How to Buy Land in Sri Lanka (2026): Step-by-Step Legal Checklist

Updated 27 October 2026. Based on Sri Lankan laws, Registrar General's Department procedures and official notices current at the time of writing.

Buying land is the biggest purchase most Sri Lankan families ever make, and one of the easiest to get wrong. A forged deed, an unapproved block-out or a paddy field that can never be built on can wipe out years of savings.

The risk is real. In July 2026, the CID arrested a Land Registrar at a Colombo Land Registry, alleging that registry volumes and deed copies were passed to outsiders and used to forge documents that took land from its legal owners (News 1st).

This guide shows you how to buy land in Sri Lanka safely in 2026. It covers what to check before you pay, how the deed and Bim Saviya title systems work, what stamp duty costs, and the TIN rule that applies from 1 November 2026. A printable checklist sits at the end.

In one line: pay no more than a small advance, under a notarised agreement, until your own notary has traced the title, a surveyor has matched the plan to the land, and you know what you're allowed to build.

Quick answer: how to buy land in Sri Lanka in 10 steps

1. Set an all-in budget. Add close to 4% for stamp duty, plus notary, surveyor and registry fees.
2. Shortlist and visit the land. Check road access, boundaries, flooding and who lives there.
3. Collect the seller's papers. Get copies of the deeds, the survey plan and the seller's NIC.
4. Appoint your own notary. Don't rely on a notary chosen by the seller.
5. Check the title. Your notary searches the Land Registry records, or the title register if the land is under Bim Saviya.
6. Match the plan to the land. A licensed surveyor confirms the boundaries and extent on the ground.
7. Check approvals and restrictions. Look at street lines, zoning, paddy land rules and State land conditions.
8. Put any advance in a notarised agreement. An agreement to sell land that isn't attested by a notary has no force in law.
9. Sign the deed and pay. Bring your TIN certificate, pay the stamp duty and pay the seller by bank transfer.
10. Register and collect. Make sure the deed is registered at the Land Registry, then collect your copy.

What's new for land buyers in 2026

You need a TIN certificate to register land from 1 November

From 1 November 2026, the Inland Revenue Department requires a valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificate to register land or title to land. A printout of the IRD's online TIN verification showing your NIC and TIN is accepted instead (Asian Mirror).

No TIN yet? Register on the IRD e-Services portal well before the signing day.

State land deeds: Urumaya has been replaced by Himikama

The previous government's Urumaya programme issued freehold deeds to holders of State land licences (Ada Derana). A Cabinet-appointed expert committee later found that Urumaya land could be sold without the knowledge or consent of family members.

The current government has launched Himikama in its place. Himikama requires family consent, and families who sell Himikama land cannot receive another free State land grant (The Morning).

If the land you want came from a State grant, ask your notary to confirm that the seller can legally sell it and whether family consent is needed.

No property tax in the 2027 Budget

In September 2026, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said there is still no property tax and the 2027 Budget does not include one. The IMF-backed proposal to tax the rent a home could earn remains deferred (Daily FT).

Know what kind of land title you are buying

Sri Lanka records land ownership in two systems, and the State has also given out land under special conditions. Your checks depend on which applies.

Deed land (most of Sri Lanka)

Most land changes hands through deeds signed before a notary and registered at the Land Registry for the area. Registration gives a deed priority over unregistered or later documents, but it does not cure defects in the deed itself (D. L. & F. De Saram). That is why your notary checks the whole chain of deeds, not just the seller's.

Title-registered land (Bim Saviya)

Under the Registration of Title Act No. 21 of 1998, the Bim Saviya programme records ownership of each parcel under a unique number, with a cadastral map and a State guarantee (Registrar General's Department). It applies only in areas gazetted for title registration (D. L. & F. De Saram).

Titles come in three classes:

• First Class: absolute ownership, subject to any recorded encumbrances.
• Second Class: possession without full ownership. The holder can apply to upgrade after 10 years if nobody has challenged the title.
• Co-ownership: used where absolute ownership could not be established, or dividing the land wasn't practical.

For titled land, your notary checks the title register and the class of title instead of the old deed registers (Neelakandan & Neelakandan). Losses caused by errors in the register can be compensated from the Title Insurance Fund by court order.

State land given under permits and grants

Land the State has given out under the Land Development Ordinance carries conditions. It can only be mortgaged to listed State banks and institutions, and a permit can be cancelled if its conditions are broken (Land Development (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 1993).

If a seller offers land held under a permit, or a grant such as Swarnabhoomi or Jayabhoomi, get your notary and the Divisional Secretariat to confirm in writing that it can be sold to you.

Undivided shares in co-owned land

Some deeds give the owner an undivided share of a larger land rather than a separate lot. Before buying a share, check for co-owner disputes and any registered court case over the land, known as a lis pendens (D. L. & F. De Saram).

Deeds of declaration

Some sellers hold land through a deed of declaration, in which the owner declares title based on long, undisturbed possession of at least 10 years. Treat it as weaker than a chain of transfer deeds, and ask your notary how the possession was proved.

Step 1: Set an all-in budget

The asking price is only part of the cost. Budget for:

• Stamp duty: close to 4% of the value for most purchases (worked examples in Step 9).
• Notary's fee: agree the fee and what it covers in writing before work starts.
• Surveyor's fee: for checking boundaries or preparing an updated plan.
• Land Registry fees: small. A register search is Rs. 600 per land, and an extract is Rs. 120 for the normal service (Registrar General's Department).
• Local authority certificates: usually a few hundred rupees each. The Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council, for example, charges Rs. 284.60 for a street line certificate (DMMC).
• Bank charges, if you borrow: banks charge for valuation and legal work, and ask for an acceptable CRIB report (People's Bank).

Land measurements used in Sri Lanka

Land prices are often quoted per perch, so check whether an ad's price is per perch or for the whole land.

• 1 perch = 272.25 square feet (about 25.29 square metres)
• 1 rood = 40 perches
• 1 acre = 4 roods = 160 perches
• 1 hectare = about 395 perches (2.47 acres)

Step 2: Shortlist land and visit it properly

Shortlist a few lands, then visit each one more than once, including after heavy rain. On buyme.lk, you can browse land for sale and narrow the results by location and price.

On site, check (Neelakandan & Neelakandan):

• Access: a public road, or a private right of way that is written into the deeds.
• Boundaries: fences, boundary stones and any neighbour's structure crossing the line.
• Occupants: tenants, caretakers or anyone else living on or using the land.
• Utilities: electricity and water connections, and any power lines crossing the land.
• Drainage: signs of flooding, standing water or recent earth filling.

Talk to the neighbours and the Grama Niladhari. They often know about disputes, flooding or earlier sales.

Step 3: Collect the seller's documents

Ask the seller for copies of these before you pay anything:

• The seller's title deed, and the earlier deeds in the chain.
• The survey plan referred to in the deed.
• The seller's NIC, and the NICs of any co-owners.
• The title certificate, if the land is under Bim Saviya.
• The approved subdivision plan, if the land is a lot in a block-out.
• The latest local authority rates (assessment) receipts.
• If a company is selling: proof that the sale was properly authorised.
• If someone is selling for the owner: the registered power of attorney (see the fraud section below).

Step 4: Appoint your own notary

In Sri Lanka, a sale of land, and any agreement for the future sale of land, has no force in law unless it is in writing, signed before a licensed notary and two witnesses, and attested by the notary (Court of Appeal, Abeykoon v. National Savings Bank).

Choose your own notary, ideally one who practises in the area of the land. Agree in writing what they will check and what they will charge.

Step 5: Check the title at the Land Registry

The title search is the most important step. It shows who has owned the land and whether anything is registered against it.

How the search works

• Where: at the Land Registry for the area where the land is. There are 50 Land Registries across the island.
• Register search: made by a notary or their authorised representative on form A33(A), for Rs. 600 per land (Registrar General's Department).
• Extracts: certified extracts of the land's records are requested on form A32(A), at Rs. 120 per extract for the normal service (Registrar General's Department).
• Online: the Registrar General's Department also takes requests for copies of deeds and extracts through its e-Land online services.

How far back to check

Your notary should trace the full chain of deeds. Lawyers commonly advise going back at least 30 years.

What your notary looks for

• An unbroken chain of deeds from earlier owners to the seller, with matching land descriptions.
• Mortgages, leases and other third-party rights (Neelakandan & Neelakandan).
• Caveats and lis pendens notices, which signal a claim or court case over the land (D. L. & F. De Saram).
• A seller who bought the land only recently, or deeds registered just before the sale.

If the land has a mortgage, agree how the bank will be paid off and how the release will be registered before or at completion.

Step 6: Match the survey plan to the land

The survey plan defines what you are buying: the lot, its boundaries and its extent.

• Compare the extent, boundaries and lot number on the deeds, the plan and the ground (Neelakandan & Neelakandan).
• Hire a licensed surveyor to walk the boundaries, especially if the plan is old or the fences don't match it.
• Get an updated survey if the boundaries are unclear.
• For a lot in a block-out, check that the local authority approved the subdivision.

Step 7: Check approvals and restrictions on use

Owning land doesn't automatically mean you can build on it. Confirm what you're allowed to do before you buy.

Local authority checks

Contact the Municipal Council, Urban Council or Pradeshiya Sabha for the area.

• Street line certificate: shows where the council's street line runs in front of the land (DMMC). If the road is due to be widened, part of your frontage may be reserved.
• Zoning and permitted use: confirm that the house, shop or other building you plan is allowed. In areas declared under the Urban Development Authority, subdivision and construction need approval (Neelakandan & Neelakandan).
• Unpaid rates: make sure the seller has paid the local authority rates.

Paddy land

Under the Agrarian Development Act No. 46 of 2000, nobody may fill paddy land, build on it or use it for anything other than cultivation without the written permission of the Commissioner-General of Agrarian Development (Agrarian Development Act). Courts can fine offenders and order the fill or construction removed.

Never buy a kumbura to build on unless that written permission already exists.

State land, reservations and acquisitions

• State grants and permits: confirm with the Divisional Secretariat that the land can be sold to you.
• Reservations and clearances: land beside roads, rivers, tanks, the coast or protected areas can carry reservations or need environmental clearances.
• Planned acquisitions: ask the Divisional Secretariat whether any acquisition notice affects the land.

Step 8: Agree the deal in writing

If you pay an advance, do it under an agreement to sell that a notary attests, because an unattested agreement has no force in law.

The agreement should record (Neelakandan & Neelakandan):

• The price, the advance and when the balance is due.
• The completion date and the documents the seller must hand over.
• Conditions such as a clear title report and the release of any mortgage.
• Vacant possession on completion.
• What happens to your advance if the seller can't complete.

Keep the advance small until the title search and approvals are done.

Step 9: Pay stamp duty and sign the deed

How much is stamp duty on land in Sri Lanka?

Provincial Councils charge stamp duty on a deed of transfer at 3% on the first Rs. 100,000 and 4% on the rest (Northern Provincial Council gazette, D. L. & F. De Saram). It is worked out on the higher of the price and the market value set by the Provincial Department of Revenue, and the buyer normally pays it.

Worked examples:

• Rs. 3,500,000 land: Rs. 3,000 + Rs. 136,000 = Rs. 139,000
• Rs. 10,000,000 land: Rs. 3,000 + Rs. 396,000 = Rs. 399,000

A deed of gift is charged less: 3% on the first Rs. 50,000 and 2% on the rest.

Some Provincial Departments of Revenue now handle stamp duty online. The Central Province, for example, runs an online portal where notaries and clients submit deeds and track stamp duty (Central Province Department of Revenue).

Signing the deed

• Bring your NIC and your TIN certificate.
• You and the seller sign the deed before the notary and two witnesses, who must all be present at the same time.
• Since 2022, everyone who signs a deed must also put a thumb impression beside their signature. The deed is made in three copies: the original, the duplicate and the notary's protocol (Prevention of Frauds (Amendment) Act No. 30 of 2022).
• Pay the balance by bank transfer or bank draft into the registered owner's account at the signing. Never pay cash to a middleman.

Registering the deed

Your notary lodges the deed at the Land Registry. Registration protects your priority over later documents, so make sure it happens promptly. Then collect the registered deed and check the registration details on it.

Step 10: After you buy

• Keep the registered deed, survey plan and receipts somewhere safe, with scanned copies.
• Ask the local authority to update its rates records with your name.
• Mark your boundaries and keep the markers in place.
• For titled land, confirm that the title register now shows you as the owner.

How to avoid land fraud in Sri Lanka

Forged deeds and people pretending to be the owner are the biggest risks. Protect yourself:

• Meet the owner. Check the seller's NIC against the deeds, in person.
• Use your own notary. Never let the seller's side run the title search alone.
• Check any power of attorney carefully. Since 2022, every power of attorney must be registered with the Registrar General: within one month if signed in Sri Lanka, or three months if signed abroad. One used to sell land must describe the land, carry the owner's thumbprint and come with copies of identity documents. The notary must also confirm at the Registrar General's Department that it hasn't been revoked. Unless it states a period, it is valid for only five years, and private individuals can no longer give irrevocable powers of attorney (Powers of Attorney (Amendment) Act No. 28 of 2022).
• Be wary of cheap or rushed deals. A price far below nearby land, or pressure to pay an advance today, is a warning sign.
• Pay traceably. Pay by bank transfer to the registered owner's account, against the signed deed.
• Prefer titled land where you can. Bim Saviya titles carry a State guarantee.

Warning sign: a "relative" or "agent" selling for an owner who lives abroad and can't be reached. Insist on a registered power of attorney and your notary's check that it hasn't been revoked.

Can foreigners buy land in Sri Lanka?

Not freehold land, apart from a few exceptions. Under the Land (Restrictions on Alienation) Act No. 38 of 2014 (LawNet):

• Land cannot be transferred to a foreigner, a foreign company, or a Sri Lankan company with 50% or more foreign shareholding.
• Foreigners can lease land for up to 99 years. The 15% land lease tax no longer applies to leases to foreigners signed on or after 8 January 2017 (Amendment Act No. 3 of 2017).
• A foreigner can buy a condominium unit on or above the fourth floor, if the full price is paid upfront through an inward foreign remittance before the deed is signed.
• A foreigner is anyone who isn't a Sri Lankan citizen, so dual citizens count as citizens.

Buying land with a bank loan

Banks lend for land and house purchases, but they add their own requirements. Expect valuation and legal charges, and an acceptable CRIB report (People's Bank). A bank's legal check protects the bank, so still have your own notary check the title.

Printable land buying checklist

Before you pay an advance

• The seller's NIC matches the deeds.
• Copies of the deeds, survey plan and approvals collected.
• Your own notary appointed, with the fee agreed in writing.
• Land visited more than once, with access and boundaries checked and neighbours asked.

Before you sign the deed

• Title traced back at least 30 years, with no unexplained gaps.
• Extracts checked for mortgages, leases, caveats and court cases.
• Boundaries and extent confirmed by a licensed surveyor.
• Street line, zoning and approvals confirmed with the local authority.
• Not paddy land without written permission, and not restricted State land.
• Any power of attorney registered and not revoked.
• Agreement to sell attested by a notary.
• TIN certificate ready.

On and after the signing day

• Stamp duty paid on the correct value.
• Deed signed and thumbprinted before the notary and two witnesses.
• Balance paid by bank transfer to the registered owner.
• Deed registered, and the registered copy collected.
• Local authority records updated.

Frequently asked questions

What documents should I check before buying land in Sri Lanka?

The seller's title deed and the earlier deeds, Land Registry extracts, the survey plan, the seller's NIC, an approved subdivision plan for a block-out, a street line certificate and local authority approvals. For Bim Saviya land, check the title certificate and the title register instead of the deed registers.

How do I check who owns a land in Sri Lanka?

Ask a notary to search the registers at the Land Registry for the area and to obtain extracts. A register search costs Rs. 600 per land, and an extract costs Rs. 120 for the normal service. For land under Bim Saviya, check the title register.

How much is stamp duty on land in Sri Lanka?

3% on the first Rs. 100,000 and 4% on the rest, worked out on the higher of the price and the market value set by the Provincial Department of Revenue. On a Rs. 10 million land, that is Rs. 399,000. The buyer normally pays it.

Can foreigners buy land in Sri Lanka?

Foreigners can't buy freehold land, but they can lease land for up to 99 years. They can buy a condominium unit on or above the fourth floor, if the full price arrives as an inward foreign remittance before the deed is signed.

Is an agreement to sell land valid without a notary?

No. Under the Prevention of Frauds Ordinance, an agreement for the future sale or purchase of land has no force in law unless it is signed before a notary and two witnesses and attested by the notary.

Can I build a house on paddy land?

Not without the written permission of the Commissioner-General of Agrarian Development. Filling paddy land or using it for anything other than cultivation without permission is an offence, and a court can order the fill or construction removed.

What is Bim Saviya?

Bim Saviya is Sri Lanka's title registration programme under the Registration of Title Act No. 21 of 1998. It records each parcel under a unique number, with a cadastral map and a State guarantee, in gazetted areas.

Do I need a TIN to buy land in Sri Lanka?

Yes, to register it. From 1 November 2026, a valid TIN certificate is required to register land or title to land. A printout of the IRD's online TIN verification showing your NIC and TIN is also accepted.

Can land be sold through a power of attorney?

Yes, if the power of attorney is registered with the Registrar General and meets the 2022 rules, including the owner's thumbprint and a description of the land. The notary must confirm it hasn't been revoked. Unless it states a period, it is valid for five years.

How many perches are in an acre?

There are 160 perches in an acre. One perch is 272.25 square feet, or about 25.29 square metres.

Find the right land on buyme.lk

A safe land purchase comes down to three things: a clean title, boundaries that match the plan, and approval for what you want to build. Take your time, use your own notary and keep your money in the bank until those are confirmed.

Ready to start? Browse land for sale on buyme.lk across Sri Lanka. Selling land? Get your deeds and survey plan ready, then post your land ad on buyme.lk and reach buyers island-wide.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Land law and fees change, and every land is different, so have a qualified attorney-at-law and notary check the title and documents before you buy.