Can Foreigners Buy Property in the Dominican Republic?

Yes. In general, a foreigner can buy and own property in the Dominican Republic. The 2024 Constitution gives foreigners the same rights as nationals, with the exceptions set out in the Constitution and the laws (Article 25), and it guarantees the right of property to every person (Article 51). This guide is information; it is not legal advice.

Being able to own property does not, on its own, make a pre-construction reservation safe. The risks of title, permits, a fideicomiso and the contract are the same as they are for a Dominican national. This page is about capacity and rights; the checklist before you reserve and is it safe to buy pre-construction? cover what is worth reviewing on the project.

The direct answer, with sources

The starting point is the Constitution of the Dominican Republic, voted and proclaimed on 27 October 2024 and published in Official Gazette No. 11170 of 31 October 2024 (institutional PDF, checked 12 November 2026; also referenced by the Constitutional Court).

Article 25 — the regime for foreigners — provides that foreigners “have in the Dominican Republic the same rights and duties as nationals, with the exceptions and limitations established by this Constitution and the laws.” It is not, then, equality without reservations. The article itself mentions, as examples of those exceptions, that foreigners may not take part in political activities in the national territory except to vote in their country of origin; that they have a duty to register in the Book of Foreigners (Libro de Extranjería), according to the law; and that they may seek diplomatic protection after exhausting domestic remedies, subject to what treaties provide. Those numerals describe the foreigners’ regime. This guide does not turn the Book of Foreigners into a purchase requirement that we have not verified here.

Article 51 recognizes and guarantees the right of property, and adds: “Every person has the right to the enjoyment, use and disposal of their property.” It says “every person,” not “every citizen.”

Article 221 guarantees equal conditions for national and foreign investment, “with the limitations established in this Constitution and the laws.”

That framework is complemented by Law No. 16-95 on foreign investment, enacted 20 November 1995 (Banco Central PDF, checked 12 November 2026). Article 3, literal (b), contemplates that foreign investment may be destined to “investments in real estate located in the Dominican Republic, with the limitations in force applicable to foreigners.” Article 6 provides that investors, and companies in which foreign investors take part, have the same rights and obligations that the laws confer on national investors, “except for the exceptions provided in this law or in special laws.”

Article 5 of the same law lists areas in which foreign investment is not allowed — among them, toxic waste not produced in the country, certain activities that affect public health and the environment under the applicable rules, and defense materials except with authorization. In their wording, those are not a ban on buying a home. We also do not say they never apply to a concrete case: if your transaction touches one of those areas, or a special law, your lawyer will see it.

What about a US citizen? What about a Canadian?

Yes, on the same general terms as any other foreigner. In the sources for this guide, there is no special purchase regime for a US or Canadian citizen as such. We do not invent treaties we have not read here. The “yes” is about capacity: in general, you can own, under the same constitutional framework. It is not a shortcut on documents, taxes, or where the money goes.

You will need identification, and in practice a tax registration (RNC) or other DGII steps that your lawyer and notary will specify. Confirm each transaction; this is not a personal clearance. The same holds, in general, for a Canadian or for a foreigner of another nationality: the framework is the Constitution and Law 16-95, with the border-zone caveat explained below.

If you are Dominican and live abroad, this page helps you understand the “foreigner versus national” framework. What applies to you depends on your nationality, your residency and the facts of the transaction: that is for your lawyer to confirm, not a general paragraph.

Can I own land, not only an apartment?

Yes, in general, under the same framework: the Constitution (Articles 25, 51 and 221) and Law 16-95, which contemplates investment in real estate “with the limitations in force applicable to foreigners.” Article 10.2 of the Constitution provides for specific requirements in the border zone that privilege Dominican ownership and the national interest. If the property is in or near that zone, consult a lawyer before you reserve.

The type of property — a pre-construction apartment, a house, a lot — does not, on its own, change that general answer. This guide does not claim that no other sectoral limit exists — for example an agricultural one — that we have not read. If the land you are offered has a special use or regime, that too is a question for your lawyer.

Do I need citizenship or residency?

In general, no, in order to own. Article 51 speaks of “every person,” not only of citizens, and Article 25 gives foreigners the same rights as nationals, subject to constitutional and legal exceptions. Residency may matter for other purposes — tax or immigration — not as a general condition of ownership. Your lawyer will tell you which documents that purchase requires.

Buying a property does not, by itself, grant residency or citizenship in the Dominican Republic. This guide does not develop immigration law, and it does not tell you how to apply for residency. If that is your goal, consult a lawyer who practices in that field, in addition to the lawyer who accompanies the purchase.

The border zone (Article 10.2)

Article 10.2 of the 2024 Constitution provides that “the regime for the acquisition and transfer of real property in the Border Zone shall be subject to specific legal requirements that privilege the property of Dominicans and the national interest.”

That is a constitutional mandate. This guide affirms that it exists. It does not draw a map of that zone, does not say that a foreigner “cannot” or “can” buy there, and does not claim that a development law delimiting the zone today does or does not exist. If the property is in or near the border with Haiti, consult a lawyer before you reserve, and ask whether that parcel falls under the Article 10.2 regime. This guide does not delimit the zone.

Documents and formalities, in outline

This is not a complete guide to “how to buy from abroad”: a later page will cover that process. Here, in outline, is what is usually worth having in mind, and what your lawyer should specify.

Identification. Your passport, or another identity document that the notary and the lawyer ask for. We do not claim that a passport, on its own, is enough to close.
An independent lawyer and a notary, not the seller’s. They read the contract, request the title and tell you the form of each instrument.
The title. The real-estate registration system in Law 108-05 (23 March 2005; text published by INVI, checked 12 November 2026) applies to nationals and to foreigners: the title certificate is the registral proof of ownership. This guide does not claim that a foreigner receives a “different” title. Your lawyer requests the certificate and a current legal-status report (estado jurídico).
Steps at the DGII, including, in practice, an RNC. They often appear in a purchase. The concrete procedure, and the one that applies to a foreigner, are for your lawyer and the DGII to confirm; this page does not describe a process we have not opened here.
A possible foreign-investment registration. Law 16-95, in Article 4, establishes a registry of foreign investment at the Banco Central. Whether that applies to the purchase of a particular home is a legal qualification this guide does not resolve. We do not tell you that you must register in order to buy, or that you need not. Confirm it with your lawyer.
A power of attorney and an apostille, if you buy from a distance. These are usual practices when you are not in the country to sign. Your lawyer will tell you the form; we do not spell out a procedure here that we have not verified in an official source for this brief.

When the real-estate transfer tax applies, the official DGII calculator (checked 12 November 2026) computes it as 3% of the acquisition value. In a project classified by CONFOTUR, under Law 158-01 on the promotion of tourism development, the Tourism Promotion Council lists an exemption from that transfer tax and from the real-estate property tax (IPI). Article 9 of Law 195-13 (enacted 13 December 2013; Official Gazette No. 10739 of 20 December 2013; DGII PDF, checked 12 November 2026), which amended Article 7 of Law 158-01, sets the fiscal-exemption period granted to companies engaged in the tourism activities listed in Article 3 at fifteen (15) years, starting from the date of completion of the project’s construction and equipment works. Under Paragraph IV of Article 4 — added by Article 7 of the same Law 195-13 — the exemptions in that law are to be enjoyed by natural or legal persons who make one or more investments directly with the promoters or developers; any later transfer to third-party purchasers is excluded from those benefits. That is not automatic, and this guide does not state that a particular unit is exempt: ask for the classification resolution and have your lawyer confirm whether it applies to your unit. A CONFOTUR classification does not replace a fideicomiso or a construction licence. These figures can change; confirm them with your lawyer.

Buying pre-construction as a foreigner

The Constitution’s recognition of your capacity to own does not change the risk of a pre-construction project. That risk — title, permits, fideicomiso, payment account and contract — is the same as it is for a national. Being a foreigner does not give you a weaker title, and it does not excuse you from checking whose name is on the account.

Before you reserve, use the protection checklist. Ask how a fideicomiso works and who gets paid: some platforms send your money directly to the developer’s account. If work stops, what usually happens depends on the contract, the facts and who you paid — not on a single rule, and not on an automatic refund. The wider picture of those risks is in is it safe to buy pre-construction?.

A power of attorney signed abroad does not replace that reading, and it does not turn a personal account into a fideicomiso. Do not reserve only because “yes, you can.” Reserve when the documents and the account stand up to your lawyer’s review.

Frequently asked questions

Can foreigners buy property in the Dominican Republic?

Can a US citizen buy property in the Dominican Republic?

Yes, on the same general terms as any other foreigner: Dominican citizenship or residency is not, as a general rule, required to own property. You will need identification, and in practice a tax registration (RNC) or other DGII steps that your lawyer and notary will specify. Confirm each transaction; this is not a personal clearance.

Can foreigners own land in the Dominican Republic?

Yes, in general, under the same framework: the Constitution (Articles 25, 51 and 221) and Law 16-95, which contemplates investment in real estate “with the limitations in force applicable to foreigners.” Article 10.2 provides for specific requirements in the border zone that privilege Dominican ownership. If the property is in or near that zone, consult a lawyer before you reserve.

Do I need to be a resident or a citizen?

In general, no. Article 51 speaks of “every person,” not only of citizens, and Article 25 gives foreigners the same rights as nationals, subject to constitutional and legal exceptions. Residency may matter for other purposes (tax, immigration), not as a general condition of ownership. Your lawyer will tell you which documents that purchase requires.

Can Canadians buy property in the Dominican Republic?

The same as a US citizen or any other foreigner. The constitutional framework and Law 16-95 apply, with the border-zone caveat in Article 10.2. Documents, a power of attorney if you buy from abroad, and where funds are sent are the same issues. This guide does not replace advice from a lawyer in Canada or in the Dominican Republic.

What to do next

Being able to own property does not, on its own, make a pre-construction reservation safe. Continue with is it safe to buy pre-construction? and the protection checklist. ObraCierta is building a model in which the buyer’s money sits with a licensed fiduciary and is released after independent inspections; that service is not yet in operation. These guides are free. The planned model is that the buyer does not pay for that protection; the developer does. Hire an independent lawyer in the Dominican Republic before you transfer funds.