Land Registry
The official register of land and buildings in Cyprus, kept by the DLS. It records owners, mortgages and other charges; the name is also used for the DLS offices.
Updated 12 Oct 2026How it works
In Cyprus, "Land Registry" (Κτηματολόγιο) has two meanings. Strictly, it is the official register of immovable property that the Department of Lands and Surveys (DLS) keeps under the Immovable Property (Tenure, Registration and Valuation) Law, Cap. 224. In everyday speech, it also means the DLS itself and its District Land Offices (Επαρχιακά Κτηματολόγια), where contracts are deposited and transfers registered.
The register records each property, its registered owner and the rights registered against it, such as mortgages, prohibitions and deposited sale contracts. The day-to-day work is done at six District Land Offices, one for each district: Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, Ammochostos (temporarily in Paralimni) and Keryneia (temporarily in Nicosia).
Information from the register is given through a search certificate, under section 51A of Cap. 224. It is issued to the owner, a person holding the owner's power of attorney, or a lawyer (DLS FAQ).
Why it matters when you buy
What counts is what the register shows, not what the seller or an advert says. Before you sign, a search certificate shows who the registered owner is and whether the property is mortgaged or subject to other charges. After you sign, depositing the contract at the Land Registry records your claim against the property. You become the owner only when the transfer is registered in your name.