Property
Unresolved title from successive colonial and occupation regimes
Land tenure is the most contested area of Timorese law. Portuguese-era titles, Indonesian-era titles and customary claims frequently overlap on the same parcel. The Special Regime for the Definition of Ownership of Immovable Property of 2017 established a process for adjudicating these competing claims.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National. The Land and Property Directorate administers claims; disputes go to the district courts.
Governing law
- Law No. 13/2017 — Special Regime for the Definition of Ownership of Immovable Property
- Civil Code (Law No. 10/2011) — general property rights and registration
- Law No. 12/2016 — expropriation for public purpose
In practice
The 2017 law is the key instrument. It provides for the collection and public display of claims, an administrative decision on ownership, and recourse to the courts where claims conflict. Where a Portuguese title and an Indonesian title compete, the law establishes rules of priority; where neither exists, long-standing possession and customary occupation can found title. Foreign nationals cannot own land outright under the Constitution, so foreign investment typically proceeds by long lease. Anyone advising on Timorese land should treat the register as incomplete rather than determinative.