Foreign ownership rules

Articles: 17

Who counts as a foreigner, how much a foreigner may own, the Council of Ministers licence and the special cases.

• 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.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 4 min read

• Can Palestinians buy property in Lebanon?

  No settled answer: Law 296/2001 is widely read as barring Palestinian refugees, but that is contested. The text, the dispute, inheritance and whom to ask.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Can a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon inherit and register property?

  Contested. Law 296/2001 is read as barring Palestinians, but NRC says inheritance is exempt and one Beirut case registered a share. Steps and gaps.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Can I still buy or sell land in south Lebanon after the draft sale ban?

  Yes for now: the ban on sales in occupied southern towns is a Cabinet draft. Who it would hit, deals signed since 8 October 2023, how to check a plot.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 9 min read

• Can Syrians buy property in Lebanon?

  Yes, as foreigners: the same 3,000 m² limit, licence rules, caps and 5% registration fee apply. No Syrian-specific rule found. Documents and checks.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Does buying property in Lebanon give me residency?

  No confirmed rule gives residency for buying property in Lebanon. What the stalled 2018 budget article said, what is still unknown and whom to ask.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• What happens to a foreigner's ownership deadlines now that Article 46 of the 2026 budget law was annulled?

  Article 46 was annulled, so per Annahar the 1969 law's deadlines for foreigners are not extended. What it would have done, what is unclear and whom to ask.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

• 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.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Can Americans buy property in Lebanon?

  Yes: US citizens without Lebanese nationality buy as foreigners, up to 3,000 m² without a licence, at a 5% registration fee. Limits, papers and POAs.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

• 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.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

• 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.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• 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.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

• I hold a Lebanese and another passport: am I treated as Lebanese or as a foreigner when I buy?

  No published source says how dual nationals are treated when they buy. What the law says, why 3% or 5% matters, and what to ask the notary first.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Can a foreigner get around the limits by buying through a Lebanese company or a Lebanese friend?

  Not safely: a company with foreign owners can count as foreign, and a friend on the deed is the registered owner. Company tests, share tax, nominee risks.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Are there areas of Lebanon where foreigners cannot buy?

  No law we found bars foreigners from named areas of Lebanon. The limits that exist: district and Beirut caps, border-zone claims, the draft southern ban.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Can the foreign husband or wife of a Lebanese citizen buy property in Lebanon?

  Yes, within foreigners' limits: we found no special rule for spouses of Lebanese. The 3,000 m² limit, 5% fee, notary pledge and what is unclear.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

• Can a foreigner lease property in Lebanon for more than 10 years?

  According to IDAL, a foreigner needs a Council of Ministers decree for a lease over 10 years. What the rule says, what is unknown and whom to ask.

  Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026 · 5 min read

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