BAKU, July 17, 2025 — In a significant move aimed at resolving long-standing property documentation issues, President Ilham Aliyev has signed amendments to streamline the legalization of undocumented homes and land plots across the country.
The decree introduces key changes to the registration process of properties built on land allocated during the Soviet era. Under the new rules, a state-issued land use act from former local councils will no longer be required for registration. Instead, extracts from land books or orders from heads of former state-owned agricultural enterprises will be accepted as sufficient documentation.
Property expert Elnur Farzaliyev noted that the reforms could pave the way for privatizing a large number of undocumented homes and plots, which have long remained in legal limbo.
“This affects a significant portion of informal housing and land in the country. It’s a major step forward for regularizing ownership,” Farzaliyev said.
Other key provisions include:
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Demolished apartment buildings that were replaced with individual houses will no longer require municipal approval for property registration.
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If no approved architectural plan exists for a home, the property’s physical structure and land beneath it will serve as the legal basis for registration.
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Where land size is specified, the registration may proceed based on project designs previously agreed upon with local authorities.
The reform is expected to benefit thousands of families, particularly in suburban and rural areas, who have been living in homes built on informally allocated land without formal ownership rights. It marks a major development in property law and could lead to increased security of tenure, access to public services, and legal property transactions for affected residents.
