Property
International Persons Landholding Act with a Torrens-style quieting regime
Foreign buyers are governed by the International Persons Landholding Act 1993, which allows a non-Bahamian to acquire a single residential property of up to five acres for personal use by registering the purchase with the Investments Board, while larger or commercial acquisitions need a permit. Title is deeds-based, and the Quieting Titles Act allows a claimant to obtain a court-certified title where the chain of documents is defective. Property tax is charged annually under the Real Property Tax Act.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National; Bahamas Investment Authority and the Registry of Records
- Deadline — Registration of a foreign purchase: within a set period after completion
- Deadline — Real property tax: assessed annually, with a discount for early payment
- Deadline — VAT on conveyance: paid on completion at the applicable rate
Governing law
- International Persons Landholding Act 1993
- Quieting Titles Act 1959
- Real Property Tax Act
- Registration of Records Act
In practice
Because title depends on the chain of deeds and much Bahamian land has a long and imperfect documentary history, including generational and commonage land, a quieting action is a normal part of development rather than an exceptional remedy. A buyer who relies only on an abstract of title without investigating adverse possession and boundary history takes a real risk.