Registering Property in Gabon

This topic examines the steps, time, and cost involved in registering property in Gabon.

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Property Value: XAF 188,488,729
City: Libreville

	Procedure	Time to complete:	Cost to complete:
1	Buyer and seller contract the notary	1 day	10.5% property value (notary fees plus other taxes and fees)
2	Search the title at the property registry (Conservation Fonciere)	7 - 14 days	(included in procedure 1)
3	Check for unpaid utilities bills at the SEEG (Service de l’Eau et de l’Electricite de Gabon)	1 day	no cost
4	Notary drafts and parties execute the sale-purchase agreement	1 day	(included in procedure 1)
5	Register the sale purchase agreement at the land administration (Service des Domaines)	10 days	8% of the property value (paid in procedure 1)
6	Register the sale-purchase agreement at the property registry (Conservation Fonciere)	14 days	0.6% property value (registration fees–included in procedure 1)
7	Collect the new title from the property registry (Conservation Fonciere)	1 day	(included in procedure 1)

Procedure 1.: Buyer and seller contract the notary
Time to complete:: 1 day
Cost to complete:: 10.5% property value (notary fees plus other taxes and fees)
Name of Agency:
Comment:: It is standard practice for the buyer and the seller, as companies, to contract a notary to conduct all procedures. They pay his fees and the transfer taxes/fees to be incurred at the time of contracting him.

Procedure 2.: Search the title at the property registry (Conservation Fonciere)
Time to complete:: 7 - 14 days
Cost to complete:: (included in procedure 1)
Name of Agency:: Property Registry (Conservation Fonciere)
Comment:: One obtains an official copy of the title from the registry. The title includes all relevant information on the property, such as its history of ownership, delimitations of the property and the building.

Procedure 3.: Check for unpaid utilities bills at the SEEG (Service de l’Eau et de l’Electricite de Gabon)
Time to complete:: 1 day
Cost to complete:: no cost
Name of Agency:: Utility company (SEEG, Service de l’Eau et de l’Electricite de Gabon)
Comment:: It is standard practice to check for any unpaid utilities bills associated with the property prior to the transfer. The parties or the notary can do this.

Procedure 4.: Notary drafts and parties execute the sale-purchase agreement
Time to complete:: 1 day
Cost to complete:: (included in procedure 1)
Name of Agency:
Comment:: It is standard for the notary to draft the sale-purchase agreement for the parties, which they then sign. The notary then notarizes the signed agreement.

Procedure 5.: Register the sale purchase agreement at the land administration (Service des Domaines)
Time to complete:: 10 days
Cost to complete:: 8% of the property value (paid in procedure 1)
Name of Agency:: Land administration (Service des Domaines)
Comment:: The sale purchase agreement is registered at the Service de l'enregistrement, or the administrative authority that keeps the technical records on lands. The notary draws a check equivalent to 8% of the property value to the order of the Service de l'enregistrement. A receipt is obtained as proof of payment. The notary will the prepare all the necessary documents to request a change of name on the property title at the Conservation Foncière.
Note: If there is a mortgage on the property, there is an additional 0.3% property value fee.

Procedure 6.: Register the sale-purchase agreement at the property registry (Conservation Fonciere)
Time to complete:: 14 days
Cost to complete:: 0.6% property value (registration fees–included in procedure 1)
Name of Agency:: Direction générale des Domaines, de l'enregistrement et du timbre
Comment:: The registrar transcribes the transfer and publishes it in the registry books under the name of the new owner.

Procedure 7.: Collect the new title from the property registry (Conservation Fonciere)
Time to complete:: 1 day
Cost to complete:: (included in procedure 1)
Name of Agency:: Property Registry (Conservation Fonciere)
Comment:: The registrar issues the buyer a copy of the land title. After publication, the land title is prepared and issued to the new owner in his name.