Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Dominican Republic Property Pack
Yes, the analysis of Punta Cana's property market is included in our pack
Foreign buyers can legally own land outright in Punta Cana with the same rights as Dominican citizens, which makes the Dominican Republic one of the most foreigner-friendly property markets in the Caribbean.
However, the Punta Cana real estate market does carry specific risks, including title disputes, unregistered agents, and pre-construction fraud, so proper due diligence is essential.
This guide covers every rule, restriction, cost, and step you need to know to buy residential property safely in Punta Cana in 2026, and we constantly update this blog post.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Punta Cana.
Insights
- The 3% property transfer tax in Punta Cana is calculated on the cadastral value set by the government, not your negotiated price, which often means you pay less tax than expected.
- Properties in CONFOTUR-certified developments in Punta Cana are exempt from both property tax and transfer tax for up to 15 years, potentially saving buyers tens of thousands of dollars.
- Foreigners in Punta Cana pay zero annual property tax (IPI) if the total value of their real estate holdings stays below approximately $166,000 USD (RD$10.19 million in 2026).
- The Dominican Republic has no real estate agent licensing requirements, meaning anyone can call themselves an agent in Punta Cana, which increases the risk of dealing with unqualified or fraudulent parties.
- Beaches in Punta Cana are constitutionally public domain, so even if you buy "beachfront" property, you cannot legally own or block access to the beach itself.
- In January 2024, authorities dismantled a fraud network in the Dominican Republic that sold over 300 apartments without construction permits, highlighting why title verification is non-negotiable.
- The Registro Inmobiliario operates a service office directly in Punta Cana, which speeds up title registration compared to routing everything through Santo Domingo.
- Protected environmental zones near Punta Cana can limit what you build or develop, so checking Ministry of Environment maps before purchase is a critical due diligence step.
Can a foreigner legally own land in Punta Cana right now?
Can foreigners own land in Punta Cana in 2026?
As of early 2026, foreigners can legally own land outright in Punta Cana with full ownership rights identical to those of Dominican citizens under the country's Constitution and Law 108-05.
There are no general bans or prohibitions that prevent foreigners from buying residential land in Punta Cana, though properties within 60 meters of the coastline technically require special consideration due to constitutional public domain rules for beaches.
Because full freehold ownership is available to foreigners, there is no need for workarounds like long-term leases or nominee structures that you might encounter in other countries.
The Dominican Republic does not impose nationality-based restrictions that treat buyers from certain countries differently, meaning whether you are American, Canadian, European, or from anywhere else, you have the same legal right to buy and own property in Punta Cana.
Can I own a house but not the land in Punta Cana in 2026?
As of early 2026, Punta Cana allows foreigners to own both land and buildings outright, but you can also own just a building through condominium regimes or registered lease arrangements where your ownership is in the structure and shared common areas rather than the underlying land itself.
When you buy a condo in Punta Cana, you receive a Certificate of Title (Certificado de Título) that documents your ownership of your unit and proportional share of common elements, which is fully registrable at the Registro de Títulos.
If you control property through a registered lease (arrendamiento) rather than ownership, your rights are time-limited and what happens at expiration depends entirely on the contract terms you negotiated, so it is critical to have clear renewal or purchase clauses if you want long-term security.
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of the Dominican Republic. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
Do rules differ by region or city for land ownership in Punta Cana right now?
The core rule that foreigners can own property applies nationally across the Dominican Republic, so there is no regional variation in basic ownership rights between Punta Cana and other areas like Santo Domingo or Puerto Plata.
What does vary locally around Punta Cana are zoning regulations, environmental protections, and tourism development overlays, particularly in coastal zones or near protected ecological areas where building restrictions may apply.
These regional differences exist because environmental and tourism planning is managed at the local and ministry level, and Punta Cana's rapid development means authorities pay close attention to protected areas and coastal setbacks.
We cover a lot of different regions and cities in our pack about the property market in Punta Cana.
Can I buy land in Punta Cana through marriage to a local in 2026?
As of early 2026, marriage to a Dominican citizen is not required for foreigners to buy land in Punta Cana because foreigners already have full ownership rights without needing a local spouse.
If you do purchase property with a Dominican spouse, you should have clear documentation about how title is held and what each party's rights are, especially through a properly drafted purchase contract and potentially a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement.
In the event of divorce, property division in the Dominican Republic follows the marital property regime you agreed to or the default legal rules, so a foreign spouse's interest depends on how title was registered and what contracts were signed.
There is a lot of mistakes you can make, we cover 99% of them in our list of risks and pitfalls people face when buying property in Punta Cana.
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in the Dominican Republic. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
What eligibility and status do I need to buy land in Punta Cana?
Do I need residency to buy land in Punta Cana in 2026?
As of early 2026, you do not need to be a resident of the Dominican Republic to purchase land in Punta Cana, and there is no residency prerequisite in the standard tax and registry rules.
No specific visa or permit is required to complete a real estate transaction in Punta Cana, though you will need a valid passport for identification purposes during the closing process.
It is legally possible for a foreigner to buy property in Punta Cana remotely without being physically present by using a notarized power of attorney that authorizes a local attorney to sign documents and complete filings on your behalf.
Do I need a local tax number to buy lands in Punta Cana?
In Punta Cana, foreigners typically need to obtain a local tax identification number called the RNC (Registro Nacional de Contribuyentes) to complete property filings with the DGII and Registro Inmobiliario, though your attorney usually handles this as part of the closing process.
The process to obtain an RNC as a foreigner generally takes a few days to a couple of weeks and requires submitting your passport, completing the registration form, and in some cases providing proof of address or a local representative.
A local bank account in the Dominican Republic is not strictly required by law to complete a land purchase in Punta Cana, but having one makes documented payments, ongoing bills, and future rental income management much easier.
Is there a minimum investment to buy land in Punta Cana as of 2026?
As of early 2026, there is no official minimum investment amount required for foreigners to purchase residential land in Punta Cana, so you can buy property at whatever price point fits your budget.
The minimum you spend is determined entirely by market prices and your ability to cover closing costs and taxes, not by any government-imposed threshold tied to foreign investment rules.
Are there restricted zones foreigners can't buy in Punta Cana?
In Punta Cana, "restricted zones" typically refer to environmental protections and coastal public domain rather than nationality-based exclusions, meaning foreign buyers face the same limitations as locals in these areas.
The main off-limits or restricted zones in the Punta Cana region include protected environmental areas under Ley 202-04, the 60-meter coastal public domain strip, and any military or government-designated zones, though this last category is rare in the tourist areas.
To verify whether a specific plot falls within a restricted zone in Punta Cana, you should request a legal status certificate from the Registro de Títulos and check the Ministry of Environment's protected area maps before making any commitment.
Can foreigners buy agricultural, coastal or border land in Punta Cana right now?
Foreigners can generally purchase agricultural, coastal, and border land in the Dominican Republic, though each category comes with specific considerations that can affect what you can build or how you use the property.
Agricultural land in Punta Cana can be bought by foreigners, but the agricultural classification may limit development options and require permits if you want to change the land use to residential or commercial.
Coastal land near Punta Cana is purchasable, but the Dominican Constitution declares beaches and the immediate coastal strip as public domain, so you cannot own the beach itself or block public access even if your parcel is adjacent to it.
Punta Cana is not a border zone, but if you ever look at property near the Haitian border elsewhere in the country, expect additional scrutiny and potentially special permit requirements from the Ministry of Armed Forces.
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What are the safest legal structures to control land in Punta Cana?
Is a long-term lease equivalent to ownership in Punta Cana right now?
A long-term lease in Punta Cana is not equivalent to ownership because it grants time-limited rights rather than the permanent, transferable title that comes with freehold ownership under the Registro Inmobiliario system.
There is no fixed maximum lease length mandated by law in the Dominican Republic, so terms are negotiated between parties, and leases can often be extended or renewed if the contract allows, though none of this gives you the same security as registered ownership.
A foreigner can legally sell, transfer, or bequeath their lease rights in Punta Cana if the original lease agreement permits assignment, but the strength of these rights depends entirely on the contract terms and whether the lease was properly registered at the Registro de Títulos.
Can I buy land in Punta Cana via a local company?
Foreigners can legally purchase land in Punta Cana through a locally registered Dominican company, and this structure is sometimes used for estate planning, co-ownership arrangements, or holding multiple properties under one entity.
There is no requirement for a local partner or minimum Dominican shareholding when a foreigner sets up a company to hold property in Punta Cana, meaning you can own 100% of the company that owns the land.
What "grey-area" ownership setups get foreigners in trouble in Punta Cana?
Grey-area ownership arrangements are unfortunately common in Punta Cana due to the unregulated nature of the real estate agent market and the eagerness of some buyers to skip proper legal procedures.
The most common risky structures include buying "derechos posesorios" (possessory rights) instead of titled property, using nominee or "front man" arrangements where title is held in someone else's name, paying in full before the developer has transferable title, and relying on unnotarized side agreements.
If authorities or courts discover you are using an illegal or grey-area ownership structure in Punta Cana, you risk losing the property entirely, having no legal recourse against the other party, and potentially facing tax penalties or being unable to register or sell the property.
By the way, you can avoid most of these bad surprises if you go through our pack covering the property buying process in Punta Cana.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in the Dominican Republic versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
How does the land purchase process work in Punta Cana, step-by-step?
What are the exact steps to buy land in Punta Cana right now?
The standard process to buy property in Punta Cana involves finding a titled property, hiring an independent attorney, conducting due diligence at the Registro de Títulos, signing a Promise of Sale contract, completing final contract signing with notarization, paying the 3% transfer tax to DGII, and filing for title transfer at the Registro Inmobiliario.
The entire process from initial offer to final registration in Punta Cana typically takes 4 to 10 weeks for straightforward residential transactions, though the DGII portion alone takes about 3 to 5 business days once your file is complete.
The key documents you sign during a Punta Cana property purchase include the Promise of Sale (Contrato de Promesa de Venta), the final Sales Contract (Contrato de Venta or Acto de Venta) which must be notarized, and various DGII forms for transfer tax payment and registry filing.
What scams are common when it comes to buying land in Punta Cana right now?
What scams target foreign land buyers in Punta Cana right now?
Scams targeting foreign buyers in Punta Cana occur at moderate to high rates compared to similar Caribbean markets, primarily because there are no licensing requirements for real estate agents in the Dominican Republic, meaning anyone can present themselves as a broker.
The most common scams include selling properties the seller does not actually own, presenting fake or outdated title certificates, double-selling the same property to multiple buyers, misrepresenting property boundaries, and taking deposits for pre-construction projects that never get built or lack proper permits.
The top warning signs of a fraudulent deal in Punta Cana are pressure to pay large deposits before seeing official documentation, prices significantly below comparable properties, sellers unwilling to provide access to the Registro de Títulos for verification, and projects without formal bank financing or CONFOTUR certification.
If you fall victim to a property scam in Punta Cana, legal recourse exists through the Dominican court system, but enforcement can be slow and costly, which is why prevention through proper due diligence is far more effective than trying to recover losses after the fact.
We cover all these things in length in our pack about the property market in Punta Cana.
How do I verify the seller is legit in Punta Cana right now?
The best way to verify a seller is legitimate in Punta Cana is to request a legal status certificate (certificación de estado jurídico) from the Registro de Títulos that confirms the registered owner's identity matches the person or entity selling to you.
To confirm the title is clean and free of disputes, your attorney should obtain the property's full legal history from the registry, checking for any annotations, pending litigation, or competing claims against the parcel.
Liens, mortgages, or debts attached to Punta Cana property appear as annotations in the Registro de Títulos records, and you should also verify with DGII that the property is current on IPI (annual property tax) payments and has no unpaid transfer tax issues from prior sales.
An independent real estate attorney licensed with the Dominican Bar Association is the most essential professional for verifying seller legitimacy in Punta Cana, and you should never use the seller's attorney or accept free legal services.
How do I confirm land boundaries in Punta Cana right now?
The standard procedure to confirm land boundaries before purchase in Punta Cana is to compare the property's technical description in the Registro de Títulos with the actual physical parcel, ideally with a site visit and survey review.
You should review the Certificado de Título and any associated survey plan (plano or deslinde) filed with the registry to verify that the boundaries, measurements, and location match what you are being shown.
Hiring a licensed surveyor (agrimensor) is highly recommended for Punta Cana purchases, especially for land (as opposed to condos), to independently verify that the physical boundaries match the legal description and to catch any encroachments or discrepancies.
Common boundary problems foreign buyers encounter in Punta Cana include discovering the actual lot is smaller than advertised, finding that neighbors have built structures encroaching on your parcel, and learning that access roads or utility easements cut through the property in ways that were not disclosed.
Buying real estate in Punta Cana can be risky
An increasing number of foreign investors are showing interest. However, 90% of them will make mistakes. Avoid the pitfalls with our comprehensive guide.
What will it cost me, all-in, to buy and hold land in Punta Cana?
What purchase taxes and fees apply in Punta Cana as of 2026?
As of early 2026, total closing costs for a property purchase in Punta Cana typically range from 5% to 7% of the purchase price, with the largest single component being the 3% transfer tax paid to DGII.
The typical closing cost breakdown in Punta Cana includes the 3% transfer tax (approximately $3,000 USD or €2,800 EUR per $100,000 of property value), plus another 2% to 4% for legal fees, notary costs, registry fees, certifications, and miscellaneous administrative expenses.
The main individual taxes and fees in a Punta Cana closing are the DGII transfer tax at 3%, registry/inscription fees at around 0.5% to 1%, legal fees typically running 1% to 1.5% of purchase price, and notary fees plus certification costs adding a few hundred dollars more.
These taxes and fees apply equally to foreign and local buyers in Punta Cana, with no surcharges or additional requirements based on nationality.
What hidden fees surprise foreigners in Punta Cana most often?
Hidden or unexpected fees that surprise foreign buyers in Punta Cana typically add 1% to 3% on top of the standard closing costs, depending on property complexity and any issues uncovered during due diligence.
The top specific hidden fees foreigners overlook in Punta Cana include the annual IPI property tax (1% on value above approximately $166,000 USD, or about RD$10.19 million), back taxes or transfer fees owed by the seller that must be cleared before your purchase can proceed, condominium or HOA fees for managed communities, and unexpected survey or title cure costs when documentation is incomplete.
These hidden fees usually appear during the due diligence and pre-closing phases in Punta Cana, often when the attorney reviews the property's tax standing with DGII or discovers issues in the registry records that need resolution.
The best protection against unexpected fees in Punta Cana is hiring an independent attorney who reviews all tax and registry records upfront, requesting written disclosure of all fees before signing the Promise of Sale, and building a contingency of 1% to 2% into your budget for surprises.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in the Dominican Republic compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Punta Cana, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can … and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source Name | Why It's Authoritative | How We Used It |
|---|---|---|
| DGII Transfer Tax Calculator | Official Dominican tax authority stating the transfer tax rule directly. | We used it to confirm the 3% property transfer tax rate. We anchored all closing cost calculations on this official number. |
| DGII Brochure Transferencia de Inmueble | Official DGII publication explaining required documents and timelines. | We used it to list the documents and sequence for transfer tax filings. We based our timeline estimates on its stated response times. |
| DGII IPI Property Tax Page | Official DGII page defining annual property tax rates and thresholds. | We used it to confirm the 1% IPI rate and exemption threshold. We explained ongoing holding costs based on this source. |
| Registro Inmobiliario (Registro de Títulos) | Official land registry system describing registration procedures. | We used it to confirm where title changes are recorded and that Punta Cana has a service office. We based verification steps on this source. |
| Ley 108-05 (Registro Inmobiliario) | Core statute establishing the modern registry and Torrens-style title system. | We used it to support why registered title provides strong legal protection. We cited it to explain ownership rights for foreigners. |
| Dominican Republic Constitution | Authoritative constitution database with public domain beach provisions. | We used it to explain why beachfront does not mean owning the beach. We clarified coastal public domain rules from this source. |
| Ministry of Environment Protected Areas | Official ministry describing environmental protection zones in the country. | We used it to explain restricted zones near Punta Cana. We guided readers on where extra permits may apply. |
| Superintendencia de Bancos (Ley 189-11) | Regulator-hosted legal text on trusts and fideicomiso structures. | We used it to explain when fideicomiso structures are legitimate. We referenced it for trust-based purchase options. |
| ICLG CONFOTUR Law Overview | International legal guide explaining CONFOTUR tax incentives clearly. | We used it to detail the 15-year tax exemption benefits. We confirmed eligibility criteria for foreign buyers from this source. |
| Ley 202-04 (Protected Areas Law) | FAO-hosted official law text on environmental protected areas. | We used it to back claims about protected land restrictions. We reinforced ministry guidance with the underlying statute. |
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