Property
Land ownership limited to Bruneian citizens
Under the Land Code, only Bruneian citizens may hold land. Permanent residents and foreigners cannot acquire freehold or long leasehold title in their own right, and arrangements attempting to circumvent this — including trust and power-of-attorney structures — have been legislatively targeted. Most foreign commercial occupation is by shorter-term tenancy or through government-granted industrial sites.
Governing law
- Land Code (Cap. 40) — Citizen-only ownership; registration.
- Land Code (Strata) Act (Cap. 189) — Strata title for apartments.
In practice
Land ownership is restricted to Bruneian citizens under the Land Code. Titles are registered; the Land Department maintains the register. Strata title exists for apartment developments under the Land Code (Strata) Act. State land grants and Temporary Occupation Licences are the usual route for commercial sites. Nominee and trust workarounds for foreign purchasers are specifically legislated against — do not assume common-region structures transfer here. Verify citizenship status of the proposed titleholder before any transaction; it is dispositive.