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Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 11. Real estate and land › Residential and commercial leases

Residential and commercial leases

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

Ley 85-25 of 2025 ended the old rent control decree. Rent and term are free, a housing deposit is capped at two months, and a landlord needs 90 days notice for housing and 180 for commercial space before the term ends. Unless agreed, a housing rent increase is capped at 10%. Commercial leases can use arbitration.

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

Housing rent increase if not agreed10 %Ley 85-25 art. 8 paragraph, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Housing deposit cap2 monthsLey 85-25 art. 13, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Notice to end housing lease at term90 calendar daysLey 85-25 art. 31 paragraph, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Notice to end commercial lease at term180 calendar daysLey 85-25 art. 40 paragraph II, as of 2026-10-30 · in force

The rule

1. The law covers leases for housing, commerce and nonprofit use nationwide. It excludes rural estates, boarding houses, free zone parks, tourist or recreational rentals of up to 90 days, State property leased, and activities under special laws.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 1 and art. 2, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
2. Ley 85-25 repealed Ley 4314 of 1955, Ley 17-88 and Decreto 4807 of 1959.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 57, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: Published 15 August 2025, in force after the Civil Code periods. Claims already in progress stay under the old rules under art. 53.
3. Leases must state parties, address, description and state of the property, furniture, use, rent, payment terms, end date, chosen address for notices and date. The landlord can require a joint guarantor.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 5 and paragraph I, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
4. Rent is what the parties agree, monthly unless agreed otherwise, and the landlord gives a receipt.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 6, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
5. Adjustments follow agreement. In housing, if no adjustment was expressly agreed, it cannot exceed 10% of the rent.
Example: RD$50,000 rent, up to RD$55,000 / US$821.01 rent, up to US$903.11Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 8 and paragraph, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
6. Term is what the parties set, and it renews automatically unless a party says otherwise, on the same conditions and for the same period. An oral housing lease is presumed at least one year, and a commercial one two years.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 9 and paragraph II, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
7. Housing deposits are capped at two months of rent. In commercial leases the parties agree the amount.
Example: RD$50,000 rent, up to RD$100,000 deposit / US$821.01 rent, up to US$1,642.02 depositLey 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 13 and paragraph, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
8. The lease is registered with the Registro Civil y Conservaduría de Hipotecas of the town hall where the property lies, to bind third parties.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 14, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
9. The deposit may be placed with Banco Agrícola or Banreservas by agreement, earning interest at a savings type rate.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 15 and paragraph II, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
10. After return of the property, a landlord who keeps a deposit tells the tenant why within five calendar days with evidence such as photographs and quotes.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 16 paragraph, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
11. The landlord delivers the property in good state, makes necessary repairs and cannot raise rent during the term because of them. If the tenant must leave for repairs, rent stops and the term extends.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 19 and art. 20, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
12. A new owner must respect the lease until term, and may then choose not to renew.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 23 and paragraph, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
13. A tenant cannot sublet or assign without written consent, and breach allows termination.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 25, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
14. Ending a housing lease at term takes notice of at least 90 calendar days by bailiff. For commercial and nonprofit leases it is at least 180, or the eviction claim is inadmissible.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 31 paragraph, art. 40 paragraph II and art. 42 paragraph, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
15. Commercial and nonprofit leases can choose arbitration by an express written clause.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 3 paragraph III, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
16. The party who hires a broker pays the commission, and an advertised rental is presumed ordered by the owner. Legal costs of the contract are shared equally.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 7 and paragraph, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30
17. Publicity with discriminatory conditions is banned.Ley 85-25 sobre Alquileres de Bienes Inmuebles y Desahucios, art. 22 paragraph, 2025-08-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Worked example

  • A landlord lets a flat at RD$60,000 (about US$985.21) a month with a deposit of RD$120,000 (about US$1,970.42) and a one year term. With no agreed adjustment, the renewal rise is capped at RD$6,000 (about US$98.52). To recover the flat at term, the bailiff notice must go out at least 90 days before the end date. A shop on RD$200,000 (about US$3,284.03) needs 180 days.

Step by step

  1. Write the lease with all art. 5 items.
  2. Register it at the town hall.
  3. Agree an adjustment clause.
  4. Diary the notice date.
  5. Inspect at exit and answer within five calendar days if keeping a deposit.

Common traps

  • Without notice in time, the lease renews for the same period, so a missed date can cost another term.
  • Art. 7 assumes the owner ordered the listing, so brokers may look to the owner for commission.
  • Rural leases and tourist stays of up to 90 days fall outside this law, and the Civil Code then matters more.
  • A notary fee applies if the lease is a notarial act: RD$5,000 under 15 years and RD$20,000 over.

Sources

Related pages

Related: Dominican Republic country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X

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