Is Your Property Eligible for Titling in the Philippines? Untitled Land Classification

How to Know If You Can Apply for a Title for an Untitled Property in the Philippines

Perhaps, you’ve been planning to take ownership of your property under your name but you’re not sure whether you can apply for a land title or not. If that’s the case, the answer lies in the classification of the land according to Philippine laws. There are legal requirements and limits as to when an individual can process titling for an untitled land in the Philippines. Let’s talk about verifying the land status and what may prohibit you from applying for a property title.

Verifying the Status of Land

To understand whether it’s possible to get a title for your land or property, there are a few steps you can take to verify its current status. The land or property must be under the Alienable and Disposable or A&D classification by the Philippine government. In addition, you must be residing in the said land for the required number of years. Here are three ways to conduct the verification process:

1. Verification of Land Classification with the DENR. You can request for a Land Status Certification from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources office near you. The Land Classification Certificate will show if the property is classified as A&D.
       
   
2. Request for a Lot Status Certificate from LRA. Visit the Land Registration     Authority office and secure a Lot Status Certification. This will confirm if the land is untitled and has no existing claims, pending titling application, or overlapping surveys.
       
   
3. Determine eligibility to apply and choose titling mode. If the land has been verified and is suitable for titling, you will now need to verify your eligibility to get a title. It basically depends on the number of years you have occupied the land. For instance, you can opt for the administrative titling or free patent. This titling option is the most affordable and fastest way once you can prove continuous possession of the land for 30 years. The other is judicial confirmation of imperfect title for private lands acquired through prescription.
   

To start processing the verification and application for titling, you will need the lot description, cadastral map, survey plan, tax declaration or tax receipts. Make sure to perform records checking with the LRA at Registry of Deeds before entering any negotiations

​Final Thoughts

Now that you know if you can process your land for titling in the Philippines, you can start gathering the required documents for the transfer. After confirming that the land is A&D with the DENR, the next steps is to determine how you will apply for the title. You can contact us today if you want to know more about title transfer and other related questions. Visit REALS.PH for our exclusive listings, including house for sale in Baguio City and other major cities nationwide. We have the most trusted real estate agents to help you out with real estate transactions and other processes.