Can foreigners own property in Egypt?

The short answer

Yes, a non-Egyptian can own property in Egypt, but within firm limits. Under Law No. 230 of 1996, a non-Egyptian may own no more than two properties in the whole country for private residence, each no larger than four thousand square metres, and may not transfer either of them for five years after acquiring it. A company in which Egyptians do not hold the majority of the capital is treated as a non-Egyptian company under the same law.

The rules below are taken from the English translation of Law No. 230 of 1996 published by Andersen in Egypt, which we read on 31 October 2026. The law text is the authority; this article is general guidance.

What the law covers

Law No. 230 of 1996 regulates the ownership by non-Egyptians of built properties and vacant land. It replaced Law No. 56 of 1988 and applies without prejudice to the Investment Law, so a foreign investor who buys under the investment regime may face other rules. For a foreign buyer who wants a home, the 1996 law is the one that matters.

The law covers full ownership, bare ownership and usufruct. It applies however ownership is acquired, except by inheritance. So the limits below apply whether you buy from a developer, buy a resale unit from an owner, or receive a property through a transfer that is not an inheritance.

Who counts as a non-Egyptian

The law names two groups: a natural person who is not an Egyptian citizen, and a legal person such as a company, "regardless of its legal form". For companies the test is simple. If Egyptians do not own the majority of the capital, the company is a non-Egyptian company, even if it was incorporated in Egypt under Egyptian law.

That matters for buyers who purchase through a company. Setting up a company in Egypt does not by itself take a purchase outside the law. The question is who owns the majority of the capital.

The two-property limit

Article 2 allows a non-Egyptian to own built properties or vacant land only if ownership is limited to no more than two properties throughout Egypt, for private residence of the owner and his family. The law defines family as spouses and minor children. The limit is national, not per city: two homes in Cairo count the same as one in Cairo and one on the North Coast.

The law also allows the properties needed for a private activity licensed by the competent Egyptian authorities. A buyer who plans a clinic, an office or a shop under a licence should check that licence before buying, because the test for a licensed activity is different from the residential one.

The size limit: 4,000 square metres

The second condition in Article 2 is that the area of each property must not exceed four thousand square metres, applied to each property separately. A villa on a large plot can exceed the limit even if the house is small, so check the land area stated in the contract.

The same article says the property must not be classified as an antiquity under the Antiquities Protection Law. A buyer in an older district should confirm this with the registration office before paying.

Exemptions and special areas

Article 2 lets the Prime Minister grant exemptions from both conditions, the two-property limit and the size limit, in cases he considers appropriate. It also lets the Council of Ministers set special conditions for tourist areas and new urban communities it designates. These exemptions are not automatic. A buyer should not assume the limits do not apply because a project is in a tourist area or because its marketing suggests so. An exemption has to come from an official decision; a developer's sales team cannot grant one.

Article 3 is a different case. Property owned by a foreign government for a diplomatic or consular mission, or by an international or regional body, falls outside the law, subject to reciprocity. That exemption does not extend to a private foreign buyer.

The five-year rule before resale

Article 5 is the rule most buyers do not expect. A non-Egyptian who acquires property under this law may not dispose of it by any means that transfers ownership for five years from the date ownership was acquired. The Prime Minister may authorise an earlier disposal in cases he considers appropriate, but the rule itself is five years.

In practice, a buyer of an apartment still under construction should count the five years from the acquisition date on the registered contract, not from handover. If the plan is to sell soon to benefit from a price rise, this rule blocks that plan without official authorisation. Nothing in the record of this site says how prices will move, so read the five-year rule as a fixed limit on your own plan, not as a forecast.

What happens to a transfer that breaks the law

Article 6 says a disposition made in breach of the law is null and void and may not be registered. Any interested party and the Public Prosecution may ask a court to declare it void, and the court can rule on nullity on its own initiative. A buyer who signs a contract that breaks the two-property limit, the size limit or the five-year rule may find the transfer cannot be registered at all, and recovers money only through a legal claim.

That is the strongest reason to check the limits before signing a reservation form, not after. A reservation is not registration, and a seller's assurance is not an official decision.

Vacant land and the construction deadline

If the property is vacant land, Article 4 applies. The non-Egyptian buyer must start construction within five years of the month in which the transfer took place. If that period passes without works starting, the five-year restriction on disposal is extended by the length of the delay. A buyer who buys a plot as an investment should plan the construction start first, because delay pushes back the date on which the plot can be sold.

Registration: where the process happens

Article 7 names the Real Estate Registration and Notarisation Authority as the body implementing the law. It provides for special registration and notarisation offices with jurisdiction over non-Egyptian applications, and sets a maximum of ten days for them to complete registration once all required documents have been submitted. The organisation of those offices is set by a decree of the Minister of Justice.

The ten-day limit runs from the day the full file is accepted; a missing document restarts the clock in practice. Ask the office for the document list for a non-Egyptian buyer, because it may differ from the list for an Egyptian buyer.

What the law does not settle

This article covers the 1996 law only. It does not cover taxes on sale or purchase, the fees charged by the registration office, mortgage finance, or residence and work permits. Those belong to other laws and authorities, and the figures change. A buyer who needs a loan should ask a bank in writing whether it lends to non-Egyptian buyers and on what terms; the bank's answer is the only one that counts for that loan.

The Investment Law can also apply to a buyer who invests in a licensed project, and then the investment regime, not only the 1996 limits, decides what is possible. A lawyer should read both before a buyer commits to a plan that depends on either.

Practical checklist before you sign

1. Count the properties you already own in Egypt, in every governorate. The limit is two in total.
2. Check the land area of the unit on the contract. It must not exceed 4,000 square metres.
3. Decide whether the property is for private residence. Commercial use needs a licence that covers it.
4. Write down the date ownership is acquired, and the date five years later.
5. If you buy a plot, plan to start construction within five years.
6. Ask the developer or seller in writing which official decision covers any exemption you rely on.
7. Ask the registration office for its document list for a non-Egyptian buyer before paying the balance.

FAQ

Can a foreigner buy a home in Egypt?

Yes. Under Law No. 230 of 1996, a non-Egyptian can own up to two properties in Egypt for private residence, each no larger than 4,000 square metres, on the conditions in the law.

How many properties can a non-Egyptian own in Egypt?

The law sets a limit of two properties across the whole country, for the owner and his family, meaning a spouse and minor children. It is a national limit, not counted separately for each city.

How long must a foreign buyer wait before selling?

Article 5 says five years from the date ownership was acquired. The Prime Minister may authorise a sale before then in cases he considers appropriate, but a buyer cannot count on that.

Does a company with foreign owners count as a foreigner?

Yes, if Egyptians do not own the majority of its capital. Article 1 applies this test whatever the company's legal form, even if it was registered in Egypt.

What happens if a sale breaks the law?

Article 6 says the disposition is null and void and cannot be registered. An interested party or the Public Prosecution may ask a court to declare it void.

General guidance, based on the English translation of Law No. 230 of 1996 published by Andersen in Egypt, read on 31 October 2026. General guidance — check with the official authority before you act.