Can a foreigner buy this property in Cambodia

A foreigner's right to property in Cambodia is not a blanket "yes or no" — it's "yes or no for this specific property". It depends on what exactly you're buying, on which floor, with what title, and whether you're within the building's foreign quota. Below is a step-by-step checklist that walks through the key branches and shows the logic. Up front: this is an educational tool, not a legal determination. Its result is "potentially eligible / requires verification", and it does not replace verification of the contract, title and quota by an independent lawyer before the deal.

The checklist does not store or send your answers anywhere — all the logic runs in your browser. Any result is an educational reference, not a legal determination for a specific property.

What's behind each step

Below are the same rules in words, so you can see why the checklist asks exactly these questions. Each is a general rule, not a check of a specific unit.

1. Land and a unit are different rights

Direct land ownership in Cambodia is reserved for the country's nationals and Cambodian legal entities. A foreigner does not register land directly. But that doesn't prevent owning a private unit in a condominium: owning an apartment and owning land are legally different things. That's why the first question separates an apartment from land and houses with a plot.

2. A co-owned building, not a standalone house

A foreigner's right is discussed for private units in registered co-owned buildings (condominiums), not for standalone houses and villas with land. You need documents proving the building is registered (or registrable) as co-owned, and that the unit has a correct title basis.

3. Floor: above the ground floor

The conservative rule for the checklist: a unit suitable for a foreigner should be above the ground floor. Ground-floor units should be treated as requiring legal verification or unavailable until proven otherwise. The exact wording and basis are confirmed against the documents of the specific project.

4. The building's foreign quota

Treat the building-level quota as a mandatory document check. The 2010 Law on Providing Foreigners with Ownership Rights in Private Units of Co-owned Buildings caps foreign ownership at 70% of the total surface area of all private units in the building. This is a provision of the law, not merely a market reference. But knowing the rule doesn't replace checking the specific building: how much of the quota is already taken by other foreigners, and whether a balance is available for your unit, is confirmed with the developer and the title office for that building.

5. Strata / hard title, not a brochure

A foreign buyer needs a registered private (strata) title or equivalent official title documentation for the specific unit, not a marketing "freehold" line in a brochure. Separately, hard title (registered in the cadastral system) and soft title (local/contractual records) are distinguished: for a foreigner's due diligence they are not equivalent. If sources conflict, a lawyer or the title office classifies the actual document.

6. Special restrictions

The final check is "special restrictions may apply": border zones, state and private-state land, borey leasehold products, non-condo structures. Not all properties are strata condos; for example, villa communities with land (like Bakong Village) follow a separate leasehold explanation, not this strata tree.

Property types: what a foreigner can own

A foreigner's right depends on the property type. Below is a guide to the main formats. The final classification for a specific property is made by a lawyer and the title office from the documents, not by marketing wording.

Phrases that mislead

These marketing words are often mistaken for proof of a right. What they may mean — and what actually confirms the right.

What to check next on the property

A foreigner's right is confirmed not by one page but by a chain of checks. For a specific property, move on like this:

• Strata title — what it is and how hard title differs from soft.
• SPA clauses — where the contract fixes title, quota and the registration route.
• Document pack — what to request at each stage of the deal.
• Commercial property — if it is an office or strata commercial unit.
• Project status — how confirmed the data is for a specific project.
• Developers — who builds the property and what to check about them.
• Full cost — transfer tax and the costs of registering the right.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner own land in Cambodia?

Not directly. Direct land ownership is reserved for Cambodian nationals and Cambodian legal entities. A foreigner can own a private unit in a registered co-owned building (condominium), but that is not the same as owning land.

On which floor can a foreigner own a unit?

The conservative rule: above the ground floor. Ground-floor units in a co-owned building should be treated as requiring separate legal verification until proven otherwise.

What is the 70% foreign quota?

Under the 2010 Law on Providing Foreigners with Ownership Rights in Private Units of Co-owned Buildings, foreign ownership is capped at 70% of the total surface area of all private units in the building. The provision itself is set in law; the remaining quota for a specific building still has to be confirmed with the developer and the title office.

Does this checklist replace a lawyer?

No. It is an educational tool that shows the logic of the general rules and gives a "potentially eligible / requires verification" result. The final decision on a specific unit requires verification of the SPA, title and quota by an independent lawyer.

Sources

Constitution of Cambodia (Art. 44) and Land Law 2001 — the principle that land is not registered directly to a foreigner · Law on Providing Foreigners with Ownership Rights in Private Units of Co-owned Buildings (2010): Art. 6 — a foreigner may own units above the ground floor, and foreign ownership is capped at 70% of the total surface area of all private units in the building (also per DFDL's dated analysis) · title-registration practice (hard/soft title). The official MLMUPC law portal was checked 2026-07-05. The 70% cap and the "above the ground floor" rule are provisions of the law; the remaining quota and the title for a specific unit are confirmed against documents. This material is educational and is not legal advice.