Everything Iranians Need to Know About the Property Ownership Claim Registry System

With the official launch of the “Property Ownership Claim Registry System,” all individuals whose properties or lands lack official deeds and are held under ordinary promissory deeds (Qolnameh) have a two-year window to upload their documents into the system and apply for a single-sheet official deed (Sanad-e Tak-Barg). While this massive project promises to end large-scale fraud cases, it could bring numerous legal and executive challenges for ordinary citizens if not properly managed.

Currently, the official implementation of the system has begun in its first phase for cadastral deeds (Asnad-e Hadnegari) issued from 2017 onward, while decisions and announcements regarding other properties will be made in subsequent phases.

The Ownership Claim Registry Plan

“Saghar” is the name of the System for Regulating Unofficial Deeds, which was launched on May 22, 2026, by the State Organization for Registration of Deeds and Properties. Under this scheme, any Iranian citizen who possesses or holds a property and has a claim over it has a two-year window, from May 22, 2026, until May 22, 2028, to register their claim in the system to prevent the violation of their legal rights.

This timeframe applies to individuals whose property lacks a title deed or whose deed is not registered under the claimant’s name. Currently, this system has been launched for cadastral title deeds, or deeds whose exact coordinates are registered on the country’s official maps, that were issued between March 21, 2017, and May 21, 2026. This means that if a person has a claim regarding the property itself (Ayn) or its benefits (Manafe) for a property whose deed was issued during this timeframe, they have two years from May 22, 2026, to register their claim in the system. After registration, they will have another two years to take the necessary legal action.

Of course, individuals who hold claims against a property but do not fall within this specific timeframe can still register their claims; however, the two-year expiration deadline strictly applies to properties that possess a cadastral deed from the beginning of 2017 onward. For example, if a person purchased a property via an ordinary Qolnameh whose yellow cadastral title deed was issued in 2023, but the seller refuses to officially transfer the property, the buyer must first log their claim in the claim registry system. Then, by obtaining a certificate from the system, they must file and pursue a lawsuit in court to compel the official registration of the deed.

Objective of Implementing the Deed Registry Plan

According to official statistics from the Legal and Property Directorates of the State Organization for Registration of Deeds and Properties, approximately 25 to 30 million properties and lands in the country have been transacted using Qolnameh and ordinary deeds that lack an official title deed. In contrast, the total number of registered official title deeds in the country is reported to be 40,225,219.

These statistics demonstrate the massive volume of transactions within the “shadow economy” of ordinary deeds. Furthermore, approximately 40 percent of cases entering the judiciary relate to disputes arising from ordinary deeds and promissory transactions.

Even banks are entangled in the challenges of Qolnameh sales. For instance, in construction partnership contracts, banks occasionally take a property as collateral that has already been sold to multiple individuals via Qolnameh. Consequently, when the debt defaults, instead of dealing with the primary debtor who received the loan, the bank faces residents who had purchased the property through a Qolnameh.

Thus, for years, the existence of “ordinary deeds,” or hand-written Qolnameh contracts, has been the greatest Achilles’ heel of Iran’s judicial and registration systems. A major portion of court cases is dedicated to property disputes, the sale of a single property to multiple buyers, and land-grabbing. This plan has been initiated to validate lands, legitimize small-scale ownership, and bring transparency to the country’s property database.

Regulating ordinary deeds and reducing disputes and litigation arising from unofficial transactions have been announced as the most significant objectives behind launching the claim registry system and laying the groundwork for stabilizing official ownership in the country.

Warnings We Need to Know

According to the head of the State Organization for Registration of Deeds, as of June 23, 2024, transactions conducted via ordinary deeds lack legal validity, and courts will no longer accept these documents. This means that ordinary deeds drawn up after this date are worthless in terms of judicial credibility.

From now on, property buyers must strictly refrain from conducting transactions using ordinary deeds or hand-written Qolnameh agreements and must buy and sell properties exclusively based on official deeds and through notary publics; otherwise, they will face irreversible legal risks.

Failure to register a claim within the legally prescribed deadline means the complete forfeiture of any opportunity to have the claim heard by legal authorities. To put it more explicitly, if the holder of a Qolnameh or an ordinary deed does not register their claim within two years from the system’s launch date, no court or administrative authority will accept their lawsuit, and their claim “will not be heard.”

Official authorities have warned that registering unrealistic claims in the property ownership claim registry system will incur a cash penalty equivalent to 20 percent of the property’s current market value. Therefore, applicants must proceed only with properties over which they hold a genuine ownership claim.

Merely logging a claim in the system does not automatically result in the issuance of a title deed; the property claimant has two years after verifying ownership and undergoing legal formalities to have the title deed issued. Accordingly, under the law, individuals who have a claim against properties that possess an official deed must register their claim within the designated deadline and subsequently take action for its legal resolution.

In the current phase, and based on the judiciary’s directive, the two-year legal deadline has commenced solely for properties that possess a cadastral title deed and whose deed issuance date is from March 21, 2017, onward. For example, if a property has an official deed and its owner received the title deed in 2018, but the property was later transferred to another person via an ordinary Qolnameh without an official transfer of the deed taking place, the buyer can register their claim through the claim registry system and follow the necessary legal process to stabilize their ownership.

Given that technical, engineering, and legal brokerage offices are also being established so that individuals unable to register claims or follow legal procedures can use their services, citizens should not pay attention to advertisements by profiteers who promise to register claims in the system or pursue the issuance of property deeds in exchange for money.

Experts also advise the public to refrain from approaching unqualified individuals and intermediaries who promise fast or guaranteed deed registration.

Many people assume that possessing water, electricity, or gas bills, or having a history of residency in a property, is sufficient on its own to prove ownership. However, these documents are not necessarily definitive proof of ownership; therefore, individuals must retain all relevant documentation, including contracts, Qolnameh agreements, payment receipts, relevant certificates, and other verifiable documents, and present them at the time of information entry.

Benefits

The successful implementation of the property ownership claim registry plan can bring a structural transformation to the country’s economy and judicial security, while also significantly impacting the housing market. In past years, a major portion of real estate transactions was conducted informally, creating conditions for widespread abuse. Selling a single property to multiple individuals, document forgery, conflicting transactions, and real estate fraud were among the problems that occurred due to the lack of official registration and sufficient transparency. Therefore, by eliminating ordinary deeds, a large portion of property eviction and ownership verification cases within the judiciary will be eradicated. This is because once all properties possess an official deed and a unique tracking code, the possibility of selling a single property to multiple buyers or forging ordinary deeds drops to near zero.

Furthermore, national and state lands, which were commonly handed down through Qolnameh deeds, will have their status clarified, making their unlawful seizure impossible.

On the other hand, owners of properties held under Qolnameh will henceforth be able to use their property as bank collateral to obtain credit facilities, which will contribute to economic prosperity.

Disadvantages and Potential Challenges

The Challenge of Jointly Owned and Inherited Properties: Many properties held under Qolnameh belong to heirs or have been bought and sold as jointly owned (Moshā) property. Consolidating documentation, obtaining the consent of all partners, and resolving family disputes within a two-year window is practically impossible for many citizens.

The Limbo of Vulnerable and Marginalized Populations: The highest number of Qolnameh-held properties is found in suburban areas, city fringes, and villages, where residents often lack sufficient legal knowledge and technological literacy to navigate online systems. Due to a lack of awareness, this segment of the population might miss the two-year window, jeopardizing their ownership, or they may turn to internet brokers and internet cafes despite explicit warnings.

Heavy Financial Burdens on Low-Income Classes: The process of converting a Qolnameh into an official deed is not free; the expenses of land surveying, municipal fees, transfer taxes, registration fees, notary public charges, and potential court costs place a heavy financial burden on low-income families, which may discourage them from pursuing the plan.

Furthermore, a vast number of properties inside cities have been constructed without observing urban planning principles and lack building completion certificates (Pāyān-e Kār). To obtain an official deed, owners must first pay heavy fines levied by Article 100 Commissions. While it is true that the responsibility for failing to obtain a construction permit or license lies with the owner, most of these individuals built these units due to limited financial capability and have lived in them exactly as they are for many years; given the heavy financial burden, they will certainly resist a change in circumstances.

The Impasse of Properties Lacking Construction Permits (Outside Urban Zoning): Up to the date of preparing this report, no explanation has been provided regarding the fate of properties built without municipal permits or on lands outside urban zoning limits, such as certain villas or agricultural lands whose usage was changed. If the government does not issue deeds for these properties built without permits and licenses, the public’s capital will be destroyed, leading to conflicts. Conversely, if it does issue deeds, it will have effectively overlooked construction violations.

Conflicting Ownerships and Simultaneous Claims: During the designated two-year deadline, multiple individuals might claim ownership over a single property using different Qolnameh documents. The simultaneous uploading of these claims will pour a massive volume of new “proof of ownership” lawsuits into the judiciary.

Technical and Infrastructural Challenges: Registering a claim in the system requires a precise land-surveying file of the property with unique geographical coordinates. The shortage of qualified survey experts in small towns and villages, combined with high costs, will severely slow down the pace of operations.

Moreover, uploading the documents of millions of properties within a limited timeframe requires exceptionally powerful server infrastructure with strong cybersecurity. The experience of previous platforms, such as the National Property and Housing System, has shown that the risk of outages, slowdowns, and system errors in such processes is extremely high. Accordingly, if the country’s administrative system, including the Registration Organization, municipalities, and courts, lacks the capacity to process this volume of requests within two years, this plan, rather than resolving the issue of land-grabbing, will turn into a crisis for the security of citizens’ ownership.

The Importance of Widespread Public Awareness: If extensive and continuous public awareness campaigns are not carried out, a significant number of citizens may face legal issues after the expiration of the legal deadline. Many of these individuals purchased a property years ago, reside in it, and consider themselves the definitive owners, yet from the perspective of the official registration system, their ownership status has not yet been finalized.

On the other hand, certain cases have unique complexities. For instance, a property may have been transacted multiple times via Qolnameh over consecutive years without any of the transfers being recorded in notary public offices. Under such circumstances, determining the final owner and examining the chain of transfers will require meticulous review and expert assessment.

The launch of the property ownership claim registry system is a “major surgery” on Iran’s legal and property structure. This plan is inherently a step toward modernizing the country and eliminating property-related corruption; however, its success depends on flexibility and precision in implementation. Otherwise, rather than resolving problems, this plan may generate a new wave of judicial cases and social dissatisfaction.