Registering a Condominium Plan and Unit Titles
Updated 3 November 2026 · Land & Property editorial team
Unit titles come into being when the proprietor or developer registers a condominium plan with the registrar. The plan must carry a unit factor schedule, a parcel title statement, a surveyor's certificate, a local authority certificate and, for an existing building, an architect's certificate. The registrar then closes the parcel register and opens one for each unit. Delays at any step hold up every buyer.
- Who lodges the plan
- The proprietor or developer, with the registrar (Act 4 of 2001, s.2)
- Copies lodged
- Four, called quadruplicate (s.2(2))
- Unit factors
- Whole numbers that add up to 10,000 (Regulations 2002, reg. 10)
- Result
- Parcel register closed, one register and certificate of title per unit (s.3)
- Official time limit for titles
- None found, as of November 2026
How are condominium titles created?
Unit titles are created by registration of a condominium plan, not by the sale of a flat. Here are the steps in the order the law and regulations put them.
- Approved building. The local authority approves the building and the proposed division of it into units (section 10(1)(b)).
- Survey. A registered surveyor certifies that the structure sits within the parcel boundaries, or that an easement covers any projection (section 10(1)(a)).
- Unit factors. Each unit gets a factor in whole numbers and the total is 10,000 (section 9(1)(f); regulation 10).
- Plan drawn. The plan sheets are drawn to the standards in regulations 6 to 9.
- Application. The application is made on the prescribed form (regulation 11) and lodged in quadruplicate with the registrar (section 2(2)), with the fee.
- Registration. The registrar closes the register of the parcel, opens a separate register for each unit and issues each unit's certificate of title on payment of the fee (section 3).
- Corporation. The owners' corporation exists automatically from registration (section 19).
KTA Advocates summarises the same sequence and adds that the plan needs approvals from the physical planning authority and from civil and structural engineers. We only list what the Act itself requires. For the legal background, read Condominium Property Act 2001 in Plain English, and for a buyer's view see Owning a Condo Unit.
Who registers the plan?
The proprietor or the developer of an existing or planned building does (section 2(1)). A buyer does not register the plan, which is why a buyer's title depends on the developer's diligence. Registration is done with the registrar appointed under the Registration of Titles Act, and the provisions of that Act on registration techniques and procedures apply unless the Condominium Property Act says otherwise (section 4(1)). A developer building in phases may deposit a phased plan with a timetable for each phase (section 2(3) to (5)). Later, an owner of a unit may subdivide or consolidate it with local authority approval by registering a plan of subdivision or consolidation (section 7).
The building may not have been a flat block originally. If premises in a building are rented to a tenant who is not party to a sale agreement and are not included in a condominium plan, the owner may not sell them until a plan including them is registered (section 12). If the land is held on a lease, the owner of a unit means the registered holder of the leasehold estate in the unit, and the lease side is explained in Registering a Lease in Uganda.
What documents are needed?
| Document | Who provides it | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Application for registration of a condominium plan | Proprietor or developer | Regulation 11 and the Second Schedule form |
| Condominium plan sheets, with the heading "condominium plan" | The proprietor's surveyor | Section 9(1); regulations 6 to 9 |
| Schedule of unit numbers, unit factors and approximate floor areas in square metres | Proprietor | Section 9(1)(e) and (f); regulation 10(2) |
| Statement identifying title to the parcel | Proprietor | Section 9(1)(g) |
| Surveyor's certificate | Registered surveyor | Section 10(1)(a) |
| Certificate of approval of the division | Local authority | Section 10(1)(b) |
| Architect's certificate that units match the existing structure | Registered architect, for buildings already built | Section 10(2) |
| Address for service on the corporation | Proprietor | Section 9(1)(j) |
| Delineation of areas to be leased, for residential units | Proprietor | Section 9(2) |
The Regulations also set the look of the plan: drawn on tracing linen or polyester film of a size set by the Commissioner for Surveys, in numbered sheets, on fixed boundaries, with a site and building location plan in the north-up orientation and building dimensions recorded to 0.01 of a metre (regulations 6 to 8). Floor plans number the units consecutively from unit 1 (regulation 9). The regulations are the 2002 text, which KTA says were amended in 2012. We found no 2022 regulations, as of November 2026.
The 2002 fee schedule listed UGX 20,000 for submitting a plan and UGX 10,000 on an application for a unit's certificate of title. Those are 2002 figures. We could not open the amended schedule, so ask the registry for current fees.
What happens after the plan is registered?
Several duties start at once. The corporation must give the rating authority two certified copies of the plan within 28 days (section 13). The developer must call a meeting to elect the first board within 90 days after half the units are sold or 180 days after the first sale, whichever is sooner (section 26). The developer must hand the corporation warranties, structural, electrical and mechanical drawings, as-built drawings and permits within six months (section 36). Rules the corporation makes, and later changes to them, take effect only when registered (section 29(3)), and changes of board members must be filed within 15 days (section 25(2)). Alterations to the condominium property require new plans to be submitted to the registrar (section 20(1)(k)).
When you buy a resale unit, check the plan is registered and the unit title is in the seller's name, then follow Selling or Buying a Condo Unit on Resale. Condominium by-laws are explained in condominium by-laws.
Why do delays leave buyers without titles?
The law makes registration depend on other agencies. A 2025 Makerere University master's dissertation on Kampala condominiums, based on 115 condominium owners, 28 developers, 27 KCCA officials and seven key informants, says the condominium law is strong on paper but constrained in practice by lengthy registration and approval processes, weak enforcement and limited awareness. A 2020 commentary by Frank Tumusiime Advocates says real estate players complained of corruption delaying approvals. We found no official, published time limit for issuing unit titles after a plan is lodged.
Look at the dependency list above. Until the local authority certificate, the surveyor's certificate and, for existing buildings, the architect's certificate are in hand, the plan cannot be registered. Until it is registered, no unit register opens. A developer that sells before these approvals exist passes the delay risk to the buyers. Building approval itself is explained in Building Plan Approval in Kampala. Section 40(1)(f) expects buyers to receive a certificate of title for the unit or proposed unit before the sale, and section 54(3) says a buyer can still enforce the sale agreement even if the developer failed to comply with the Act.
Our November 2026 listings include 19 apartment-category properties, most of them whole rental blocks, with few single condominium units (Land & Property listings, Nov 2026). Read Kampala Housing Demand for why demand is pushing this market. Then browse apartment listings, and ask for the plan number on any unit that interests you. The overview guide is Homes and Condominiums for Sale in Uganda, and you can book an escorted site visit to meet the managing agent.
Frequently asked questions
How are condominium titles created?
A proprietor or developer registers a condominium plan with the registrar. The registrar closes the register for the whole parcel, opens a separate register for each unit and issues a certificate of title for each unit on payment of the fee (Condominium Property Act, 2001, s.3). The owners' corporation exists from that moment.
Who registers the plan?
The proprietor or developer of the building does, not the buyer (s.2). A unit owner can later register a plan of subdivision or consolidation of their own unit with local authority approval (s.7). If you are buying, ask the developer for the plan number and the date it was lodged.
What documents are needed to register a condominium plan?
The application form, plan sheets, a schedule of unit factors and floor areas, a statement identifying the parcel title, a surveyor's certificate, a local authority certificate approving the division and, for an existing building, an architect's certificate (ss.9 and 10; regulation 11).
How long does it take to get unit titles?
We found no official time limit. A 2025 Makerere study found lengthy registration and approval processes. Ask the developer for dates in writing, and put a delivery date and remedy for delay into your sale agreement before you pay.
Are there condominium regulations from 2022?
We found none in our research as of November 2026. The framework we can confirm is the Act of 2001, the Condominium Property Regulations of 2002 and an amendment in 2012. If someone cites 2022 rules, ask for the instrument number.
Sources
- Condominium Property Act, 2001 (Act 4 of 2001), full text, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Uganda (accessed 2026-11)
- Condominium Property Regulations, 2002 (S.I. 29 of 2002), full text, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Uganda (accessed 2026-11)
- Bricks and By-laws: Understanding Condominium Ownership Rights and Responsibilities in Uganda, KTA Advocates (accessed 2026-11)
- Assessing the potential of condominium housing as an approach to addressing urban housing deficits: Kampala case study (MSc dissertation), Makerere University (MAKIR) (accessed 2026-11)
- Emerging trends on condominium housing sector of Uganda, Frank Tumusiime Advocates (accessed 2026-11)