Papua New Guinea

Registering Property in

Papua New Guinea

Listed below is a detailed summary of the steps, time and cost involved in registering property, assuming a standardized case of an entrepreneur who wants to purchase land and a building that is already registered and free of title dispute.

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  • Standard Property Transfer

  • Property Value: PGK 182,805.17
  • City: Port Moresby

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No. Procedure Time to Complete Associated Costs
1 Conduct pre-completion, title searches and municipal charges searches at the Office of the Registrar of Titles, Lands Department

The Municipality uses computers and can do this procedure on the spot. The checking is made in the electronic database and also on paper (in case something has not been entered into the system). Requests can also be made by fax.
The Lands Department manages 2 parallel systems: it manages titles on paper and also has an electronic database where all operations related to a title are registered (in particular titles and encumbrances).

A company search can also be made to verify that the company has not been delisted.



Agency: Office of the Registrar of Titles, Lands Department (under Ministry of Lands) 		1 day PGK 50
2 The documents must be stamped at the Internal Revenue Commission

Once the documents have been duly executed and exchanged then the documents must be stamped at the Internal Revenue Commission. Stamp duty is paid by the purchaser.
Stamp duty rates table (Stamp Duties Act 1952):
Value of property less than 36,000 PGK: 2%
Value of property 36,000 to 70,000 PGK: 3%
Value of property 70,000 to 140,000 PGK: 4%
Value of property over 140,000 PGK: 5%


Agency: Internal Revenue Commission 		14 days 5% of property value
3 Documents are lodged for the approval of the Minister for Lands at the Department of Lands

Once the documents have been stamped, the Division Land management, in the 2nd floor of the Minister of lands, receives the file for approval by the Ministry of lands. This division analyses if the land rents have been fully paid, and if the conditions of the lease have been approved (for example if the agreed improvements have been made). There are no physical inspections. The minister has one delegate that signs the files in the name of the minister, and another extra delegate could also be named.

Agency: Minister for Lands, Division Land management 		35 days PGK 50
4 The transfer and the title documents are lodged for registration with the Department of Lands (The Registrar of Titles)

Following completion of the sale of the property, the transfer and the title documents (i.e. the State Lease) are lodged for registration with the Department of Lands (The Registrar of Titles).
Once the employees of the Land Department verify the transaction and summarize it in a preformatted page (worksheet), the Registrar of titles will approve the transaction. This transaction will then be typed in the paper titles (both in the title that remains in the Registry and in the title kept by the owner - lessee).
Since 1996, the transactions are inputted into an electronic system. This system is not accessible online.
Note on the property registry:
The registry uses a Torrens titling system, and is centralized for the whole country. Titles are managed in paper. There is also a computer system that records the information, but the information is not available on-line. The transfer documents are not scanned and are not included in the system.


Agency: Department of Lands (Registrar of Titles) 		22 days PGK 100
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