Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 14. Disputes › Lease disputes and evictions in the Dominican Republic: Ley 85-25

Lease disputes and evictions in the Dominican Republic: Ley 85-25

Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Changing

Ley 85-25 of 2025 replaced the old rent control regime. Housing disputes go to peace courts with a 10 day prior demand, and commercial leases go to first instance courts, or to arbitration if the lease says so. Eviction judgments are enforceable despite appeal, and a stay for non payment needs a cash deposit of twice the award. Appeals are due within 15 days.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.8594 per US dollar for 28 October 2026, the latest row in its published rate file on the verification date, rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Commercial notice to recover	180 daysLey 85-25 art. 40, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Lease appeal	15 daysLey 85-25 art. 35, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Stay deposit for non payment	2 times the awardLey 85-25 art. 34, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Rate used for USD conversions	60.8594 DOP per USDBanco Central reference selling rate, 28 October 2026, as of 2026-10-28 · in force

The rule

1. Commercial leases can include a written arbitration clause that meets the arbitration law.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres y Desahucios, art. 3 par. III, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: Ley 85-25 repealed Ley 4314 of 1955, Ley 17-88 and Decreto 4807 of 1959.

2. Peace courts sitting on leases hear housing lease claims at the place of the property, and accessory seizures.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres y Desahucios, art. 28 and art. 29, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. Before suing, the party demands compliance within up to 10 calendar days. The hearing is set within 10 calendar days of the request, and notice is 3 to 5 calendar days. Non payment cases are summary, in up to two hearings.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres y Desahucios, art. 30, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

4. The judge decides within 30 calendar days of the case being ready, and a late judge can face a liability claim with Consejo authorization.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres y Desahucios, art. 33, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. First instance rulings are enforceable despite any appeal. A stay needs a demand in referimiento and, for non payment evictions, a cash deposit of twice the award.
Example: A RD$600,000 arrears judgment needs RD$1,200,000 in cash to seek a stay. / About US$9,858.79 of arrears needs about US$19,717.58.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres y Desahucios, art. 34, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

6. Opposition or appeal is due within 15 days of notice. Peace court rulings go to the first instance chamber, and first instance rulings to the court of appeal.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres y Desahucios, art. 35 and art. 36, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

7. Cassation applies if arts. 11 num. 3 and 4 of Ley 2-23 are met.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres y Desahucios, art. 39, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

8. First instance courts hear commercial and non profit lease disputes at the place of the property. The notice to recover the premises is at least 180 days, or the eviction claim is inadmissible.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres y Desahucios, art. 40, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

9. These commercial rules do not apply where the parties agreed arbitration.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres y Desahucios, art. 40 par. III, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

10. The peace judge oversees execution of eviction rulings, with a set protection unit, and unauthorized evictions are punished.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres y Desahucios, art. 43, art. 46 and art. 49, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

11. Real rights and leases of Dominican property are an exclusive Dominican jurisdiction.Ley 544-14 de Derecho Internacional Privado, art. 11 num. 1, 2014-12-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Worked example

A landlord of a shop renting at RD$150,000 a month (about US$2,464.70) wants the space back at term. It must give at least 180 days notice, or the claim fails. With an arbitration clause, the case goes to the tribunal rather than the court.

Step by step

Check whether the lease is housing or commercial.
Serve the prior demand or the notice.
File at the right court.
Enforce at once if won.

Common traps

Art. 28 covers housing; a commercial lease filed at a peace court is in the wrong forum.
A foreign clause cannot move a lease of Dominican land to foreign courts, though arbitration is allowed by art. 3.
Art. 34 makes the ruling enforceable despite appeal, but art. 43 speaks of a ruling with irrevocable res judicata for the peace judge's execution order. Expect argument on timing.
Transitional rules for cases already pending are in arts. 52 to 55.

Sources

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