Can foreigners buy property in the Dominican Republic?
5 min read.
Yes. Foreigners, including US citizens and Canadians, can buy property in the Dominican Republic in their own name, with the same rights as Dominicans: the Constitution and the foreign investment law (Law 16-95) guarantee it. You don't need residency or a visa: your passport is enough. You pay the same taxes as a Dominican, and the limits are about location, like the 60-meter coastal strip, which is public land.
What the law says
Article 25 of the Constitution gives foreigners the same rights and duties as Dominicans, with the exceptions set by law, and Article 51 guarantees the right to property. The foreign investment law (Law 16-95) allows investment in real estate and gives foreign investors the same treatment as nationals.
In practice, a foreigner buys, records the title and sells just like a Dominican, whatever their nationality or immigration status.
What you need
- Your passport. It's your ID for the contract, the Title Registry and the tax agency (DGII).
- Contracts in Spanish. If a document is in another language, a court-certified interpreter translates it.
- Notarized signatures. The contract is signed before a notary, in the country or abroad (how to buy from the US).
- The source of your funds. Under Law 155-17, the developer and the notary must verify who you are and where the money comes from.
- Payments by wire. Paying cash for a property above RD$1,500,000 is banned.
US citizens, Canadians and Dominicans abroad
The law doesn't distinguish by nationality: a US citizen or a Canadian buys like any other foreigner. What changes is what the country where you live asks of you.
- If you're a US citizen or resident. You can sign before a notary in your state, with an apostille. For the IRS, a home in your own name isn't reported on the FBAR or Form 8938; foreign accounts that together exceed $10,000 are, and so is any rent you collect. We explain it in how to buy from the US.
- If you're Canadian. Canada has applied the apostille since January 11, 2024. For the CRA, a vacation home you mainly use yourself doesn't go on Form T1135; a rental held to make a profit does, if your property outside Canada cost more than CAD 100,000. And the two countries have had a treaty against double taxation since 1977. It's all in can Canadians buy property in the Dominican Republic.
- If you're Dominican and live abroad. You buy with your rights as a Dominican and, if it's your first home in a low-cost project, you can get the first home bonus: the DGII accepts your passport and a sworn statement of residence.
Where the limits are
- The coast. The first 60 meters from the high-tide line are public land (Law 64-00). No one, Dominican or foreign, can own that strip, and a beachfront project has to respect it.
- The border with Haiti. The Constitution calls for special requirements in border areas, and a bill to regulate it was filed in the Senate in 2025. It doesn't affect areas like Punta Cana or Santo Domingo.
Taxes are the same
A foreigner pays the same as a Dominican: the 3% transfer tax when buying, the annual IPI if their real estate in the country is worth more than RD$10,695,494 (2026), and 10% capital gains tax when selling as an individual. The difference is rent: an owner who doesn't live in the country pays 27% of what they collect. It's all in closing costs and taxes.
Mortgages for foreigners
Dominican banks lend to foreigners, with their own requirements. Banco Popular, for example, asks for your passport, your home country tax return, foreign credit references, the appraisal and the property title. Each bank sets how much it finances, the term and the rate.
Vacation rentals
If you plan to rent by the night, there's no mandatory registry today. The Ministry of Tourism put a short-term rental registry up for public comment between May and July 2026, then withdrew it to open talks with the industry.
There are taxes: the DGII charges 18% ITBIS on tourist villa and apartment rentals, and what you collect is subject to income tax. Before buying to rent, also check what the condo rules allow.
How Instadigs helps
Digger Autonomous Agent, the Instadigs AI agent, works with you in English, Spanish or French and finds new homes and condos for you, pre-construction or under construction. Before you pay the reservation, we check the project: the MIVHED permit, the land title, the company that's selling and where your money goes. If you want, we represent you with the developer, and we give you back 100% of our commission wherever you buy; in the Dominican Republic, it's credited to your property after the down payment.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner own property in the Dominican Republic?
Yes, with the same rights as a Dominican. The Constitution, in Articles 25 and 51, and the foreign investment law (Law 16-95) guarantee it.
Can a US citizen buy property in the Dominican Republic?
Yes. They buy in their own name, with their passport and the same rights as a Dominican, without residency or a visa. For the IRS, a home in their own name doesn't go on the FBAR or Form 8938; any rent they collect does, and so do foreign accounts that together exceed $10,000.
Can Canadians buy property in the Dominican Republic?
Yes, with the same rights as a Dominican. In Canada, a home rented out to make a profit goes on the CRA's Form T1135 if their property outside the country cost more than CAD 100,000; a vacation home for personal use doesn't.
Do I need residency or a visa to buy?
No. You buy with your passport, whatever your nationality or immigration status.
Can foreigners buy land in the Dominican Republic?
Yes, with the same rights as Dominicans. The limits are about location: no one can own the first 60 meters from the high-tide line, and the Constitution calls for special requirements in border areas.
Can a foreigner buy on the beach?
Yes, but no one can own the first 60 meters from the high-tide line, which are public land under Law 64-00.
Do foreigners pay higher taxes?
No. They pay the same as Dominicans. Only rent collected by an owner who doesn't live in the country has a different rate, 27%.
Do Dominican banks give mortgages to foreigners?
Yes, with their own requirements: passport, home country tax return, credit references, appraisal and title.
Sources
- Constitution of the Dominican Republic, 2024 (Pellerano & Herrera, Spanish)
- Law 16-95 on foreign investment (MIREX, Spanish)
- Pellerano & Herrera, buying real estate in the Dominican Republic (Spanish)
- Arthur & Castillo, buying real estate in the Dominican Republic
- Law 155-17 against money laundering, Superintendency of Banks (Spanish)
- DGII, Notice 27-25 on cash payments (Spanish)
- Law 64-00 on the environment and natural resources (Spanish)
- Diario Libre, bill to regulate property purchases on the border (November 27, 2025, Spanish)
- DGII, Taxpayer Guide 17, IPI (January 2026, Spanish)
- Law 30-26, official text, Ministry of Finance (Spanish)
- Banco Popular, mortgage requirements for foreigners and Dominicans abroad (Spanish)
- Diario Libre, proposed registry for short-term rentals (July 21, 2026, Spanish)
- Acento, short-term rentals invited to talks on regulation (Spanish)
- DGII, services exempt from ITBIS (Spanish)
- IRS, comparison of Form 8938 and FBAR requirements
- CRA, questions and answers about Form T1135
- Global Affairs Canada, the Apostille Convention in Canada from January 11, 2024
- DGII, ruling on the treaty with Canada being in force (July 23, 2025, Spanish)
- DGII, Taxpayer Guide 26, the low-cost housing bonus (January 2026, Spanish)
This guide explains how buying works in general. Rates and requirements are set by law, by each bank and by each developer, and they can change: the date above is when it was last reviewed.