Buying property in Brazil as a foreigner
Brazilian lawyer, OAB/MG 155.242, admitted in Brazil only. Not legal advice under your local law.
The legal limits we read concern rural land, the border strip and land owned by the Union. The texts read set no specific limit on a foreigner buying urban property from a private seller. You will need a CPF. Which rule applies depends on where the property is, so check that first.
Write to the lawyer on WhatsAppBefore you sign
- Find out whether the property is urban or rural, whether it lies within 150 km of a land border, and whether it is Union land.
- Get a CPF: foreigners who own or want to own property registered in Brazil must have one. Living abroad, apply in person at a Brazilian consular post: https://www.gov.br/pt-br/servicos/inscrever-no-cpf-no-exterior
- Ask the city hall about the transfer tax (ITBI). Rate and base are set by each municipality.
- Read the registry record of the property before paying. Rules on registry and notary practice were not reviewed here, so confirm them with the registry office.
What the law says
- Rural land: a foreigner resident in Brazil and a foreign company authorised to operate here may buy only under Law 5.709/1971. Purchases up to 3 exploration modules are free; between 3 and 50 follow Executive rules; the ceiling for an individual is 50. Brazilian companies controlled from abroad fall under the same law. https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l5709.htm
- Border strip: within 150 km of the land border, a rural property transaction that gives a foreigner ownership, possession or a real right needs prior consent (Law 6.634/1979). https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l6634.htm
- Union land: Decree-Law 9.760/1946 restricts the transfer to foreigners of Union property in certain zones, with an exception for a condominium unit in the cases it describes. It does not govern sales between private parties.
- Equality and tax: the Migration Law gives migrants equality with nationals regarding property (Law 13.445/2017), and the transfer tax belongs to the municipality (Constitution, art. 156, II). The Constitution refers rural land purchases by foreigners to ordinary law (art. 190).
Information on the texts read on 6 November 2026. The firm promises no outcome, and each property needs its own review.
Questions
Can a foreigner buy property in Brazil?
Yes. The limits in the texts we read concern rural land, the border strip and Union land. We found no specific limit on urban property bought from a private seller.
Do I need a CPF to buy property in Brazil?
Yes. The Brazilian consular guidance says foreigners who own or wish to own property subject to public registry must register for a CPF.
Can a foreigner buy rural land?
Only under Law 5.709/1971, with limits by size and, near the border, prior consent. The regulation (Decree 74.965/1974) was not reviewed here.
How much is the property transfer tax?
It depends on the municipality. We did not read municipal laws for this page, so ask the city hall where the property is.
Other pages
- Relative arrested in Brazil now
- Interpol red notice and extradition from Brazil
- Residence in Brazil: retirees, digital nomads, investors and family
- Recognition of a foreign divorce or judgment in Brazil
- A correspondent in Brazil for your firm
- CPF for foreigners: the Brazilian taxpayer number
- Criminal record certificate in Brazil
- Brazilian consulates: what they do
- Opening a company in Brazil as a foreigner
- All pages in English
- OAB/MG 155.242, admitted in 2014
- Postgraduate studies in Criminal Procedure (Faculdade Legale)
- Guaxupé (MG), practice throughout Brazil
Write to us
Tell us briefly about your case. A lawyer from the firm replies by email, usually within one business day.
How to hire from abroad
- You describe the case in writing, by WhatsApp or e-mail, in English.
- The fee is agreed in a written contract before any work begins.
- The contract and the power of attorney are signed online, and payment can be made from abroad.
How to check a lawyer in Brazil
- Look up the OAB registration in the National Registry of Lawyers (cna.oab.org.br).
- Ask for the fee in writing, in a contract.
- Pay only in the name of Felipe Mendes Smargiassi. Nothing is received in the name of third parties, and any other contact using his name is not his.
OAB/MG 155.242, cna.oab.org.br · How to check a lawyer in Brazil · Google ★
When a person answers
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The first answer comes in writing, at any hour; the lawyer usually replies within one business day.
Page reviewed in October 2026.