Buying in Fiji follows a path that will look familiar if you have bought in New Zealand, Australia or the UK: offer, contract, deposit, conditions, settlement, registration. The differences are in the land titles and in the consents some buyers and some properties need. This guide walks through the steps in order. If you are ready to look at listings, start with buy property in Fiji.
Step 1: Decide what you are buying and why
A family home, a holiday villa, a rental, a development site and a resort are different purchases with different rules. Be clear on the purpose first, because it decides the zoning you need, the title that suits you and, for overseas buyers, which properties you are allowed to buy.
Step 2: Understand the title
Every property in Fiji is one of three things:
- Freehold, owned outright and registered with the Registrar of Titles.
- State lease, leased from the government, commonly for up to 99 years.
- iTaukei lease, leased from indigenous landowners through the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB).
With leasehold, ask three questions straight away: when did the lease start, how long is left, and what is the annual rent? Then ask what the lease allows, since leases are granted for a stated purpose such as residential, commercial, agricultural or tourism use. Our guide to freehold land in Fiji compares the three in detail.
Step 3: Check whether you need consent to buy
Fiji citizens buying freehold can skip this step. Everyone buying leasehold, and all overseas buyers, should read it.
- Overseas buyers and freehold. Under the Land Sales Act a non-resident needs the consent of the Minister for Lands to buy more than one acre in total, cannot buy residential freehold land within town or city boundaries unless it is a strata-titled unit or part of an approved tourism development, and is expected to build a home on vacant residential land within two years.
- State leases. Most are “protected” leases, which means the Director of Lands must consent to any sale, transfer or mortgage.
- iTaukei leases. The TLTB must consent to a transfer.
- Buying to run a business. If the property is a business, such as a resort or rental operation, an overseas buyer also has to meet Fiji’s foreign investment requirements. Investment Fiji is the place to start.
Consent applications are routine, but they take time and they are a condition of the contract, so they belong in your timeline from the start. There is more on this in buying property in Fiji as a foreigner.
Step 4: Find the property and do your homework
Once you have a shortlist, ask the agent for:
- a copy of the title or lease;
- the survey plan showing boundaries and area;
- the zoning and any town-planning conditions;
- which services are connected: water, power, sewer, sealed road;
- rates and, for leasehold, the current rent and whether it is paid up;
- for strata property, the body corporate rules and levies.
Visit if you can, and walk the boundaries with the plan in hand. Look at access, drainage and neighbours, and ask about flooding. If you cannot travel, tell us: every property we list is inspected and title-checked before it goes on the site, and we can answer questions about a site from the ground.
Step 5: Make an offer and sign the agreement
Offers are made through the agent, usually in writing. When price and terms are agreed, the solicitors prepare a sale and purchase agreement. Engage your own Fiji solicitor before you sign; the seller’s solicitor does not act for you.
The agreement normally sets out:
- the price and the deposit, commonly around 10 percent, held in a solicitor’s trust account;
- the conditions that must be met, such as finance, a clear title search and the consents in Step 3;
- the settlement date;
- what is included in the sale.
Step 6: Satisfy the conditions
Between signing and settlement your solicitor searches the title for mortgages, caveats and easements, applies for the consents that are needed and confirms rates and rent are paid. If you are borrowing, the bank will want a valuation. If a condition cannot be met, the agreement says what happens to your deposit, which is one reason the wording matters.
Step 7: Bring in the funds
Overseas buyers should send purchase money to Fiji through the banking system and keep the records. Fiji has exchange controls administered by the Reserve Bank of Fiji, and a documented inward transfer makes it far easier to take your money out again when you sell. Your bank and solicitor will tell you what paperwork is required.
Step 8: Settle and register
On settlement day the balance is paid, the seller’s solicitor hands over the signed transfer and the title documents, and you get the keys. Your solicitor then lodges the transfer for registration. You are the legal owner once the transfer is registered.
What does it cost to buy?
Beyond the price, budget for:
- Legal fees for the agreement, searches, consents and registration.
- Consent and registration fees charged by the relevant offices.
- A valuation and a survey check, if you or your bank want them.
- Tax. VAT can apply where the seller is VAT-registered, for example a developer, so ask whether the price includes it.
- Ongoing costs: town rates, lease rent, insurance, body corporate levies and maintenance.
Taxes and duties on property transfers have changed in Fiji in recent years, so have your solicitor or accountant confirm what currently applies to your purchase.
How long does it take?
A straightforward freehold purchase between local parties can settle in a matter of weeks. Add time where consents are needed, where the buyer is overseas or where finance is involved; a few months is a sensible expectation. Your solicitor can give you a realistic date once the title and your own status are known.
Mistakes to avoid
- Paying a deposit direct to a seller instead of into a solicitor’s trust account.
- Assuming “99-year lease” means 99 years remain.
- Buying land without checking legal road access and services.
- Leaving consents until after the contract is unconditional.
- Using the seller’s solicitor to save money.
How we help buyers
Fijian Real Estate is led by Farmaan Ali, who has around 24 years of experience across New Zealand and Fiji, including nearly a decade as a legal executive and time as a director of a land-surveying company. We check title before a property is listed, explain which consents apply to you, and work with legal partners who handle conveyancing and settlement, including for buyers who do not travel to Fiji before settlement.
Browse Fiji property for sale, read where to buy property in Fiji, or ask us a question.
Common questions
Can a foreigner buy property in Fiji?
Yes. Non-citizens can buy both freehold and leasehold property, subject to the Land Sales Act and the consents described above.
Do I need to be in Fiji to buy?
No. Documents can be signed overseas and your solicitor can settle on your behalf. It is still worth seeing the property, or having it inspected, before you commit.
Is a deposit refundable?
Only as far as the agreement allows. If a stated condition is not met, the deposit is normally returned; if you simply change your mind after the contract is unconditional, it usually is not.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Property law and tax rules in Fiji change, so confirm the details with a Fiji-qualified solicitor and accountant before you commit.