Can foreigners buy property in Azerbaijan? Apartments and land

Before looking at listings, most foreign buyers ask one question: am I allowed to own property in Azerbaijan, and what exactly would I own? The short answer: land and buildings are treated differently. Foreigners may acquire land only on lease^1,2. For buildings, the Land Code and a legislative reference published by Azerbaijan’s embassies say that where a building is sold to a foreigner, the land under it is leased^1,3. Whatever you buy, ownership is complete only when the transfer is entered in the State Register of Immovable Property^4,5. Below we set out what the official sources say, what they leave to a notary or lawyer, how title passes, what proves it, and what it means for residence.

Land and buildings are separate questions

Azerbaijan’s Constitution states that everyone has the right to property⁸, and that foreigners and stateless persons enjoy the same rights as citizens unless a law or an international treaty provides otherwise⁸. The Land Code contains specific rules on foreigners and land.

Land: lease only

Article 48.3 of the Land Code, in the undated English translation published by the State Migration Service, provides that foreigners, stateless persons, foreign legal entities, international organisations and foreign states may acquire land plots in Azerbaijan “only on the basis of lease”¹. The FAQ page of the State Service on Property Issues says the same in Azerbaijani². Article 51.2 of the same translation lists foreigners among those to whom land plots may be leased¹.

If ownership of land passes to a foreigner through inheritance, gift or mortgage, the Land Code requires the land to be alienated (transferred to someone else) within one year^1,2. Bear this in mind if you inherit property or are offered a house with its own plot.

Apartments and buildings

No official source we read states in terms whether a foreigner may buy an apartment. What the sources do say is this. Article 88.4 of the Land Code, in the same translation, provides that when structures, facilities and enterprises are sold to foreigners, the land on which they are located is leased to them¹. A legislative reference on the websites of Azerbaijan’s embassies, which is undated and uses the names of bodies that have since changed, states the same rule³, and that foreigners’ acquisition of property other than land is governed by other laws, including the Housing Code³.

Whether you may acquire a particular apartment or building, and how any land under it will be held, is confirmed for your purchase by the notary who certifies the contract, or by a licensed lawyer in Azerbaijan; that is normal transaction practice, not an extra hurdle.

How ownership passes: notary, then register

Notarial certification

The embassy reference states that agreements disposing of registered immovable property are certified by notaries, who check the seller’s authority and the legality of the contract³. In a ruling of 11 June 2025, the Constitutional Court described notarial certification as mandatory for transactions that create real rights in immovable property⁶. ASAN service centres (ASAN xidmət) certify property sale contracts; their service page (undated; read on 30 September 2026) lists the following requirements: proof of the seller’s ownership; a certificate from the register on any encumbrance or arrest; the marriage certificate and the spouse’s notarised consent if the owner is married; and the notarised consent of adult family members registered at the property⁹.

State registration

The Civil Code, as quoted by the Constitutional Court in a decision of 22 December 2020, provides that ownership of immovable property acquired by contract passes to the buyer from the date the transfer is entered in the State Register⁴. The Law on the State Register of Immovable Property describes registration as the legal act by which the state recognises and confirms the right⁵. Paying the price and signing the contract are not enough on their own. The FAQ page of the State Service on Property Issues says that rights in immovable property are registered within 10 working days of the application². We do not quote registration or notarial fees here; confirm the current amounts with the relevant authority before you commit.

What proves your ownership

The key document is the extract from the State Register of Immovable Property (çıxarış). The law provides that the creation and transfer of ownership are formalised by an extract issued by the registration body⁵. The register operator lets you obtain an electronic extract and verify it online¹⁰. Check that the name, property identifier and area match those in the contract.

Does ownership bring residence?

Not automatically. The State Migration Service’s page on temporary residence (last updated 6 November 2025) lists, among the grounds for a temporary residence permit, owning real estate in Azerbaijan worth at least 100,000 manat, citing Article 45.1.3 of the Migration Code⁷. A temporary residence permit is issued for up to one year and can be extended each time for up to two years⁷.

For this ground, the Service asks for a register extract or another document confirming ownership, and a valuation of the property issued by a person or company authorised under Azerbaijani law to carry out such valuations⁷. This is a ground to apply; the decision rests with the State Migration Service. Confirm the current conditions with the Service before you base a purchase decision on residence.

Before you pay: three checks

• The seller’s title. Ask for a register extract in the seller’s name and the certificate on encumbrances or arrest⁹.
• Confirmation for this property. Before you sign, have the notary or a licensed lawyer confirm that you may acquire this property, on what basis any land under it is held, and the notarial form and documents your contract needs³.
• Registration, not just signature. Follow the transfer until the register extract is issued in your name^4,5.

When this may not suit you

• You want to own farmland or a building plot in your own name. The law allows foreigners only a lease¹.
• Residence is your only goal, and you have not yet confirmed the current conditions with the State Migration Service.
• The seller cannot show a clear register extract in their name, or a certificate that the property is free of encumbrances.

If you plan to let the apartment while abroad, see Letting your Baku apartment from abroad. If you will live in it yourself, see Place-of-stay registration in Azerbaijan: who, when and how.

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. For your own purchase, rely on a licensed lawyer and a notary.