Selling property in the Dominican Republic as a foreigner: same process as a Dominican, one tax rule still open.

By Stan Brinkman · independent property analyst

Can a foreigner sell property in the Dominican Republic?

Yes. Foreigners can buy, rent out and sell property on the same terms as nationals, according to a Dominican attorney quoted by El Inmobiliario in June 2026, and the U.S. State Department reports the same procedures for foreigners as for citizens. The sale is registered at the Registro de Títulos.

The buying side, for context: buying property in the Dominican Republic as a foreigner.

What documents does the seller provide?

The seller's duplicate Certificado de Título, or a transferable Constancia Anotada; a DGII certification that IPI is paid or exempt; the seller's ID, plus the spouse's where relevant; and the signed deed. Foreign sellers identify with a passport plus a second national ID. A marriage certificate is needed where the civil status on the title differs.

If your ownership sits on a Constancia Anotada, expect buyers to ask about a deslinde: the certificado de título, explained.

What tax does a foreigner pay on the gain from a Dominican sale?

A 10% flat, final tax on gains from selling real estate owned by individuals, payable within 6 months of the transfer (Law 30-26, article 14, new Tax Code article 296-1). The law is in force from its promulgation in June 2026 (article 62). What is still open is the rate for a non-resident seller, under the Tax Code's non-resident rule (article 305, amended by article 20).

Before Law 30-26, gains were taxed as ordinary income with the acquisition cost indexed for inflation, according to PwC. An heir's cost is the value received in the succession, adjusted for inflation (DGII Consulta 23 of May 2024). Get the non-resident rate from a Dominican tax adviser at the time you sell.

Are there exemptions from the new Dominican capital gains tax?

Two, both in the law text. Selling your habitual residence is exempt if the whole proceeds are reinvested in a new habitual residence within 6 months, and partly exempt in proportion if only part is reinvested. Selling your habitual residence after 65 is fully exempt (Law 30-26, articles 14 and 16).

Both are written for a habitual residence, which a non-resident's holiday home usually is not.

What does selling cost in the Dominican Republic?

Mainly the agent. Global Property Guide gives an agent fee of 2% to 3% paid by the seller, and puts total seller costs at 2% to 3%. The 3% transfer tax is normally listed as a buyer cost. Settle any IPI due first, because the registry needs a certificate that it is paid.

If you bought a CONFOTUR unit, your buyer does not inherit the exemption: only the first purchaser from the developer benefits. The full cost table: Dominican Republic property buying costs.

Can I take the sale proceeds out of the Dominican Republic?

Generally yes. The U.S. State Department reports free convertibility of the peso and no restrictions on repatriating investment funds. In practice you need the ProDominicana foreign investment registration certificate to repatriate proceeds and to buy foreign exchange, and the Central Bank must be notified within 60 days of the remittance.

If you did not register the investment when you bought, raise it with your lawyer well before the sale. The money side: transferring money to the Dominican Republic for a property.

Header photo: Максим Улитин, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All credits: image credits.