Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 11. Real estate and land › Land court disputes and removing occupants

Land court disputes and removing occupants

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

The Jurisdicción Inmobiliaria has sole power over disputes on registered rights. An owner can remove an intruder through the Abogado del Estado in two 15 day stages, then up to 30 days to evict, without a full trial. Anyone who occupied with the owner's permission goes to the ordinary courts instead. Appeals are due in 30 days, and a case idle for three years lapses.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.9007 per US dollar for 29 October 2026, the latest row in its published rate file on the verification date, rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Notice stages for intruders	15 plus 15 daysLey 108-05 art. 48, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Appeal term	30 daysLey 108-05 art. 81, as of 2026-10-30 · in force

The rule

1. A litis sobre derechos registrados is a contradictory case before the land courts, the only courts competent, starting at the original jurisdiction court of the place.Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07, art. 28 and art. 29, 2005-03-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. Provisional urgent measures can be ordered by the judge in referimiento.Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07, art. 50 and art. 51, 2005-03-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. A case with three years of inactivity lapses by operation of law.Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07, art. 38, 2005-03-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

4. Eviction frees a registered property of illegal occupation. A co owner under a constancia cannot be evicted by another, and those who occupied with the owner's authorization go to the ordinary courts.Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07, art. 47 and paragraphs I and II, 2005-03-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. The owner obtains an authorization from the Abogado del Estado, notified by bailiff with the title, giving 15 days to leave. A second 15 days follows. After checking documents the Abogado del Estado orders eviction, carried out within 30 days.Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07, art. 48 and paragraphs I and II, 2005-03-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

6. Land court judgments ordering eviction are notified at least 15 days before execution, and public force is then requested.Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07, art. 49 and paragraphs I and II, 2005-03-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

7. Appeal goes to the Tribunal Superior de Tierras within 30 days of bailiff notice.Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07, art. 79 to art. 81, 2005-03-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

8. Against acts of registry bodies: reconsideration within 15 days, hierarchical appeal within 15 days, and a court action within 30 days.Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07, art. 76 to art. 78, 2005-03-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

9. Reckless claims can lead to damages.Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07, art. 31, 2005-03-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Worked example

An owner finds squatters on a RD$12,000,000 (about US$197,042.07) lot. With a clean certificate, the owner applies to the Abogado del Estado: 15 days, then 15 more, then an order and up to 30 days for the bailiff. About two to three months on the legal terms, if nothing is contested.

Step by step

Keep the certificate and plan to hand.
Photograph the occupation and date it.
Apply to the Abogado del Estado.
Use the bailiff of that jurisdiction.
If there is a lease or permission, go to the ordinary courts.

Common traps

Older copies of Ley 108-05 name the Comisión Inmobiliaria. Ley 51-07 replaced it with the Abogado del Estado in this procedure.
A tenant is not an intruder. See disputes/lease-disputes-and-evictions.
Self help is risky. Ley 85-25 art. 49 sanctions evictions outside its rules for leases.
Terms are legal maximums. Real durations depend on the office.

Sources

Ley 108-05 de Registro Inmobiliario, as amended by Ley 51-07

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