Can a foreigner lease property in Lebanon for more than 10 years?
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Short answer
Only with a decree, according to IDAL, Lebanon's investment authority. A foreigner holding a normal lease for more than 10 years[1] needs a Council of Ministers decree[1,2,3], the same licence required to own above the licence-free limit. We did not read the law text itself, so have a Lebanese lawyer confirm the rule before you sign.
Also asked as: “Can a foreigner sign a long lease in Lebanon?” · “Foreigner lease more than 10 years Lebanon” · “Do foreigners need a decree for a long-term lease in Lebanon?” · “Long-term lease for expats in Lebanon”
This page covers what was published up to 17 October 2026. Only one source, IDAL's FAQ for foreign investors, states the long-lease rule, and no source explains what counts as a "normal lease"[1].
Key facts
What the rule says
IDAL's FAQ gives the rule in one line: a normal lease right for more than 10 years[1] needs the decree. It is the same decree a foreigner needs to own more than 3,000 m²[1,2,3] in Lebanon. The Council of Ministers issues it on the proposal of the Minister of Finance, decides at its discretion, and a refusal cannot be appealed.
The rule sits within Legislative Decree 11614 of 1969, as amended by Law 296/2001[2,3], the law on foreign ownership, but we did not read which article covers leases. For how the decree works for purchases, see getting the Council of Ministers decree as a foreigner. For the wider rules, see can foreigners buy property in Lebanon.
What no source tells us
Three points that matter to you are not published in any source we found[1]:
- What a "normal lease" means. IDAL does not define it, so we cannot tell you which contracts fall inside or outside the rule.
- Whether the leased area counts toward your limit. Nothing we found says whether a long lease counts toward the 3,000 m² limit for foreigners or toward the caps of 3% of each district and 10% of Beirut[1,2,3].
- How the lease is registered and what it costs. No source gives the office, the documents, the fee or the time for registering such a lease or for applying for the decree on it.
Ask a Lebanese property lawyer, and the Land Registry's Foreign Ownership Department, which lists the documents foreigners file to acquire property rights[4]. Put three questions to them: does my contract count as a normal lease under the rule, does its area count toward my limit, and what exactly must be filed, where, and at what cost.
Leases of 10 years or less
IDAL's line covers leases of more than 10 years only[1]. It says nothing about shorter leases, and we found no other source setting special conditions on them for foreigners. For an ordinary flat rental, see renting as a foreigner or Lebanese abroad.
No source says whether back-to-back renewals of shorter leases are treated as one long lease. Get a lawyer's written view before you rely on renewals to stay under the line.
Before you sign a long lease as a foreigner
- Get a recent Land Registry extract for the property. It shows the owner, mortgages, charges and restrictions[5,6]. Check that the person leasing to you is the registered owner or holds a valid authorisation. Here is how to check the landlord is the real owner.
- Ask a Lebanese property lawyer whether your contract needs the decree. Bring the draft lease, the extract, your passport and a list of any property you already own in Lebanon. The Land Registry's Foreign Ownership Department asks foreign buyers for official certificates of areas already owned[4]; confirm whether this applies to a lease. Ask the lawyer to check the rule for leases of more than 10 years[1] against the law text.
- Ask how the lease is registered and what it costs. The lawyer or the Land Registry's Foreign Ownership Department can tell you[4]. No source we read publishes this.
It depends on
- The length of the lease. IDAL's rule applies to leases of more than 10 years[1]; no source sets conditions for shorter leases. Ask a lawyer if yours is close to the line or renewable.
- Your nationality. The law treats as foreign anyone who does not hold Lebanese nationality[2]. No source covers dual nationals, so have a lawyer or notary confirm how you are treated. More in dual nationals buying in Lebanon.
- The type of contract. IDAL speaks of a "normal lease" without defining it[1]. Whether your contract qualifies is a question for a Lebanese property lawyer.
Common questions
Does a long lease count toward a foreigner's 3,000 m² limit?
No source we found says. IDAL only states that a lease of more than 10 years needs the Council of Ministers decree[1], so ask a Lebanese property lawyer or the Land Registry's Foreign Ownership Department.
Can I appeal if the Council of Ministers refuses the decree?
Can a foreigner rent a flat in Lebanon for a year or two without a decree?
IDAL's rule concerns only leases of more than 10 years[1]. We found no source setting special conditions for shorter leases by foreigners. Still check the landlord's ownership on the Land Registry extract before you pay anything.
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.Limitations and Restrictions for foreign investors
IDAL (Investment Development Authority of Lebanon) · undated · read 16 Oct 2026
- 2.Legal Framework for Ownership of Land in Lebanon
IDAL (Investment Development Authority of Lebanon) · March 2018 · read 16 Oct 2026
- 3.Legislative and Administrative Land and Property Rights Framework. Lebanon
GLTN / UN-Habitat · May 2024 · read 16 Oct 2026
- 4.Foreign Ownership Department
Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (DLRC/LRC), Lebanon · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 5.The Land Registry in Lebanese Law — Part Six of the Practical Guide to the Code of Real Property
Kallas Law Firm · 25 May 2026 · read 16 Oct 2026
- 6.How to Buy Property in Lebanon: The Legal Steps from Verification to Inscription
Kallas Law Firm · 9 Jun 2026 · read 16 Oct 2026
- 7.Foreign Investments in Lebanon
Mattar Law · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- How do I get a Council of Ministers decree to buy more than 3,000 m² as a foreigner in Lebanon?You need a Council of Ministers decree, granted at its discretion with no appeal. Deadlines, Land Registry documents and fees, and what is not published.
- Can foreigners buy property in Lebanon?Yes, within limits: up to 3,000 m² in total without a licence, more with a cabinet decree, and caps per district. What counts and how to buy.
- How much land can a foreigner buy in Lebanon without a permit?Up to 3,000 m² in total, land and built property together, with spouse and minor children counted as one. What counts, what is disputed, how it is checked.
- Can a foreigner or Lebanese abroad rent an apartment in Lebanon, and what documents are needed?Yes. Lebanese and foreigners can rent any property if they are adults. We found no published document list. What to get in writing, deposits, registration.
- How do I check that my landlord in Lebanon is the real owner or authorised to rent?Get the flat's Land Registry certificate and check the person renting to you is a listed owner or has the owner's written authority. Steps, costs, red flags.
- What are the 3% and 10% limits on foreign ownership in Lebanon?Foreign ownership is capped at 3% of Lebanon, 3% of each district and 10% of Beirut. What the caps count, the province wording and what is unknown.
- Can a foreign company, or a Lebanese company with foreign shareholders, buy property in Lebanon?A company set up abroad counts as foreign, and a Lebanese one may too: sources disagree on the test. The 3,000 m² limit, the 50% rule and what to check.
