How to check who owns land in Sierra Leone

Before you pay, prove three things: the seller is the owner (or has the owner's authority), the land on the ground is the land on the papers, and nobody else has a claim. These steps cover all three.

Updated 7 November 2026 · by the Land Police team

1. Ask for the right documents

The seller's conveyance or deed, with its registration details (volume and page). Ask for a copy you can have checked, not just a photo.
The survey plan for the parcel, signed by a licensed surveyor, with its plan number and the beacon coordinates.
The seller's identity (national ID or passport) and, if someone acts for the owner, a written power of attorney.
For customary land in the provinces: evidence of the landowning family's agreement and the consents the Customary Land Rights Act 2022 requires.

A conveyance records a past transaction. On its own it is evidence, not proof, of who owns the land today, so the checks below matter.

2. Have the documents checked officially

Ask a Sierra Leone lawyer to carry out an official search of the registered instruments and to confirm the survey plan with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning. The search shows whether the conveyance is registered and whether later transactions (a sale, a mortgage, a lease) affect the land. Sierra Leone is moving to a title registration system overseen by the National Land Commission, with an online way to verify ownership planned; until it covers your area, the official search is essential.

3. Check the land on the ground

Walk the boundary with the survey plan. The beacons should match the coordinates, and the area should match the plan.
Talk to neighbours and anyone living or farming on the land. Ask whether it has been sold before or is disputed.
For customary land, meet the family head and, where appropriate, the chiefdom authorities.

4. Check for disputes and double sales

Ask your lawyer to check for court cases over the land. Double sales, where the same plot is sold to two buyers, are one of the most common frauds. A search on Land Police shows any conflicts we have recorded for a parcel.

5. Search for a Land Police certificate

If the parcel has a Land Police certificate, you can find it by certificate, deed or parcel number and download it for $5. It shows what we checked: boundary, ownership history and known conflicts. If nothing is found, that only means we have not issued one; it does not mean the land is free to buy. For a full report on a parcel, use a due-diligence report.

6. Pay safely

Never pay cash or send money to a seller's personal account before the transfer is registered. Use your lawyer's client account or escrow, which releases the money only when the title is in your name.

Questions

Is a conveyance proof of ownership in Sierra Leone?

A conveyance records a transaction. It is evidence, not proof on its own, of who owns land today: an official search and checks for later transactions and disputes are still needed.

Can I check land ownership online?

The government plans an online platform to verify ownership and transaction history as title registration is introduced. Until it covers your area, ask a lawyer for an official search. You can also search Land Police for a certificate by certificate, deed or parcel number.

What does a Land Police certificate search cost?

Searching is free and needs no account. Downloading a certificate with a numbered receipt costs $5.

Search a land certificate ($5)Get a due-diligence report

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Land law and registry practice in Sierra Leone are changing; check with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning and a Sierra Leone lawyer before you pay for land.