What is 'dam wa faraz' of land and when does it apply to my plot?
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Short answer
Dam wa faraz means joining plots and re-dividing them. We could not confirm when it applies: our sources do not give its legal basis, who orders it or how it changes area and shares. Ask the municipality or a lawyer, and read the plot's Land Registry extract, which shows its shares and, for surveyed plots, its area[1,2].
Also asked as: “What does ضم وفرز mean for land in Lebanon?” · “Land consolidation and re-division in Lebanon” · “What is damm and ifraz of plots?” · “Is my plot affected by dam w farz?”
No Lebanese source we read explains the legal procedure for dam wa faraz. This page covers what was published up to 17 October 2026. Before you sign or pay, confirm anything about your own plot with the Land Registry office and a lawyer.
Key facts
- Meaning of the words
- Damm (joining) and farz or ifraz (dividing)
- Legal basis and who orders it
- Not confirmed in any source we read
- How a plot is identified
- By its governorate, district, real estate zone, property number, section and block[1,3]
- Fee for a new deed after a merger or subdivision
- Disputed: LBP 150,000 according to Kallas[7]; LBP 300,000 for most flat items under Art. 81 as amended[7,8]
- Survey and engineer cost
- Not published in our sources
What dam wa faraz means, and what we could not confirm
In Arabic, damm (ضم) means joining. Farz or ifraz (فرز، إفراز) means sorting out or dividing. Put together, dam wa faraz describes plots being merged and then cut into new plots.
That is as far as our sources go. We found no Lebanese source that explains:
- the legal basis for a dam wa faraz scheme;
- which authority decides one;
- whether owners are consulted;
- how it changes a plot's shares and area.
The municipality where the plot lies and the General Directorate of Urban Planning (DGU, المديرية العامة للتنظيم المدني) are the likely places to ask, along with a property lawyer. No source we read confirms which office decides such schemes[9].
How a merger or re-division shows up on paper
The Land Registry is kept by property, not by owner. Each plot has its own real folio under its survey number, and your title deed is a copy of that folio[5]. If plots are merged or re-divided, look at the folio first: the plot number, the area and the owners' shares.
A property certificate lists the owners, the source of their right and the shares each holds. It also shows mortgages, seizures and pending court actions. It normally gives the plot's area too, but Legalmondo notes the area is not shown if the plot has not been finally surveyed[1,2].
Ownership is written in 2,400 shares[1,6,10], which together make up the whole property. Shares are undivided fractions of the plot. They do not mark out a piece of ground[5,9,10].
After a merger or subdivision, the registry issues a new deed for a flat fee, and the amount is disputed. Kallas Law Firm (May 2026) lists LBP 150,000 for a new deed after a subdivision (ifraz) or merger (damm) of plots[7]. The consolidated Art. 81 of Law 10/2022, as amended by decree 56/2025, lists LBP 300,000 for most flat items. Either figure comes to a few US dollars[7,8]. Our sources give no cost for the survey or the engineer, so ask a sworn surveyor for a written quote.
When it might apply to your plot
No source we read says when a dam wa faraz scheme reaches a given plot. What we can give you is where to look and whom to ask. Ownership is exercised within limits set by planning, expropriation and building laws, so Kallas Law Firm advises checking the municipal master plan as well as the Land Registry[9]. Here is how to find a plot's zoning.
Two other processes are easy to confuse with it:
- The first survey of a village that was never surveyed. Survey works are announced at least two months ahead in the Official Gazette and three local newspapers. Oppositions must be filed within 30 days of the provisional delimitation record being posted. Owners who do not attend are bound as if they had been present, so owners abroad should watch for survey works in their village[5,6].
- Ending co-ownership between heirs or co-owners. This is a separate process: see ending co-ownership of a property.
How to check your plot yourself
- Write down the plot's identifiers. From your deed or the seller's papers, note its governorate, district, real estate zone, property number, section and block[1,3]. If any are missing, see how to find a property's number and zone.
- Get an official extract from the right office. You request the official certificate at the land registry office for the area where the plot lies[1,11]. Legalmondo (June 2025) says it is issued only in person and costs USD 5[1]. Legalmondo also says any individual can request one in person without showing a legal interest, so someone in Lebanon, such as a lawyer you hire, can go for you. Ask the office whether they need a power of attorney. Kallas (October 2025) gives about 2 business days for a physical certificate[2]. Legalmondo adds that no certificate is issued while a lien or a registration on the plot is still in process, which matters if a merger or re-division is being registered. More in how to get a Land Registry extract.
- Compare the extract with your old deed. Check the plot number, the area and every owner's shares line by line. If anything changed, ask the registry office in writing which transaction changed it, and ask for a copy of the new deed.
- See the plot on the cadastral map. LIBC (2021) says the Cadastre plans demarcation and measurement works and monitors the sworn surveyors it treats as its affiliates[4]. We found no published route or price for ordering a plan, so ask the registry office or a sworn surveyor. More in cadastral maps and surveys.
- Ask the municipality and the DGU in writing. Ask three questions. Is the plot inside any merger and re-division project, approved or proposed? If so, what number and area would the new plot have? Is any part of it reserved for a road or public use? Keep their answers with your papers.
- Have a lawyer read everything before you pay. Give the lawyer the extract, the map and the municipality's answers, and do not pay a seller until the lawyer has read them.
It depends on
- Whether the village is surveyed. Where delimitation and registration are not complete, a provisional delimitation and publication procedure applies before any new inscription, with two months to oppose[5]. More in surveyed and unsurveyed land.
- Whether you own shares or the whole plot. No real right can be registered on a defined part of a plot until the plot is partitioned and that part has its own folio[5]. Our sources do not say how a merger treats co-owned shares, so ask a lawyer.
- The municipality and its plans. Planning rules differ by area. Ask the municipality where the plot lies and the DGU what applies to your plot.
- What is inscribed on the folio. Restrictions on disposal, attachments and court actions count against third parties only from the date they are inscribed on the folio[5]. We do not know whether a planning scheme is noted there, so ask the registry office.
Common questions
Does dam wa faraz change the area or shares on my deed?
Our sources do not say how a merger and re-division changes a plot's area or shares. A recent property certificate lists the owners and each one's shares, and the area too unless the plot has not been finally surveyed[1,2]. Compare it with your old deed and ask the registry office about any difference.
How much is a new deed after plots are merged or subdivided?
Who can tell me if my plot is part of a dam wa faraz project?
The municipality where the plot lies and the General Directorate of Urban Planning are the likely places to ask, in writing, along with a property lawyer, though no source we read confirms which office decides such schemes[9]. For the plot's current number, owners and shares, get an official extract from the land registry office for the plot's area[1,11].
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.How to Find Real Estate and Land Register Information in Lebanon
Legalmondo · 17 Jun 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 2.Lebanon Asset Search: How to Find Real Estate and Company Ownership Records
Kallas Law Firm · 25 Oct 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.OMT: Viewing Title Registers (Land Registry service page)
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.LIBC: How GDLRC is implementing the Roadmap to Build Land Industry in Lebanon
LIBC (Lebanese International Business Council) · 21 Jan 2021 · 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.Land Delimitation and Registration Works in Lebanese Law — Part Seven of the Practical Guide to the Code of Real Property
Kallas Law Firm · 25 May 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 7.Real estate fees calculator
Kallas Law Firm · 24 May 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 8.Law 10/2022 (General Budget Law for 2022), consolidated text with amendments
Lebanese University Legal Informatics Center (legallaw.ul.edu.lb) · 15 Nov 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 9.Definition of Real Property and Types of Ownership in Lebanese Law (Part One of the Practical Guide to the Code of Real Property)
Kallas Law Firm · 25 May 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 10.Legislative and Administrative Land and Property Rights Framework. Lebanon
GLTN / UN-Habitat · May 2024 · read 16 Oct 2026
- 11.Inheritance in Lebanon: Probate, Estate Declaration and Inheritance Tax (2026)
Kallas Law Firm · 27 Jun 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 12.Viewing Title Registers Electively Through OMT
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · 13 Oct 2020 · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- How do I get a cadastral map or survey for a plot in Lebanon and confirm its boundaries?Get an official extract, then ask the Cadastre and a sworn surveyor; the certified plan beats the ground. Unsurveyed land, shares and deadlines explained.
- How do I check a title deed in Lebanon before buying?Get your own official Land Registry extract and read it before you pay. Where to get it, the cost, red-flag entries and what it does not show.
- How do I get a land registry extract in Lebanon and what does it cost?Ask in person at the land registry office for the property's area; one law firm says USD 5. The numbers you need, OMT and online copies, and what to check.
- How do I find the zoning and building ratios for a plot in Lebanon?No office is published for it: get the plot's extract, then have an engineer check the master plan and exploitation factors. Steps and what to ask.
- What does surveyed versus unsurveyed land mean in Lebanon, and why does it matter?Surveyed land has a Land Registry folio and a certified plan; unsurveyed land does not yet. What that means for checking, buying and owning a plot.
- What should I check before buying land in Lebanon?Get an official Land Registry extract for the exact plot first, then check shares, land type, survey status, zoning and fees. Steps for buyers abroad.
- Will I be compensated if the state expropriates my land or reserves part of it for a road in Lebanon?One 2016 CDR road framework set compensation at assessed market value; the general law is unconfirmed. Road setbacks, appeals and how to check a plot.
- How do I find my property's real estate number, zone and section?Property number, zone and section are on your title deed or a Land Registry extract. Without papers, a search by the owner's name may find the number.
