How to buy property in Madagascar from abroad

Last checked 2026-10-03

Madagascar has two ways to prove land ownership: the titre foncier, issued by the state land services after a long registration procedure, and the certificat foncier, issued by communal land offices (guichets fonciers) for untitled private land. Land theft has been a serious problem, and the government has announced measures including cancelling titles obtained by fraud.

The steps

  1. Find out whether the land has a titre foncier (check with the state land services) or a certificat foncier (check with the commune's guichet foncier).
  2. Have a surveyor confirm the plot against the official plan, and ask neighbours and the fokontany who owns it.
  3. Sign the sale before a notary, or as the commune requires for certificated land.
  4. Register the transfer in your name.

Selling or letting from abroad

Many people abroad own property in Madagascar: a house they built, family land, or a home they inherited. You can usually sell it or let it out without travelling, but owners who live abroad are also a common target for fraud. These are the general steps. The rules, taxes and forms in Madagascar are for a lawyer there to confirm.

Selling from abroad

  1. Confirm the property is registered in your name. If it belonged to a relative who has died, the estate usually has to be settled and the title transferred to the heirs before anyone can sell it.
  2. Hire your own lawyer in Madagascar, not one introduced by the buyer or an agent.
  3. Get a current official search of the title, so you know what the buyer's lawyer will see.
  4. If someone will sign for you, give them a power of attorney limited to this one property and this one sale, with an end date. Ask your lawyer how it must be signed and authenticated (before a notary, by apostille or through the embassy) and whether it must be registered.
  5. Ask your lawyer which taxes and fees fall on the seller, such as tax on the gain and transfer or stamp duties, and whether any tax clearance is needed before the transfer.
  6. Have the buyer pay into your lawyer's client account or your own bank account, never to a relative or agent personally.
  7. Ask your bank and lawyer how to move the money abroad, and keep the paperwork that shows where it came from.

Letting it out from abroad

  • Use a written tenancy agreement and keep a copy yourself.
  • Choose a manager or agent you can check up on, and agree in writing what they collect, what they charge and when they pay you.
  • Ask about tax on rent. Many countries tax rent earned there even when the owner lives abroad, and some make tenants withhold tax from rent paid to owners abroad.
  • Have someone you trust visit regularly, and check the title register now and then. Forged sales of absent owners' property are common.

Warning signs for owners abroad

  • An agent or relative asking for a general power of attorney over everything you own.
  • A buyer who wants to pay in cash, or to pay someone other than you or your lawyer.
  • Pressure to sign before your own lawyer has seen the documents.
  • Someone else listing or showing your property without your knowledge.

Own a home in Madagascar? List it for sale or rent yourself, free.

Common questions

What is the difference between a titre foncier and a certificat foncier?

A titre foncier is issued by the state land services after formal registration. A certificat foncier is issued by a communal land office for untitled private land, and is quicker and cheaper to get.

Is land fraud a problem in Madagascar?

Yes. The government has announced measures against land theft, including a specialised unit, digitising land services and cancelling titles obtained by corruption or fraud.

Can I buy land in Madagascar from abroad?

Yes, through a representative with a power of attorney. Check the title or certificate with the right office first.

Can I sell my property in Madagascar while living abroad?

Usually, yes. Most sales from abroad go through a local lawyer and a representative holding a power of attorney limited to the one sale. Ask a lawyer in Madagascar how that power of attorney must be signed and registered.

Do I pay tax when I sell property in Madagascar?

Often. Many countries tax the gain on a property sale and charge transfer or stamp duties, including for owners who live abroad. Ask a lawyer or tax adviser in Madagascar what applies before you agree a price.

Can I list my own property on ResidentFinder?

Yes. Owners can list a home for sale or for rent themselves, without an agent, and listing is free. Buyers and renters contact you directly through ResidentFinder.

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Sources

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and is not definitive. Laws, fees and procedures change; confirm every step with a licensed lawyer in the country before you pay anything.