How Do I Take Title to Property in Belize?
Belize is part of the British Commonwealth and has a legal system based on British Common Law. Title to freehold property in Belize is held in one of three ways:
- Deed of Conveyance
-The oldest form of title which involves the transfer of land by conveyance and registration. Originating from British Colonial Days, and used in much of the USA, this involves a title search in Belmopan to unearth the chain of title and to uncover any encumbrances. It is sometimes difficult or even impossible to trace old conveyances with any degree of certainty of results, due to the condition of the (Lands Unit) index books.
- Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT)
- Ownership by Conveyance can be converted to a Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT). A TCT is a physical title, whereas ownership by conveyance is a registered right to ownership of a particular parcel of land.
- Land Certificate
- In 1987, the Government passed the Registered Lands Act and certain areas of Belize were subsequently declared compulsory registration areas. Under this Act, the conveyed properties were re-issued new physical Land Certificates with parcel number designations. The government is in the process of re-registering all freehold lands under the Registered Lands Act to achieve a uniform, nationwide system of land ownership.
In our opinion, a Land Certificate, TCT, or clear Deed of Conveyance, all of which are guaranteed by the Government of Belize, afford you as secure a title as can be obtained in any other Commonwealth country or in the USA.
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