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Property Lawyer Dominican Republic — Maribel Roca-Sagnard

With over 25 years of experience in Dominican real estate law, MARIBEL ROCA – ATTORNEYS, NOTARIES & CONSULTANTS provides foreign investors, retirees, families, and businesses with comprehensive legal protection for every property transaction in the Dominican Republic.




Why Legal Expertise Matters
Property Lawyer in the Dominican Republic
Purchasing, selling, inheriting, or transferring property in the Dominican Republic is one of the most significant financial decisions you will make — and one of the most legally complex. The Dominican real estate market operates under a distinct civil law system rooted in the Dominican Property Registry Law (Law 108-05), and navigating it without qualified legal counsel exposes buyers and sellers to serious risk.
Attorney Maribel Roca-Sagnard, based in Cabarete, Dominican Republic, has dedicated over 25 years to protecting the property rights and financial interests of foreign investors, American, Canadian, and European clients, retirees, and families throughout the country. From title due diligence and contract drafting to notarial services and inheritance matters, her firm brings deep institutional knowledge and a client-first approach to every case.
Whether you are buying beachfront real estate, resolving a boundary dispute, or executing a cross-border estate plan, Maribel Roca – Attorneys, Notaries & Consultants is the property law firm that foreign investors trust.
At a Glance
01
25+ Years of Experience
Dominican real estate and property law
02
Full-Service Firm
Law, notarial, and consulting services
03
International Clientele
USA, Canada, Europe, and beyond
04
Cabarete, DR
Serving all regions of the country
Comprehensive Legal Services
Real Estate Legal Services — Dominican Republic
A complete suite of property law and notarial services designed to protect your investment at every stage of the transaction.
Property Purchase & Sale
Legal representation for buyers and sellers from offer through closing, including contract review, negotiation, and title registry.
Title Transfer Services
Accurate, legally binding title transfers registered with the Dominican Property Registry to secure ownership in your name.
Due Diligence & Title Search
Comprehensive title searches, lien verification, encumbrance checks, and legal opinion letters before any transaction is executed.
Inheritance & Succession Law
Expert guidance through Dominican succession law for foreign heirs, including estate planning, will execution, and cross-border inheritance.
For Buyers
Buying Property in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is one of the Caribbean's most attractive real estate markets — but buying property here as a foreigner requires careful legal navigation. Foreign nationals have the same property ownership rights as Dominican citizens under Law 108-05, yet the process involves multiple legal steps that demand expert oversight.
As your real estate attorney in the Dominican Republic, Maribel Roca-Sagnard guides you through every phase: from verifying that a property has a clean, unencumbered title at the Registro de Títulos, to reviewing the promise of sale (promesa de venta), drafting the final purchase agreement, managing the notarial deed, and overseeing the transfer of title into your name.
Our Buyer's Legal Checklist
Title Search & Verification
Confirm clean title with no liens, encumbrances, or ownership disputes at the Registry.
Contract Review & Negotiation
Review or draft the promesa de venta to protect your deposit and closing terms.
Notarial Deed Preparation
Authenticated purchase deed executed before a notary public as required by Dominican law.
Title Registration
Transfer of the certified title certificate (Certificado de Título) into the buyer's name.
For Sellers
Selling Property in the Dominican Republic
Selling real estate in the Dominican Republic involves legal obligations that, if overlooked, can expose sellers to liability, delayed closings, or title disputes. Whether you are a foreign investor liquidating an asset, a retiree returning home, or a family transferring property to a new owner, you need a qualified real estate lawyer in the Dominican Republic to protect your interests throughout the transaction.
Pre-Sale Title Review
We verify that your title is clean and free of encumbrances before you list or enter into any binding agreement, preventing costly surprises at closing.
Sales Contract Drafting
Our attorneys draft or review the promesa de venta and final purchase agreement, ensuring your payment terms, deposit protections, and contingencies are legally sound.
Tax Compliance & Capital Gains
We calculate and advise on applicable transfer taxes and capital gains obligations to ensure full compliance with Dominican tax law and avoid penalties.
Closing Coordination
We coordinate with the buyer's attorney, the notary, and the Registro de Títulos to ensure a smooth, legally valid closing that protects your proceeds.
Title & Transfer
Title Transfer Services — Dominican Republic
A properly executed and registered title transfer is the cornerstone of secure property ownership in the Dominican Republic. As your Title Transfer Lawyer in the Dominican Republic, Maribel Roca-Sagnard ensures that every transfer of ownership is legally authenticated, properly documented, and officially registered at the Registro de Títulos — protecting your rights against future claims.
Title errors, missing documentation, or improperly recorded transfers are among the most common — and costly — legal problems in Dominican real estate. Our firm's meticulous approach eliminates these risks from the outset.
Certified Title Certificate (Certificado de Título)
Preparation and registration of the official ownership certificate that confers legal title under Dominican law.
Notarial Authentication
All deeds and transfer documents are authenticated before a licensed Dominican notary public, providing full legal enforceability.
Registry Coordination
Direct liaison with the Registro de Títulos to track, expedite, and confirm the recording of your new title certificate.
Transfer Tax Management
Calculation and payment coordination for the 3% property transfer tax (ITBI) and other applicable state fees.
Protect Your Investment
Property Due Diligence — Dominican Republic
Never purchase property in the Dominican Republic without a thorough legal due diligence review. Our comprehensive investigation protects you from hidden liabilities, fraudulent titles, and disputed boundaries before you commit.
Our Property Due Diligence Dominican Republic service covers every critical dimension of legal risk. We conduct a full title history search at the Registro de Títulos, verify that there are no outstanding mortgages, liens, easements, or third-party claims, confirm that the physical boundaries match the registered cadastral survey, and check that all property taxes (IPI) and HOA obligations are current. The process concludes with a written legal opinion letter — the foundation for your informed purchase decision. This level of scrutiny is the standard that sophisticated international buyers demand and that Maribel Roca's firm consistently delivers.
Closing Services
Escrow & Closing Assistance — Dominican Republic
The closing process in the Dominican Republic differs significantly from North American or European practice. There is no institutional escrow system equivalent to a U.S. title company, making the role of your Real Estate Closing Attorney in the Dominican Republic absolutely critical to protecting your funds and ensuring a clean transfer of ownership.
Maribel Roca-Sagnard's firm structures and oversees secure closing arrangements, holding deposits in accordance with agreed contractual terms, coordinating the simultaneous exchange of funds and title documentation, and liaising with all parties — buyers, sellers, real estate agents, and financial institutions — to ensure a legally sound and timely closing.
Estate & Succession
Inheritance & Succession Law — Dominican Republic
Dominican inheritance law presents unique challenges for foreign property owners. The Dominican Republic applies forced heirship rules (reserva hereditaria) under its Civil Code, which reserve fixed portions of an estate for legally recognized heirs — a concept that may conflict with common law estate plans from the United States, Canada, or Europe. Without proper advance planning, your Dominican property may not pass to your intended beneficiaries.
Will Drafting & Authentication
We draft Dominican wills (testamento) that comply with local succession law while honoring your wishes, properly executed before a notary.
Estate Administration
Full administration of Dominican estates for foreign heirs — including asset inventory, creditor notification, and distribution of property.
Cross-Border Succession
Coordination between Dominican succession proceedings and the laws of your home country to ensure seamless, legally valid estate transfers.
Inherited Property Transfer
Registration of inherited Dominican property in heirs' names at the Registro de Títulos, completing the legal transfer of ownership.
Partition & Division
Property Partition & Division — Dominican Republic
When Is Partition Necessary?
Co-owners disagree on use, sale, or management of jointly held property
Inherited property must be divided among multiple heirs
Business partners dissolving a jointly owned real estate investment
Divorce proceedings requiring equitable division of marital property
A co-owner wishes to sell their undivided interest (cuota parte)
When two or more parties hold an undivided interest (condominio) in Dominican real estate, partition proceedings provide the legal mechanism to formally divide or liquidate the shared asset. As your Property Partition Lawyer in the Dominican Republic, Maribel Roca-Sagnard navigates both voluntary and court-ordered partition processes with precision and efficiency.
Our firm handles the full spectrum of property division matters: preparing partition agreements between willing co-owners, coordinating cadastral surveys to legally subdivide land, obtaining judicial partition orders when co-owners cannot reach agreement, and registering the newly divided titles at the Registro de Títulos. Where outright division is impractical — for instance, a single condominium unit held by multiple heirs — we advise on forced sale (licitation) procedures to convert the shared asset into divisible proceeds.
Dispute Resolution
Real Estate Dispute Resolution — Dominican Republic
Property disputes in the Dominican Republic can arise from boundary encroachments, fraudulent title transfers, breach of purchase agreements, landlord-tenant conflicts, or construction defects. Resolving these matters requires an attorney who combines deep knowledge of Dominican property law with the litigation experience to enforce your rights — in and out of court.
Boundary & Encroachment Disputes
Representation before the Dominican courts and the Registro de Títulos to resolve boundary conflicts and remove illegal encroachments from your registered title.
Fraudulent Title & Forgery Claims
Investigation and litigation of fraudulent title transfers, forged deeds, and identity theft schemes that threaten your ownership rights.
Breach of Contract
Legal action to enforce or rescind purchase and sale agreements, recover deposits, and obtain damages for breach of contractual obligations.
Landlord-Tenant Disputes
Eviction proceedings, lease enforcement, and rental deposit recovery under Dominican tenancy law for property owners and investors.
About the Firm
Why Choose Maribel Roca — Attorneys, Notaries & Consultants
25+
Years of Practice
Dedicated exclusively to Dominican property and real estate law
100s
International Clients Served
Americans, Canadians, Europeans, and investors from around the world
3
Core Services
Legal representation, notarial services, and strategic consulting
Deep Local Knowledge, International Perspective
Attorney Maribel Roca-Sagnard has spent over 25 years building an unmatched understanding of Dominican property law, the Registro de Títulos system, and the nuances of real estate transactions in the country's most active markets — including the North Coast (Cabarete, Sosúa, Puerto Plata), Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, and Las Terrenas.
Unlike generalist attorneys, Maribel Roca's firm focuses exclusively on real estate and property law — bringing a depth of specialization that makes a material difference in complex transactions, disputed titles, and cross-border inheritance matters.
Bilingual, Client-Centered Service
We understand that foreign clients need more than legal expertise — they need clear communication, reliable guidance, and a trusted advocate who speaks their language. Our firm provides bilingual legal services in English and Spanish, ensuring that every client fully understands their rights, obligations, and options at every stage of the process.
From your first consultation through closing and beyond, Maribel Roca's team is responsive, thorough, and committed to outcomes that protect your investment and give you complete peace of mind.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions — Property Law in the Dominican Republic
Below are answers to the most common questions our international clients ask before purchasing, selling, or transferring property in the Dominican Republic.
1
Can foreigners own property in the Dominican Republic?
Yes. Foreign nationals enjoy the same constitutional right to own real property in the Dominican Republic as Dominican citizens. There are no restrictions on the type, size, or location of property a foreigner may purchase.
2
Do I need a lawyer to buy property in the Dominican Republic?
While not legally mandated, hiring a qualified property lawyer is absolutely essential. Dominican real estate law is complex, and without legal representation, buyers are exposed to fraudulent titles, defective contracts, undisclosed liens, and registration errors that can result in significant financial loss.
3
What is the property transfer tax in the Dominican Republic?
The Impuesto de Transferencia de Bienes Industrializados y Servicios (ITBI) on property transfers is 3% of the higher of the property's assessed or market value. This tax is typically paid by the buyer at closing.
4
What is the annual property tax (IPI) in the Dominican Republic?
The Impuesto al Patrimonio Inmobiliario (IPI) is 1% of the property value exceeding the tax-exempt threshold (updated annually). Many residential properties fall below the threshold and are exempt. Our firm advises clients on their exact IPI obligations before purchase.
5
What is a Certificado de Título and why does it matter?
The Certificado de Título is the Dominican Republic's official property title certificate — the primary legal document evidencing ownership. A property without a registered Certificado de Título carries significant legal risk. We verify and secure this certificate for all clients.
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How long does a property purchase take in the Dominican Republic?
A straightforward residential purchase typically takes 60–90 days from the signed promesa de venta to the registered title transfer. Complex transactions, title issues, or registry backlogs can extend this timeline. Our firm actively manages the process to minimize delays.
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What is the promesa de venta?
The promesa de venta is the binding promise-of-sale agreement executed between buyer and seller prior to the final notarial deed. It sets out the purchase price, deposit terms, conditions, and closing date. This document must be carefully drafted or reviewed by a lawyer — it is legally enforceable and governs the entire transaction.
8
Can I hold Dominican property in a corporation?
Yes. Many foreign investors hold Dominican real estate through a Dominican SRL (Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada) or SA (Sociedad Anónima) for tax efficiency, estate planning, or liability purposes. Our firm advises on optimal holding structures and handles all corporate formation requirements.
9
What due diligence should I do before buying property in the Dominican Republic?
At minimum: full title search at the Registro de Títulos, lien and mortgage verification, cadastral survey review, tax clearance confirmation (IPI and DGII), zoning and environmental compliance check, and review of HOA documents if applicable. Our firm conducts all of these and provides a written legal opinion.
10
What happens if the seller doesn't have a clean title?
If the title search reveals liens, encumbrances, adverse claims, or defects, we advise the buyer on options: renegotiating terms, requiring the seller to clear the title before closing, reducing the purchase price, or withdrawing from the transaction and recovering the deposit. We protect you before you are financially committed.
11
How does inheritance work for foreign owners of Dominican property?
Dominican succession law applies to property located in the Dominican Republic regardless of the owner's nationality. The Civil Code mandates forced heirship shares for certain legal heirs. Without a properly drafted Dominican will, your property may not pass as intended. We advise on estate planning strategies that comply with local law and honor your wishes.
12
Can I write a will in the Dominican Republic as a foreigner?
Yes. Foreigners may execute a valid Dominican will (testamento) before a notary public. This is highly recommended for any foreign national who owns property in the Dominican Republic, as it clarifies succession intentions and simplifies the estate administration process for your heirs.
13
What is a property partition (partición) in Dominican law?
Partition is the legal process of dividing jointly owned property among co-owners. It may be voluntary (by agreement) or judicial (ordered by a court when owners cannot agree). Our firm handles both, including cadastral subdivision, judicial proceedings, and final title registration of the divided parcels.
14
What are my legal options if someone builds on my land illegally?
Dominican law provides legal remedies for illegal occupation and construction, including injunctive relief, eviction proceedings, demolition orders, and damages claims. As your property dispute lawyer, we act swiftly to document the encroachment, secure court orders, and restore your exclusive use and enjoyment of the land.
15
Is there an escrow service in the Dominican Republic?
The Dominican Republic does not have a formal escrow institution comparable to U.S. title companies. Instead, deposits and purchase funds are typically held and managed by the parties' attorneys. Our firm structures secure closing arrangements that protect client funds throughout the transaction.
16
What taxes do I pay when I sell property in the Dominican Republic?
Sellers may be subject to capital gains tax on the profit from the sale, calculated by the DGII (Dominican Tax Authority). The applicable rate and computation methodology depend on the nature of the asset and the seller's tax status. Our firm provides pre-sale tax analysis and ensures full compliance to avoid penalties.
17
Can a Dominican property be purchased with a mortgage?
Yes. Dominican banks offer mortgage financing to both nationals and qualifying foreigners, typically financing 70–80% of the appraised property value. Our firm reviews and advises on all mortgage documentation, including the mortgage deed (acto de hipoteca) that must be registered at the Registro de Títulos.
18
What is the role of the notary public in Dominican real estate?
In the Dominican Republic, notaries are trained lawyers who authenticate legal documents, certify signatures, and give public faith to deeds and agreements. All property purchase deeds must be authenticated by a notary to be valid and registrable. Maribel Roca-Sagnard is a licensed notary public who provides this essential service in-house.
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How do I verify a real estate agent or developer is legitimate in the Dominican Republic?
Unfortunately, the Dominican real estate market has limited regulatory oversight of agents and developers. Legal due diligence by a qualified attorney — not reliance on agent representations — is your primary protection. We independently verify all property-related claims before our clients commit funds.
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How do I get started with Maribel Roca – Attorneys, Notaries & Consultants?
Contact us directly to schedule an initial consultation — by phone, WhatsApp, email, or in person at our Cabarete office. We serve clients throughout the Dominican Republic and internationally. Our team will respond promptly to assess your needs and outline a clear legal strategy for your property matter.
Contact Maribel Roca – Notary and Legal Services in Cabarete
Visit Our Office
Calle Los Pinos No. 2, Residencial Pelican, Cabarete, Dominican Republic, 57000

🇫🇷 Français | 🇬🇧 English
Contact Us
Phone: +1 (809) 571-9248
Whatsapp: +1 (809) 802-5555
Email: info@maribelroca.com
Office Hours
Monday - Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
If you haven’t received a response within two business days, please check your spam folder or contact us on WhatsApp at +1 (809) 802-5555. We ensure prompt attention to all inquiries.

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