Uganda Seeks Higher Land Fees After 28 Years

UGANDA · LAND

Uganda’s Ministry of Lands wants to raise land registration fees for the first time in 28 years. The change is a proposal, not yet a law.

Uganda land fees would rise sharply under a Ministry of Lands proposal published on Friday, 16 October, the first change since 1998. A replacement certificate for a lost land title would jump from Shs15,000 (about US$3.73) to Shs200,000 (about US$49.79).

Registering a certificate of title would rise fivefold, from Shs10,000 (about US$2.49) to Shs50,000 (about US$12.45). The plan is not yet in force, because it still needs approval from the Ministry of Finance and Cabinet.

What the Uganda Land Fees Proposal Says

The Monitor and the Spy Uganda both published the same three-line fee schedule on 16 October. Both name ministry spokesperson Dennis Obbo as the source and say Finance Ministry and Cabinet approval is required.

Obbo told the Monitor that the ministry last changed land registration fees in 1998, which is 28 years ago. He gave rising operating costs and the long gap since the last revision as the reasons.

The Monitor adds that the increases followed consultation with stakeholders, without naming them. Neither outlet quotes a ministry notice or a statutory instrument.

The third item is a search to confirm ownership details in the land register, proposed at Shs50,000 (about US$12.45). Neither outlet gives the current fee for that search, so no increase can be calculated.

Bukedde, the Luganda daily, prints a longer list of other fees. A second outlet or a ministry notice has not confirmed that list, so it is not repeated here.

Conversions in this article use Shs4,016.57 per US$1, the rate of 15 October 2026 from open.er-api.com. Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent.

Corrugated iron roofs and brick buildings in Gulu town, northern Uganda; file photo, not taken on the day of the proposal. Photo: Malaika Overcomer / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Who Would Pay More Under the Plan

The Monitor says the changes would affect owners of freehold, leasehold and private mailo land. Mailo is a form of private land ownership found mainly in central Uganda.

The lost-title fee shows the biggest jump, about 13 times the current level. The registration fee would rise five times.

In dollar terms the new charges stay small, about US$12.45 to register a title and US$49.79 to replace a lost one. The ministry has not said how many titles are issued or replaced each year, so the revenue effect is unknown.

The ministry has also not said whether the fees apply the same way across all districts. District land boards handle many applications outside Kampala.

Fees Rise While Unofficial Costs Are Targeted

The Monitor reports that Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba suspended the issuing of special certificates of title in August. It says the step followed concerns that the process was abused to dodge debts or settle family disputes.

The reports do not explain how that suspension relates to the proposed Shs200,000 (about US$49.79) replacement fee. They also do not say whether special titles would resume.

On 11 October, Nile Post quoted Minister of State Harriet Ntabazi saying government wants to cut title costs. She said some owners had paid more than Shs2.5 million (about US$622) to surveyors and district committees.

Ntabazi said district land boards and zonal offices should not charge fees for their services and warned officials against demanding money. The ministry has not said how that aim fits with higher official fees.

What It Means for US Readers

Americans and diaspora Ugandans who own or plan to buy plots would pay more for title paperwork if the plan is approved. The extra cost is about US$10 to register a title and about US$46 to replace a lost one.

The reports do not mention land taxes, foreign ownership rules or investor incentives. They also carry no change to US travel or visa rules.

What Is Not Known

No outlet gives an effective date, and no ministry notice or statutory instrument has been published. The Finance Ministry and Cabinet have not said when they will decide.

The current fee for the ownership search is not stated, and the full schedule of other fees is unconfirmed. Whether percentage-based fees on government land change is also not confirmed.

Public reaction from MPs, surveyors or property owners is not yet on record. The ministry has not said whether the amounts could be revised after approval.

What Comes Next

The proposal now goes to the Ministry of Finance and Cabinet for approval. A decision would still have to be published before any new fee applies.

Nothing changes for applicants today, and the old fees stay in force until an approval is announced. Readers should watch for a ministry notice with an effective date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Uganda reverse its land fees?

No, the reports describe a proposed increase, not a reversal. The fees have not changed since 1998 and would rise if the plan is approved.

How much would a land title cost to replace?

A replacement for a lost title would rise from Shs15,000 (about US$3.73) to Shs200,000 (about US$49.79). The proposal still needs approval before it applies.

Is the increase already in force?

No, the Finance Ministry and Cabinet must approve it first. No effective date has been published.

Who would be affected?

The Monitor says owners of freehold, leasehold and private mailo land would be affected. The reports do not say whether other tenure types change.

Why is the ministry raising the fees?

Spokesperson Dennis Obbo cited rising operating costs and the 28 years since the last revision. He also said stakeholders were consulted.

Sources: Monitor; The Spy Uganda; Bukedde; Nile Post; open.er-api.com (all accessed 16 October 2026). No Ministry of Lands notice was available online.