Botswana - Apply for Certificate for Customary Ownership of Land

ProcedureEdit

Apply In Person

An application for Grant of Customary Rights on Tribal Land shall be made to the Botswana Land Board or Sub Land Board offices. Botswana Land Board or Sub Land Board Offices Address & Contact Details
Applicants are required to collect three (03) copies of the Application form for Customary Land Right. Copies of the Application Form are available for free at any of the Botswana Land Board or Sub Land Board offices countrywide or directly download it using this link Application form for Customary Land Right
Upon obtaining the application forms, the applicant should legibly complete the forms, attach the relevant supporting documentation as listed under the “Required Documents” section of this page. The complete file should be submitted to the nearest Botswana Land Board or Sub Land Board offices. Any omission of the supporting documents will render the application process incomplete.
Upon submission of the application, the receiving officer will check for discrepancies or ineligibility in the application documents. If a discrepancy that cannot be immediately corrected exists in any of the documents, the application and all the submitted documents will be returned to the applicant and should not be re-submitted until the discrepancy has been rectified corrected.
There is no fee associated with this service.
where everything is in order, the application is registered to be forwarded to the area land committee and the applicant is issued with an acknowledgment slip as proof of submission of the application and for future inquiries.
Upon receipt of the application, the Area land committee shall review the submitted documents and information, and shall issue a public notice and place it in a prominent place in the parish and on the land applied for a period not less than 14 days.
After the lapse of the notice period, and where there is no objection the Area Land Committee, shall arrange with the applicant for a site inspection on the proposed land and mark boundaries by planting trees, right of easements.
The Area Land Committee fills in 03 copies of the Declaration form and draws the sketch map which is allocated a unique number. Applicants are issued with a copy of the completed Declaration form.
After a successful inspection phase, the Area Land Committee shall prepare a detailed inspection report with recommendations and records the interest and rights in the land for women, absent persons, minors, and the person with a disability if any.
Submit the completed Application form for Customary Land Right, Declaration form, and inspection report to the nearest Botswana Land Board or Sub Land Board offices for checking and submission to the land board for processing and consideration.
After a successful documentation phase, the board shall either approve or reject the application with reason and send a copy of the decision to the registrar to record.
where the application is approved, the land shall be allocated and the new plot holder shall be issued with a Deed of Customary Land Grant printed on a paper with special security features.
Once granted, the Rights are held in perpetuity and can be passed from one generation to another. A customary law land grant can be issued for, but not limited to, the following purposes:
- Residential plots
- Arable fields/integrated
- Borehole

Required DocumentsEdit

Duly completed and signed Application form for Customary Land Right
A certified and valid copy of Omang
Copy of Instrument signed under Married Persons Property Act (proof of Marriage regime if married and Affidavit if not married)
Decree absolute and court order where applicable
In the case of widow/widower, a death certificate
In the case of People Living with disability (PLWD) copy of the Disability Card
In the case of disadvantaged and marginalized groups, a confirmation letter and assessment report from District Council.

Office Locations & ContactsEdit

Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services
(Botswana Land Board or Sub Land Board)
Headquarters
Private Bag 00434
Gaborone
Botswana
Address: Plot Number 1108, AKD Building Main Mall
Tel: (+267) 368 2000/361 5300
Fax: (+267) 390 4826/3913055
Toll-free: 080 060 0737
Botswana Land Board or Sub Land Board Offices Address & Contact Details
Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services Office Location & Contact Details
Opening hours 07:30 to 12:45 and 13:45 to 16:30, Monday to Friday except public holidays.

EligibilityEdit

Applicants should meet the following requirement to be eligible;

Motswana
Attained age of majority

FeesEdit

No fee is associated with the service.

ValidityEdit

The Deed of Customary Land Grant certificate is valid forever.

Documents to UseEdit

Application form for Customary Land Right
Declaration form

Sample DocumentsEdit

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing TimeEdit

Residential plots are allocated through a waiting list process depending on the availability of surveyed and serviced land.

InstructionsEdit

Please provide other instructions related to the certificate/documents.
e.g. The state office holds birth records since January 1908.

Required InformationEdit

Full name of the applicant
Contact details (telephone/mobile number/ postal address)
Date of birth/ age/ gender
Nationality
Identity card number
Marital status
Spouse details (if applicable)
Details of the plot in question (address/ size/ presence use/ proposed use)
Declaration by the applicant

Need for the DocumentEdit

The Certificate of Customary Ownership provides documentary evidence of ownership of land rights under customary land tenure.

Information which might helpEdit

Enter other information which might help.

External LinksEdit

Application for Customary Law Land Grant

OthersEdit

More information which might help people.