Saint Lucia Alien Landholding License
Foreigners wishing to purchase land on the island must first acquire a Saint Lucia Alien Landholding License. Here are a few basics you should know about purchasing land or Real Estate in Saint Lucia:
- A local solicitor (attorney) must register the license
- The license is permanent and does not require renewal
- The license is granted for a specific property and is not transferable
- A non-refundable EC$1,500 license application fee is required
- License applications take 6 to 8 weeks to process
Once approved, the Saint Lucian cost of the Alien’s Landholding License is:
- 1 acre or less EC$5,00
- 1 – 10 acres EC$10,000
- 10 – 20 acres EC$20,000
- 20 – 50 acres EC$30,000
- 50 – 100 acres EC$40,000
- Over 100 acres EC$50,000
With the assistance of the purchaser’s solicitor and real estate agent, the following must be submitted:
- Completed Alien’s Landholding Application form
- Details of the property to be purchased
- Property value assessment
- Four passport photos of applicant
- Certificate of Character report from applicant’s local police department
- Certified fingerprints from a local police station
- Treasury receipt for the EC$1,500 application fee
- Approval in principle from the Saint Lucian Development Control Authority
Additional St. Lucia Alien Landholding License Costs
1. Stamp Duty
Saint Lucian law requires a Stamp Duty of 2% of the purchase price
2. Solicitor’s Fees
Legal fees are generally 3% of the purchase price
3. Purchase Deposit
The standard deposit is 10% of the purchase price; all purchasing contracts include the following forfeiture clause for the buyer’s protection:
- If buyer cancels – deposit is forfeited
- If vendor cancels – 10% deposit is refunded plus buyer receives the 10% deposit forfeited by the vendor
- If the Alien’s Landholding License is not approved – the buyer’s 10% deposit is refunded
4. Start-up Costs
The start-up cost for property purchase is approximately 15% of the property price, made up of, 10% deposit + 2% stamp duty + 3% solicitor fees.
