How to buy property in São Tomé and Príncipe from abroad

Last checked 2026-10-03

In São Tomé and Príncipe the Ministry of Justice runs the land and property registry. Much rural land is held as usufruct. Registration has long been on paper, in books up to two centuries old; Decree No. 33/2019 began computerising it. Detailed sources for buyers are limited, so treat this guide as a starting point and rely on a notary or lawyer in the country.

The safe basics

  1. Get a certificate from the property registry showing the owner and any charges.
  2. Find out whether you are buying ownership or a usufruct right, especially for rural land.
  3. Hire your own lawyer or notary and visit the property, or send someone you trust.
  4. Sign the deed before a notary and register it in your name.

Selling or letting from abroad

Many people abroad own property in São Tomé & Príncipe: 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 São Tomé & Príncipe 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 São Tomé & Príncipe, 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 São Tomé & Príncipe? List it for sale or rent yourself, free.

Common questions

Who runs the property registry in São Tomé and Príncipe?

The Ministry of Justice. Decree No. 33/2019 started computerising the registry, which had been kept in paper books.

What is usufruct?

A right to use land that belongs to someone else, commonly the state. It is the most common right over rural land in São Tomé and Príncipe.

Can I buy property there from abroad?

Yes, through a representative and a local lawyer. Get a registry certificate first.

Can I sell my property in São Tomé & Príncipe 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 São Tomé & Príncipe how that power of attorney must be signed and registered.

Do I pay tax when I sell property in São Tomé & Príncipe?

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 São Tomé & Príncipe 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.