How do I register a lease at the municipality in Lebanon, and what does it cost?

Also asked as: “Register lease contract at the municipality in Lebanon” · “Lease registration fee Lebanon” · “Stamp duty on a lease in Lebanon” · “Do I have to register my rental contract in Lebanon?”

Who registers, where and by when#

According to the Dahye municipalities union, the duty falls on the owner or operator of the let building. They register the lease, with its annexes, at the municipality where the property lies, every year by 31 December^[1]. The union says that under Interior Minister circular 8/99 registration is done immediately, and the office hands back a certified copy that is exempt from stamp duty.

The same page does not say what happens if the owner does not register, or whether a tenant can register the lease alone^[1]. If you are the tenant and the landlord has not registered, ask the municipality directly whether you can file it yourself and what they will want from you.

What the lease must say and what to bring#

The Dahye municipalities union lists what a lease must contain to be registered. It must give the property number and location (area, street, floor) and a description of the premises. It must also give the parties' names, the rent written in Lebanese currency, the term, any services the owner provides and their price, the owner's full address, and the intended use^[1]. If you do not know the plot number, see how to find a property's number, zone and section. We found no source on whether a lease written in US dollars is refused or converted today.

You hand in the lease and its annexes in two copies. For a new contract you add a real-estate statement (ifadeh aqariyeh, Land Registry extract) no more than three months old. For a property registered for the first time, you also add a copy of your ID^[1]. The extract comes from the Land Registry (السجل العقاري): here is how to get a Land Registry extract and what it costs. Other municipalities may ask for more than Dahye does.

According to Adala Law Firm, an oral lease still binds both sides^[9]. To register it, though, you need a written one. A lease contract template is a starting point; check it covers every item above.

What it costs#

The Dahye page lists two charges: a fixed stamp per contract or annex, and a proportional stamp on the real rent for the whole term^[1]. The sources disagree on the proportional rate:

No source applies the 4 per mille figure to leases explicitly^[1,2,3]. The LL 3,000 flat stamp is worth almost nothing now and may have been raised^[1]. The Ministry of Finance lists Circular 491/S1 of 13 March 2002 on how stamp duty applies to leases, but we have not read it^[4].

PwC also reports that, under Ministry of Finance decision 684 of 23 November 2023, contracts in foreign currency are converted at the Sayrafa rate for stamp duty^[1,2,3]. We found nothing on whether the municipality collects the fee in lira or dollars. Ask the municipality's registration desk to put the rate, the base and the currency in writing before you pay.

Why it matters: EDL and the Land Registry#

For a tenant, registration has a practical use. To move an existing electricity meter to a new subscriber, EDL asks for the meter's bill, an ID and one of three papers: a title deed, a sale contract or a lease signed by the municipality^[7,8]. EDL refuses any transaction until arrears on the meter are paid. More in moving an EDL meter into your name.

Long leases also involve the Land Registry. Leases over three years should be inscribed there, and Kallas Law Firm explains that an unregistered lease binds third parties, such as a new owner, for no more than three years of rent^[5,6]. We found no published fee or procedure for this inscription, so ask a notary (kateb adel) or a lawyer. According to IDAL, a foreigner holding a normal lease right for more than 10 years needs a Council of Ministers decree^[10]. See leases over 10 years for foreigners.