FAQ’s: New Foreigner Property Ownership Law Implementation
Author: IPS Cambodia
Published: 2016-06-23
Categories: Buying, Expat Guide, IPS News, Property Market news
Faq’s: New Foreigner Property Ownership Law Implementation
The recent update on Cambodian Property Law on foreign ownership has caught the attention of both current and new foreigner property owners in the country. In this follow-up blog, IPS Cambodia Country manager Grant Fitzgerald addresses questions posed by clients and provides some insight into what to expect in the near future incase of Cambodian Property for Sale.
Which properties will this effect?
- Hard title properties are registered on the Ministry of Land Management,Urban Planning and Construction who have always upheld the law so it has never been possible for a foreigner to hold a hard title on their own name.
- Condominiums which are properly registered for co-ownership or strata title fall under the Law on Providing Foreigners with Ownership Rights in Private Units of Co-Owned Buildings , dated 24 May 2010, this allows for foreigners to hold a strata title in their own name.
Will the reinforcement of this law be made retrospective?
Based on what has happened in other Khans previously, there have been no retroactive penalties or nullification of a sale for those properties transferred into a foreigner’s name. Whilst we can’t rule this out happening in the future there is currently no reason to believe that the Ministry or Sangkats will take this type of action.
What will happen in the future?
It’s clear that the days of owning a soft title property in Phnom Penh as a foreigner are over. As it stands, the Notification Letter fails to spell out the legal consequences to the foreign owners of property who hold a soft title in their own name. Detailing potential future changes would be speculation at best, what we do know is that if you are a foreigner holding a soft title property in your own name it’s still possible to transfer the title to a Khmer national without any issues.
What do I recommend?
At this stage there is no need to hit the panic button and rush to transfer a property out of your name. However I believe these ongoing changes are a sign of things to come in the future (along with enforcement of work permits, VAT, etc.), so to mitigate your risk exposure I would definitely recommend considering the use of a nominee sometime in the near future.
Related Articles
Koh Norea-Arey Ksat Bridge Expected to Boost Phnom Penh’s Eastern Real Estate
The blueprint for Phnom Penh’s expansion is moving eastward. On January 28, 2026, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) convened a high-level meeting to accelerate the study and construction of the much-anticipated bridge connecting Koh Norea to the Mekong Quay (Mekong City) satellite area in Arey Ksat.
Coming Soon: Le Condé 2 BKK1 – Elevated Luxury Living in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh’s most prestigious residential district is set to welcome another standout development with the introduction of Le Condé 2, a 60-storey luxury condominium poised to enhance the skyline of BKK1 (Boeung Keng Kang 1). Following the successful delivery of Le Condé 1 (Le Condé BKK1), this highly anticipated project continues the developer’s vision of refined urban living, offering a premium lifestyle combined with strong long-term investment appeal in the city’s most sought-after location.
How Koh Pich Became One of Phnom Penh’s Most Important Districts
Over the last decade, Phnom Penh’s skyline has changed dramatically. But if you want to see where the real “new” Phnom Penh is being built, you have to look toward the water. Phnom Penh is one of the few capital cities in the world defined by the meeting of three major rivers: the Mekong, the Tonle Sap, and the Bassac. Historically, these rivers were the lifeblood of trade; today, they are the driving force behind the city’s most prestigious real estate.