The Real Estate Registry Explained: A Comprehensive Guide to In-Kind Registration with Yazeed Al-Yahya
The Real Estate Registry and the in-kind real estate registration system are considered among the most important transformational projects in the Saudi real estate sector within the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals for comprehensive digitization. In a special meeting via the “Aqar” platform with Mr. Yazeed Al-Yahya, the official spokesperson for the Real Estate Registry, light was shed on all the regulatory and procedural details of the system, its structural objectives, and its direct impact on owners, real estate brokers, and investors.
Content
Hide
What is the Real Estate Registry and What is the Difference Between it and In-Kind Registration?
There is often some confusion regarding the distinction between the concept of the Real Estate Registry and In-Kind Registration, but the difference lies in the comprehensiveness and procedural function:
-
The Real Estate Registry: This is the comprehensive ecosystem and the internationally recognized reference system (which is equivalent to what is known as “Land Registry” or “Cadastre” in some countries). It is concerned with collecting and documenting real estate sector documents in a single database, and it relies on two main documents:
-
Title Registration Deed: The official document proving ownership.
-
The Real Estate Folio: The unified record that reflects all real estate transactions, rights, and obligations issued on the property (such as mortgage, endowment, or lease) from the date of its first in-kind registration.
-
-
In-Kind Registration of Real Estate: This is the primary service and procedural mechanism provided by the National Real Estate Registration Services Company. It aims to link the real estate asset with its actual boundaries, geographical location, area, and descriptions with absolute statutory precision.
Comprehensive Comparison Between the Judicial Deed and the Real Estate Registry Folio
The following table illustrates the most prominent fundamental differences between the old judicial deeds system and the modern Real Estate Registry folio:
| Aspect of Comparison | Electronic Judicial Deed (Old) | Real Estate Registry Folio (Modern) |
| Nature of Documentation | Documentation of the owner’s person and the transaction | Precise documentation of the real estate asset and its geographical location |
| Strength of Ownership (Conclusiveness) | Subject to duplication and overlapping boundaries | Grants the property absolute conclusiveness after 12 months that cannot be annulled |
| The Folio and History | Does not easily reflect the complete historical record of transactions | Contains a comprehensive real estate folio for all obligations and mortgages |
| Entity of Transfer and Trading | Real Estate Bourse / Notary Public | Exclusively the digital platform of the Real Estate Registry (in closed cities) |
| Scope of Risk | Possibility of previous disputes over the land | Complete elimination of boundary disputes and deed duplication |
The Historical Problems the System was Created to Solve
The real estate market has witnessed decades of structural challenges that affected trading efficiency and investor confidence. The most prominent problems that the Real Estate Registry came to put a final end to are summarized in specific points:
-
Overlapping Boundaries and Discrepancies in Areas: Eliminating the differences between the data recorded in old deeds and the actual areas on the ground.
-
Duplication of Deeds: Preventing the issuance of more than one deed for a single plot of land, a problem that used to cause complex and lengthy judicial disputes.
-
Real Estate Disputes: Providing a legal environment that protects the owner from sudden claims or boundary disputes.
The Major Added Value: “Absolute Conclusiveness”
When comparing traditional electronic judicial deeds with the Real Estate Registry folio, the feature of “absolute conclusiveness” stands out as the most important legal pillar and the greatest added value of the new system:
-
The Grace Period and the System: After submitting the registration request and its examination, the property undergoes a time period of 12 months. If no objection or statutory dispute is submitted during this period, the property acquires absolute conclusiveness.
-
The Concept and Legal Impact: Absolute conclusiveness means that no party whatsoever can dispute the owner’s ownership of the real estate asset or annul their deed before the judiciary, absolutely. If newly emerging rights are proven for other parties later, they are compensated through the judiciary without affecting the real estate ownership itself or canceling the registry.
-
Investment Impact: Absolute conclusiveness raises the levels of investment security, as real estate transactions and development projects are now managed with complete confidence and without deferred legal risks.
The Extent of the Real Estate Registry’s Impact on Real Estate Prices
The official spokesperson clarified definitively that the Real Estate Registry does not directly intervene in determining or changing real estate prices in the market, whether by increasing or decreasing them. Its role is regulatory, confined to:
-
Documentation and Raising Transparency: Documenting all real estate transactions and linking them to a unified digital infrastructure.
-
Impact on “Purchasing Desire”: Although there is no direct impact on the price, there is a significant impact on demand movement; buyers and investors prefer to buy in-kind registered properties that enjoy absolute conclusiveness compared to unregistered properties to avoid future complications.
Empowering Real Estate Brokers and Developing Services
The real estate broker is considered a pivotal field element in the sector’s movement, and from this standpoint, the Real Estate Registry has worked to provide special features for brokers:
-
Allowing the Provision of the First In-Kind Registration Service: Certified real estate brokers are allowed to submit in-kind registration requests on behalf of property owners (especially the elderly or owners who do not have the time to deal with platforms), which represents an added value that enhances the scope of their business.
-
No Complex Contractual Requirement: Providing the registration service by the broker does not require a specific sales brokerage contract; rather, it is considered a complementary service that increases the reliability of transactions between the broker and their clients.
Mandatory Registration and Transfer of Transactions (Riyadh City as a Model)
The strategy of the Real Estate Registry depends on a temporal and geographical plan to close traditional judicial transactions and transfer them exclusively to the Real Estate Registry:
-
The Riyadh City Model: The first phase was launched by completely closing real estate transactions via the Ministry of Justice in the city of Riyadh. The transfer or trading of any property within the city’s scope became conditional on the issuance of its Real Estate Registry. Consequently, any owner holding a regular electronic deed is obliged to submit a request for a first in-kind registration to be able to dispose of their property by sale or mortgage.
-
Geographical Expansion and the 2028 Plan: Registration operations are expanding to include 10 main regions in the Kingdom (including Makkah, Eastern Province, Qassim, Asir, Tabuk, Al-Jawf, and the Northern Borders). The national strategy aims to cover 80% of the Kingdom’s real estate by 2028.
-
Comprehensiveness of Real Estate: The system is mandatory for all types of real estate issued a judicial deed without exception: (residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, raw lands, buildings, subdivided residential units, and even endowed properties, for which the endowment supervisor handles submitting the registration request).
Steps and Documents for Registration According to the Status of the Property and Owner
The following table summarizes the procedures and documents required for various cases when applying for in-kind registration:
| Status of Owner / Property | Required Documents and Procedure | Controls and Conditions |
| Individual Owner | Updated electronic deed only | Direct application is made via the Real Estate Registry platform or through a certified broker |
| Heirs | Deed of heirs’ limitation + Electronic deed | Application by one of the heirs is sufficient without the need for a power of attorney from the rest of the heirs |
| Partners | Joint ownership deed | Application by one of the partners is sufficient to register the property and update the data of the rest of the partners |
| Old Deeds (Not Updated) | “Paper Submission” option | A transitional path to prove seriousness and submit the application until the update of the judicial deed is completed |
| 100% Matching Properties | Direct automatic registration | More than 1.8 million deeds were automatically registered without the need for the owner’s intervention due to the soundness of their data |
Penalties, Statutory Grace Period, and the Fast Track
The following table outlines the timings, fees, and fines associated with the registration procedures:
| Item | Statutory Details and Figures |
| Statutory Grace Period for Registration | 90 days from the date the real estate zone is announced |
| Financial Fine for Delay | Reaches up to a maximum of 100,000 Riyals for failing to register after the grace period ends |
| Fast Track Fees | 460 Riyals (to expedite procedures for latecomers and avoid stalling deals) |
| Transfer of Ownership and Conveyance Fees | 1,600 Riyals per deed by Cabinet decision, regardless of area |
| Tolerable Area Error Margins | 2% for urban areas / 5% for non-urban areas (to overlook minor discrepancies) |
Watch the Full Meeting with Yazeed Al-Yahya
To follow the meeting in more detail, you can watch the full meeting via our YouTube channel:
The Role of the Aqar App in Serving the Real Estate Sector Through the Gathering of Realtors Initiative
The “Gathering of Realtors” initiative from Aqar Academy is a live periodic meeting organized by the Aqar platform to bring together brokers, developers, and experts in an interactive space aimed at exchanging field expertise, discussing market challenges, and establishing partnerships and joint deals.
This meeting highlights the pivotal role of the Aqar app, which goes beyond merely being a platform for displaying advertisements; it becomes a true enabler for the sector. Through this initiative, the app contributes to moving the broker out of the circle of individual work to build a cohesive real estate community, raise the level of professionalism, and provide practitioners with the necessary moral and cognitive support to keep pace with market developments.