Once the contract is signed, am I the owner?
You are not — and it is one of the costliest misunderstandings in property. Only the person entered in the Land Register is legally recognised as the owner of immovable property. A signed, notarised contract and a paid price create the legal basis for demanding the transfer — but not ownership itself. Until the entry is made, you have no ownership rights against third parties, and you must accept acts performed by the person still shown as owner. A registration application is normally decided within 10 days; in a complex case the judge may extend that to one month.
📋 The rules
- The owner is whoever is entered in the Land Register
- A contract creates a right to demand, not title
- Without the entry, no rights against third parties
- An application is normally decided in 10 days
- The state fee: 1.5% of the value
🔓 Exceptions
- Transfers to children, a spouse, parents or siblings are charged at 0.5%
- An acquisition by a legal entity is normally 2%, and a gift 3%
- In all these cases the fee is capped at €50,000
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There is no separate fine for delay — but the cost rises by itself. Where more than six months pass after signing the acquisition document, the state fee is calculated using a coefficient of 1.5. And that is only the money. The graver point is that, until the entry is made, the seller remains the registered owner: encumbrances can be registered against the property, it can be caught up in other transactions, and you have no protection against third parties. So never pay the full price without arranging the registration application — a signature and a notary do not make you the owner.
📎 Official sources
- likumi.lv · Civil Law, Property Rights →
- likumi.lv · Land Register Law →
- likumi.lv · State fee regulation →
❓ Frequently asked
When do I become the owner?
Only on entry in the Land Register. A signed, notarised contract and a paid price create the legal basis for demanding the transfer, but not yet ownership itself.
What happens before registration?
The seller remains the registered owner. You have no ownership rights against third parties, and encumbrances or other transactions can affect the property in the meantime.
What does registration cost?
For an ordinary purchase by a natural person, the state fee is 1.5% of the property value, capped at €50,000. For close relatives the rate is 0.5%, and for a legal entity 2%.
What happens after six months?
Where more than six months pass after signing the acquisition document, the state fee is calculated using a coefficient of 1.5. Delay therefore makes registration directly more expensive.
How long does the application take?
A registration application is normally decided within 10 days. In a complex case the judge may extend that to one month, excluding time needed for cadastral registration.
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