without an own property tax ID, there is no independent legal entity. We explain this in detail in our guide to the own property tax ID.
- 4. Tax appraisal certificate. Available for free at sii.cl using your property tax ID (rol). It confirms that the property tax ID exists, in whose name it is registered, and serves as a reference for property taxes.
- 5. Indigenous status of the land. If the property is registered in CONADI’s Land Registry, it can only be sold to indigenous individuals or communes (Law 19,253). Read our complete guide.
- 6. Approved subdivision plan. If the parcel resulted from a subdivision, you’ll need a plan certified by SAG (Agricultural and Livestock Service) or the Department of Public Works (urban).
- 7. Boundaries and area. Compare what the deed states with what you see on the ground and on the plan. Fences that have been moved and “approximate” area measurements are classic sources of lawsuits.
- 8. Legal access. Does the access road cross someone else’s property? If so, there must be a registered right-of-way, not just a verbal agreement with the neighbor.
- 9. Water. Registered water rights, a well, a spring, or water availability (APR): check how you’ll get water on your lot before paying.
- 10. Property taxes paid up to date. A debt clearance certificate from the Treasury prevents you from inheriting unpaid taxes with interest.
- 11. Seller’s identity and marital status. Valid ID, and if the seller is married under the community property regime, their spouse must also sign. If a business is being sold, verify the representative’s authority and term of office.
- 12. Notarized promise of sale. Never hand over a down payment with just a simple receipt. The notarized promise of sale sets the price, deadlines, and penalties if either party changes their mind.
Who handles all of this?
This process is called a title search, and a lawyer handles it by reviewing the property’s history over the past 10 years. It costs a fraction of the land’s price and is the difference between buying with peace of mind and funding a lawsuit. For cases with incomplete paperwork, the Osiadacz Abogados team can regularize the title before the purchase—see also our title regularization service.
Ready to start searching? All the lots on our website indicate whether they have their own property tax ID (rol), as well as water and electricity connections, directly on the listing page.