Summary
Yes, a foreigner can buy in Roatán, but only one urban home on up to 3,000 m² in their own name, under Decree 90-90. The whole island sits inside the Article 107 zone, so there is no "unrestricted" part of Roatán.
A vacant lot bought under this route must have a finished house within 36 months, or a yearly surcharge applies. Bigger plots or several units mean a tourism project that needs government approval, and a Honduran company with foreign owners does not get around the rule.
You don't need residency to buy. Buying a home doesn't give you residency either: the investor category starts at $50,000 of qualifying investment, and the rentista and pensionado routes need $2,500 and $1,500 a month of income.
Plan on roughly two to four months from accepted offer to registered title. If your deal also needs the tourism authority's 90-90 notification, its official response time is 45 days.
Title is the real risk: around 80% of private land in Honduras is untitled or badly titled, according to the US State Department. Pay a lawyer who works only for you to pull the registry certificate and match it with the cadastre and the land on the ground.
Plan to pay cash. We found no verified mortgage offer for non-resident foreigners, and local loans cost around 13% a year in lempiras (Ficohsa, June 2026), after the central bank raised its rate to 6.00% in September 2026.
Buying inside Próspera is a legal bet: the Supreme Court declared the ZEDE regime unconstitutional in September 2024, Próspera's arbitration claim now stands at about $1.63 billion, and the state filed a criminal complaint against two of its officials on 21 September 2026.
The market favors buyers. MLS closings fell 26% in the first half of 2026, there were 3.7 new listings for every sale in Q2, and final sale prices landed 7.7% to 10.1% below the last asking price.
Budget 5% to 6% of the price in closing costs, including the 1.5% transfer tax. On a $363,000 home, the median MLS residential sale, that's about $18,150 to $21,780.
Owning costs are modest on paper: condo fees run $300 to $500 a month in West End and West Bay, and island power costs L 6.11 per kWh up to 150 kWh, then L 8.95.
Rent is taxed at 25% withheld for non-residents, and short-term stays classified as tourist lodging add 15% sales tax plus a 4% tourism tax.
When you sell, the tax is 10% of the gain and buyers withhold 4% of the price from non-resident sellers. A separate 4% Bay Islands (ZOLITUR) charge on capital gains was still being discussed with the tax office in October 2026, so ask your lawyer before you sign.
Bottom line: buy one titled condo or finished home under 3,000 m², pay cash, close only after a clean registry certificate, and use the slow market to open about 10% under the asking price.
One home, 3,000 m², urban: what the island rule lets you own
What property types can foreigners legally buy in Roatán?
Roatán is an island, so all of it falls under Article 107 of the Honduran Constitution, which reserves coastal strips, border strips and islands for Hondurans by birth. Unlike the mainland, there is no part of Roatán where a foreigner buys freely.
The way in is Decree 90-90. It lets a foreign individual own one urban property used as a home, on land of up to 3,000 m², and that includes a condo. In practice that covers most condos, houses and villas in West Bay, West End, Sandy Bay, Lawson Rock, Pristine Bay, French Harbour, Parrot Tree and Jonesville Point.
Don't trust the listing label. A "villa" or "beach house" is only a safe buy if the title, land area, urban status, seller identity and cadastre all line up, and if it's your only 90-90 property.
Can I own land in my own name in Roatán?
Yes, if the land is urban, residential, no bigger than 3,000 m² and it's your one 90-90 property. The title then goes in your own name, with full ownership (dominio pleno).
Rural land, large parcels and project land are a different story. Beyond 3,000 m² or for several units, you're in tourism-project territory under Article 4 of the decree, which needs approval from the tourism authorities.
Some sellers suggest buying through a Honduran company to get around the limit. It doesn't work: Decree 90-90 explicitly covers companies that aren't 100% owned by Honduran partners, so a company with foreign shareholders faces the same rules.
For most buyers the simple route is the best one: a titled condo or a finished home with clean registration, municipal records and a written legal opinion before closing.
What other foreign-ownership rules should I know in Roatán in 2026?
If you buy a vacant lot under 90-90, the house must be finished within 36 months. After that, the decree applies a yearly surcharge calculated on the property's assessed value until the work is done, unless the delay comes from force majeure.
The limit is one property per person under this route; property you inherit doesn't count against it. If you want a second unit, talk to a lawyer before you sign anything, not after.
The Honduran Tourism Institute (IHT) runs a "notification of acquisition under Decree 90-90" for Article 4 purchases, mainly companies and projects: it costs L 200 and the official response time is 45 days. Ask your lawyer whether your deal needs it; a simple one-home purchase often goes straight through the notary and the registry.
We found no 2026 reform of Article 107 or Decree 90-90. The rule that applies today is the one from 1990.
What's the biggest ownership mistake foreigners make in Roatán?
Thinking "foreigners can buy" means any beachfront, hillside or big parcel is fair game. A plot over 3,000 m², a second property, or land with only a possession right can leave you with a deposit you can't get back or a title you can't register.
The other classics: no folio real check, old family possession claims, a cadastre that doesn't match the survey, unpaid HOA fees, private road disputes, and short-term rental bans buried in the condo rules.
Do you need residency, and does buying get you one?
Do I need a specific visa to buy property in Roatán?
No. You can buy as a tourist, and you don't need Honduran residency for a 90-90 purchase.
What you do need is a tax ID (RTN) from the tax office (SAR), which is used for the deed, tax payments and registry filings. Get it early: it's the step that most often delays a closing.
Bring your passport, proof of address, proof of funds, and an apostilled power of attorney if you won't be there to sign. Documents in English may need an official translation.
Does buying property help me get residency or citizenship in Roatán in 2026?
Not on its own. Honduras has no property golden visa. A home purchase can support an application, but you still have to fit a category.
The usual categories, as listed by the US Library of Congress in February 2026: investor (from $50,000, about L 1,340,000, of qualifying investment), rentista ($2,500, about L 67,100, a month of stable income) and pensionado ($1,500, about L 40,300, a month of pension). A 2025 exceptional regime lets authorities consider half these amounts, but it's discretionary, not a right.
Citizenship comes later, through years of legal residence and naturalization, not through a property deed.
Can I legally rent out my property on my visa in Roatán?
Owning a rental is passive income, and you don't need to live in Honduras for it. Running it yourself on the island (check-ins, cleaning, guests) starts to look like work, which a tourist stay doesn't allow.
Most foreign owners use a local property manager. Before you buy, read the HOA rules on short-term rentals, and ask whether the unit would be classified as tourist lodging, which changes the taxes (see the tax section below).
How a Roatán purchase actually goes, step by step
What are the exact steps to buy property in Roatán?
The order that protects you: pick the property, hire your own lawyer, get your RTN, check title and cadastre, confirm 90-90 eligibility, sign a purchase agreement with conditions, pay the deposit into escrow, sign the public deed before a notary, pay taxes and fees, register the deed, then switch the municipal, HOA and utility accounts to your name.
You don't have to be on the island if you sign a proper power of attorney, but a first-time buyer should visit at least once to see the boundaries, the access road and the water and power setup.
Don't release a deposit until the agreement says when you get it back (bad title, missing permits, failed 90-90 check). Expect roughly two to four months from accepted offer to registered title, and longer with old titles, bank financing, a company or registry backlogs.
Do I need a lawyer or a notary to buy property in Roatán?
A notary is required, because the sale has to be signed as a public deed. In Honduras notaries are lawyers, but the notary on the deed is often chosen by the seller or the developer.
So hire a second lawyer who works only for you. Their written scope should cover the folio real, cadastre, liens, 90-90 eligibility, the seller's right to sell, HOA documents and the deposit release terms. Expect about 1% to 1.5% of the price for that work, on top of 1% to 2% for the notary (Roatán broker estimate, June 2026).
The checks that stop you buying a problem property
How do I verify title and ownership history in Roatán?
Your lawyer pulls the registry record from the Instituto de la Propiedad (SINAP), then compares it with the municipal cadastre, the survey plan and the seller's papers. This matters more than anywhere else in the process: around 80% of private land in Honduras is untitled or badly titled, according to the US State Department.
Ask for the folio real or the official registry certificate. It shows the owner, the annotations and the legal status. Also check whether the seller holds full ownership (dominio pleno) or only a use right (dominio útil), which isn't the same thing and is harder to sell or finance.
Go back at least 10 to 20 years in the ownership chain, more if the land was inherited, subdivided or held by a family. Stop the deal if the registered owner, the seller, the cadastre, the survey and the fences on the ground don't match.
One 2026 change helps owners: Decree 107-2026, published on 26 June 2026, lets authorities remove invaders from titled productive and tourism land without a court ruling. It only protects land that is properly titled, which is one more reason to buy clean title.
How do I confirm there are no liens in Roatán?
Get a fresh registry certificate and have your lawyer read every annotation. Mortgages are the obvious one, but also look for court seizures (embargos), pending claims and access agreements.
Some debts don't show in the registry: unpaid municipal tax, HOA arrears and utility bills. Ask for a municipal solvency certificate, an HOA clearance letter and the last utility bills before closing.
How do I check zoning and permitted use in Roatán?
Start with the Roatán municipality (cadastre and building permits), then have your lawyer check environmental limits, coastal setbacks and any tourism rules.
The usual trap is a lot sold as "buildable" with no legal access, a steep slope, no septic solution or a protected area next door. For a condo, the trap is the HOA rules: check whether short-term rentals are allowed before you count on Airbnb income.
Can you get a mortgage as a foreigner, and at what rate?
Do banks lend to foreigners for homes in Roatán in 2026?
Rarely, and you shouldn't count on it. Honduran banks lend to residents with income they can verify; we found no published, verified mortgage offer for non-resident foreigners in 2026.
For locals, BAC advertises a 10% to 20% down payment and terms up to 30 years. A foreigner should expect a much bigger down payment, more paperwork and extra questions about island title, if the bank says yes at all. Most foreign buyers plan as cash buyers or use financing from home.
Which banks are most foreigner-friendly in Roatán in 2026?
If you have residency and local income, start with Banco Atlántida, BAC Credomatic and Banco Ficohsa, and check Banco de Occidente too. They have the widest networks and the most experience with foreign files.
Non-residents can ask, but expect a harder review, a larger down payment and close scrutiny of the title.
What mortgage rates are foreigners offered in Roatán in 2026?
As a benchmark, Ficohsa's standard home loan in lempiras was priced at 13% a year in its June 2026 tariff, for up to 30 years. That's one product, not a market average, and a foreign borrower would likely pay more.
Credit is getting more expensive, not cheaper: the central bank raised its policy rate from 5.75% to 6.00% in September 2026 to fight inflation of 6.28% over a year. A dollar loan avoids lempira risk but usually comes with stricter terms.
Should you buy inside Próspera in 2026?
Próspera, the private charter city near Crawfish Rock, sells lots and condos to foreigners under its own rules. The problem is the legal ground underneath it.
Congress repealed the ZEDE law in 2022, and on 20 September 2024 the Supreme Court declared the ZEDE regime unconstitutional, with retroactive effect (published in La Gaceta on 25 November 2024). Próspera keeps operating and disputes the ruling.
Its arbitration claim against Honduras has been cut from about $10.7 billion to about $1.63 billion (La Prensa, 13 August 2026), and Honduras rejoined the ICSID convention, effective 16 August 2026. On 21 September 2026 the state attorney's office filed a criminal complaint against two Próspera officials.
President Nasry Asfura, in office since 27 January 2026, appeared at a Próspera stand in June 2026, but no decree or vote has changed the legal status.
What this means for you: a Próspera title doesn't sit on settled law. If you still want in, ask in writing what happens to your title if the courts or the arbitration go against Próspera, check whether the land is also registered with the Instituto de la Propiedad, and only put in money you could lose.
Is it a good time to buy in Roatán as a foreigner?
For a cash buyer, yes, timing favors you. According to Tomas Figueroa's analysis of Roatán MLS data, closings fell 26% in number and 32% in value in the first half of 2026 compared with the first half of 2025.
Supply is piling up: in Q2 2026 there were 3.7 new listings for every closed sale. Homes that never cut their price still sold 7.7% below the last asking price, and those that had already cut it sold 10.1% below.
The median residential sale in that data was about $363,000 (about L 9,750,000). Use it as a reality check against asking prices, especially for new off-plan condos.
How to use it: open about 10% under asking on a listing that has sat for months, ask for the HOA's last two years of accounts, and make the deposit refundable until title, cadastre and 90-90 checks are cleared.
What you'll pay to buy, own and sell
What are the total closing costs as a percent in Roatán in 2026?
Budget about 5% to 6% of the price as a buyer in Roatán (Roatán broker guide, June 2026). On a $363,000 home, that's about $18,150 to $21,780.
The pieces: the 1.5% transfer tax (on the higher of price and cadastral value; the law puts it on the seller, but buyers often pay it in practice), registry fees of L 200 plus L 1.50 per L 1,000 (about 0.15%), notary fees of about 1% to 2%, your own lawyer at about 1% to 1.5%, and title insurance if you buy it, at well under 1%.
The agent's commission is usually paid by the seller. Island agents often quote 5% to 6%, but it's negotiable and there's no official rate.
What annual property tax should I budget in Roatán in 2026?
Property tax is set by the Roatán municipality on the cadastral value, which is usually well below market value. We couldn't verify Roatán's 2026 rate. A Roatán broker puts it at a fraction of a percent, with luxury villas paying from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a year.
For comparison, La Ceiba charges L 3.50 per L 1,000 of cadastral value (2025). Ask the seller for the last tax receipts: that's the most reliable number you'll get.
Add the running costs: condo fees of $300 a month (about L 8,050) at Blue Vista in West End to $500 (about L 13,400) at Acqua di Mare in West Bay, according to 2026 MLS listings. Electricity from RECO costs L 6.11 per kWh up to 150 kWh a month, then L 8.95 per kWh (CREE tariff, September to November 2026), which is high if you run air conditioning.
How is rental income taxed for foreigners in Roatán in 2026?
A non-resident owner pays 25% on Honduran rent, usually withheld at source. A tax resident pays 10% under the residential rental regime once rents pass L 15,000 (about $560) a month.
Ordinary long-term rent is exempt from sales tax (ISV). Short stays classified as tourist lodging are not: they add 15% ISV and a 4% tourism tax, and may need registration with the IHT. You'll need an RTN and proper records either way.
What tax will I pay when I sell in Roatán?
Capital gains are taxed at 10% of the gain. If you're a non-resident seller, the buyer withholds 4% of the sale price as an advance on that tax (PwC, August 2026).
On the Bay Islands there's an extra question. ZOLITUR, the islands' tourism free-zone authority, met the tax office (SAR) about applying a 4% charge on capital gains, according to its notice of 16 October 2026. Nothing was decided, so ask your lawyer how it would apply to your sale before you set your price.
What insurance is common and how much in Roatán in 2026?
Most owners carry fire and property cover, plus hurricane and windstorm, flood, contents and liability cover, and a rental extension if they host guests. In a condo, the HOA's master policy covers the building, so check what it leaves out.
We couldn't find a published 2026 premium we trust. The price swings mainly with hurricane and coastal exposure: beachfront, older or wooden homes cost more. Get two written quotes before you make an offer, and add the premium to your yearly budget next to the condo fees and taxes.
Our methodology
This article explains what a foreigner can legally own in Roatán, how the purchase works, which checks matter, and what buying, owning and selling cost.
The legal answers come from the texts themselves first: the Constitution's Article 107, Decree 90-90 and its regulation, the IHT procedure sheets, the property registry and the tax office. For Próspera, we relied on the 2024 Supreme Court ruling, dated press reports and Próspera's own legal disclosure, and we present it as an open risk.
Cost figures come from official tariffs (CREE, Ficohsa, registry fees), PwC and 2026 guides from Roatán and Honduran brokers. Market figures come from Roatán MLS closings analyzed by Tomas Figueroa for the first half of 2026, and condo fees from individual MLS listings.
We checked these figures in October 2026. Conversions use about 26.85 lempiras per US dollar (and about 30.15 lempiras per euro where euros appear).
Limits: Roatán's 2026 property tax rate, insurance premiums and terms for non-resident borrowers weren't published in a form we could verify, so we say so instead of guessing. MLS data leaves out private and direct developer sales. Laws and their interpretation can change, so have a Honduran lawyer confirm everything for your own deal.
Key sources used for this analysis include Decree 90-90, the 90-90 regulation, Article 107 of the Constitution, the IHT 90-90 notification sheet, the IHT procedure list, the Instituto de la Propiedad, SINAP, SURE modules, SAR RTN guidance, SAR foreigner RTN requirements, the SAR FAQs, INM foreigner services, the Library of Congress on residency, Banco Central de Honduras, CNBS, the Ficohsa June 2026 tariff, BAC Credomatic housing loans, El Heraldo on the BCH rate, La Tribuna on inflation, PwC on personal income tax, PwC on income determination, Calcularya, the ZOLITUR notice of 16 October 2026, the Ana Flores Realtor guide, Trolto, Tomas Figueroa's Q2 2026 market report, the CREE Roatán tariffs, Roatán municipal transparency records, the US State Department on Honduras, Próspera's legal disclosure, La Prensa on Honduras and ICSID and Criterio.hn on Próspera.
