New guidelines require public notices, land inspections and an opportunity for objections before special certificates of title are issued, in a bid to curb fraud and protect legitimate landowners.
The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has proposed stricter verification procedures for replacing lost, destroyed or damaged land titles, including a mandatory 30-day public notice period and an opportunity for interested parties to challenge applications.
Under new guidelines presented by the Minister of Lands on October 20, 2026, applications for special certificates of title will be subjected to additional checks intended to prevent fraud, impersonation, double sales and the irregular transfer of land ownership.
The guidelines require the Registrar of Titles to publish notices in the Uganda Gazette for at least 30 days before issuing special certificates under Section 69 of the Registration of Titles Act.
Notices must also be displayed at the relevant sub-county offices, Local Council I noticeboards and on the land in question for the same period.
The ministry will publish a monthly list of applications in a newspaper of wide circulation and display details of the affected parcels and applicants on its website throughout the notice period.
The notices must identify the land parcel, relevant registration details, the applicant’s name, the application date and a contact point for objections. They must also include details of at least three previous transactions, where applicable.
The measures are intended to give people who may have an interest in the land an opportunity to raise concerns before a replacement title is issued.
Under the guidelines, any person alleging fraud, impersonation, competing ownership claims, double sales, unlawful retention of land or other material irregularities may lodge a formal objection with the Registrar of Titles within the applicable notice period.
The objector must provide reasons and supporting information. Where an objection is received, the registrar is required to summon both parties for a hearing and make a ruling.
The guidelines also introduce mandatory land inspections and, where necessary, boundary-opening exercises involving a government surveyor and a registrar of titles or land officer.
The inspection must take place in the presence of the Local Council I committee, with a minimum quorum of five members. The resulting report must record the proceedings, participants, developments on the land, occupancy and current use.
Applicants seeking replacement titles for lost or destroyed documents will be required to submit an application in triplicate, a statutory declaration, proof of payment of statutory fees, a copy of their national identification document and passport-size photographs.
They must also provide a police form reporting the loss, an LC I committee report, an inspection or boundary-opening report, a Gazette notice, a newspaper advertisement and a local notice.
For obliterated titles, applicants must additionally submit the damaged certificate, alongside the required supporting documents.
The guidelines provide separate requirements for applications involving estates of deceased persons. Executors and administrators will be required to submit probate or letters of administration, an inventory, a copy of the petition for probate or administration and other prescribed documents.
For court-ordered special certificates, the successful party must submit a formal implementation request and a certified copy of the court order. The Registrar of Titles must verify the order with the court that issued it before proceeding.
The registrar will only approve an application after establishing the authenticity of the original title, the identity and legal authority of the applicant, the circumstances surrounding the loss or damage and the legitimacy of the underlying transaction.
The registrar must also identify relevant encumbrances and pending transactions, confirm that notice requirements have been met and ensure that no unresolved legal matter prevents issuance.
The guidelines require decisions to approve, defer, reject or suspend applications to be documented with reasons. Every special certificate issued must also be reflected in the Register Book, with details including the date and reason for issuance, the previous certificate, the application number and relevant notices or court orders.
The ministry said the framework is intended to strengthen the integrity of the land register, improve accountability and ensure that replacement titles are issued only after adequate verification.
The guidelines are to be read alongside the Constitution, the Registration of Titles Act, the Land Act, applicable regulations and court orders.
Section 69 of the Registration of Titles Act provides for special certificates where a duplicate certificate has been lost, destroyed or rendered unusable. Section 70 addresses special certificates issued pursuant to court directions and provides an objection mechanism.
The proposed procedures seek to strengthen safeguards around the replacement of land titles while providing a formal process through which people claiming an interest in affected land can challenge applications before new certificates are issued.