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Law and taxes

Title, Constancia and Deslinde: What to Check Before You Buy

5 min read Reviewed on October 23, 2026 by Ryan, avocat

In short: A certificate of title issued after a deslinde identifies a surveyed, bounded plot registered at the Registro de Títulos; a constancia anotada only records a right over part of a larger parcel, with no official boundaries. Since Law 108-05, no new constancias are issued (except for condos), and the deslinde is the procedure that turns that right into a separate plot.

Before you buy land or a house in Las Terrenas, one question matters more than the view: what does the title say? This guide explains the difference between a certificate of title and a constancia anotada, what a deslinde is for, and what to check before you sign. Last updated: 21 October 2026. This is not legal advice.

Which documents prove ownership?

Document What it proves Watch out
Certificate of title (certificado de título) for a surveyed plot Ownership of a specific plot, with its boundaries and cadastral reference The clearest situation.
Constancia anotada A right over part of a larger parcel, often expressed in square meters The exact location and boundaries are not officially fixed.
Certificate of legal status (estado jurídico) The property's position on a given date: owner, mortgages, liens, lawsuits Issued by the Registro de Títulos. Ask for a recent one.

An image of a title received on WhatsApp proves nothing. Only a recent certificate, requested by your lawyer, shows the property's real status.

What does Law 108-05 say?

Law 108-05 on Real Estate Registration rests on a simple principle: one property, surveyed boundaries, one title.

  • Article 129. Since the law came into force, no new constancias anotadas are issued. The only exception is condominium units.
  • Article 130. The deslinde is an adversarial procedure heard by the competent Land Court of first instance (Tribunal de Jurisdicción Original). Neighbours and other right holders can object.
  • Regulation. According to a specialized article, the procedure now follows the Regulation on Parcel Regularisation and Deslinde (Supreme Court Resolution 790-2022).

Constancias issued in the past remain valid, but they leave doubt about the exact location of the land.

How does a deslinde work?

  1. Survey. A licensed surveyor (agrimensor) measures the land and draws up the plans.
  2. Technical review. The cadastral survey office (Mensuras Catastrales) reviews and approves the work.
  3. Adversarial stage. Neighbours and co-owners of the original parcel are notified and can object.
  4. Approval. The file is approved through the court or administratively, depending on the case.
  5. New title. The Registro de Títulos issues a certificate of title for the new plot.

There is no guaranteed official timeline. A surveyor quoted in the press talks about eighteen months to two years. A simple file can be quicker; a dispute with a neighbor can stall everything.

Can you buy land held under a constancia?

You can, but the risk is higher:

  • the boundaries are not official, and two rights can overlap;
  • a neighbor or co-owner can oppose the deslinde;
  • for a building permit, the Ministry of Housing requires surveyed (deslindado) cadastral plans, so without a deslinde you cannot build legally;
  • resale is harder, because many buyers insist on a surveyed title.

If you still decide to buy, protect yourself in the contract:

  • who starts and pays for the deslinde, and by when;
  • payments staged to match the deslinde milestones;
  • the right to cancel the sale and recover your money if the deslinde fails.

Checklist before you sign

  1. A recent certificate of legal status, requested by your lawyer from the Registro de Títulos.
  2. A priority reservation just before signing: it freezes the property's legal status for your transaction for up to 15 business days.
  3. The seller's identity must match the title. Check whether a spouse's consent or a company resolution is needed.
  4. Plans and markers: walk the land with a surveyor. The boundaries on the ground must match the plans.
  5. Registered charges: mortgages, objections, lawsuits.
  6. Taxes: a DGII certificate confirms the property's IPI is paid up.
  7. Access and constraints: access road, easements, the 60-meter coastal strip, protected areas. See our guide to buying land and building.

After you buy, the Registro Inmobiliario offers a registry alert service: you are notified if any filing is made on your property.

What mistakes are common?

  • Paying a deposit before seeing a recent certificate of legal status.
  • Assuming that a surface area in square meters on a constancia matches a precise location.
  • Forgetting to check access: a plot with no legal access road may be unbuildable in practice.
  • Signing without a clause on who pays for the deslinde and what happens if it fails.

What we show on our listings

On our land for sale listings, we state the title status when we know it: certificate of title, deslinde completed or in progress. It is a starting point; your lawyer must confirm it from the documents.

For an independent check, you can use Terrenas Check, a service run by the same company as the agency (THERD SRL). For questions about a specific plot, message us on WhatsApp at +1 809 258 6052.

Frequently asked questions

Is a constancia anotada a title deed?

It records a property right in the registry, but it does not fix the exact location or boundaries of the land. A deslinde turns that right into a separate plot with its own certificate of title.

How long does a deslinde take?

There is no official timeline. Some professionals mention eighteen months to two years. A simple file with no objections can take less.

Can you build on land without a deslinde?

In practice, no. According to the Ministry of Housing, a building permit requires surveyed cadastral plans. Plan the deslinde before any building project.

How can I check that a title is genuine?

Ask for a certificate of legal status from the Registro de Títulos. Never rely on a copy sent by the seller or an intermediary.

This guide provides general, dated information. It does not replace advice from a lawyer or an accountant: laws and taxes change, so check them on the day of your transaction.

Sources

Documents consulted to write this guide.

  1. Ley No. 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario — DGII (texte de loi) (accessed October 21, 2026)
  2. Constancias anotadas en el derecho inmobiliario registral dominicano — Acento (accessed October 21, 2026)
  3. Reglamento para la Regularización Parcelaria y el Deslinde — Justia République dominicaine (copie non officielle) (accessed October 21, 2026)
  4. Certificación con reserva de prioridad (fiche du service) — Registro Inmobiliario (Poder Judicial) (accessed October 21, 2026)
  5. Piden a usuarios solicitar certificación del estado jurídico del inmueble antes de comprarlo — inmobiliario.do (accessed October 21, 2026)
  6. ¿Qué hacer para autorizar una construcción en RD? — El Caribe (accessed October 21, 2026)
  7. La titulación inmobiliaria, ese problema — Diario Libre (accessed October 21, 2026)
  8. Sistema de Alertas Registrales en República Dominicana — ECIJA (accessed October 21, 2026)
  9. ¿Existen playas privadas en RD? Esto dice la ley — Revista Mercado (accessed October 21, 2026)

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