Start with the matrícula
Ask for a recent certified registration record from the competent Registro de Imóveis. Your lawyer should reconcile the registered owner, parcel description and recorded encumbrances with the offer. Under Civil Code Article 1,245, ownership transfer between living persons depends on registration of the transfer instrument. Signing a contract or paying the price is not the end of the process.
Check seller, boundaries and access
Have your lawyer identify the seller’s capacity to transfer and the relevant consent, representation, tax and litigation checks. Ask a qualified surveyor to reconcile the land on the ground with the documents. Walk the access route, identify who owns it and establish whether any required easement is legally secured.
- Current matrícula and registered encumbrances
- Seller identity, authority and required consents
- Survey and boundary discrepancies
- Legal access, actual road condition and utility connections
Review environmental and rural records
For rural land, ask counsel which CCIR, ITR, survey and environmental records are required. CAR records environmental information; enrollment alone is not a clean environmental bill of health. Request a review of protected areas, existing use, restrictions and any remediation obligations. Do not assume that every advertised hectare is buildable or productive.
Agree conditions before transferring money
Ask your lawyer to write down the documents still required, who must supply them, and how failed checks affect your deposit. Independently verify payment instructions through a known contact channel. At completion, request confirmation of registration and an organized handover of keys, access arrangements and property records.
Sources & further reading
Reviewed October 14, 2026. Educational guidance; eligibility, tax and transaction requirements need individual professional review. Some official sources are in Portuguese.