You can now access more than 10 services for free, including transfer of property ownership, permits for rural house construction, and life certificates.

This was made possible by a Presidential Order on December 4, 2023, determining fees for services and certificates from decentralised entities, published in the Official Gazette on December 5.

Among other provisions, the order lists services and certificates exempt from fees. They include the service of transfer of ownership on the immovable property [including buildings and land], a certificate of ownership on land issued by the land committee, a certificate of land registration; authorisation for the renovation of a building, and that for rehabilitation of a building.

Also featuring the fee-free list are an authorisation for the erection of a fence around a building, a building permit in a rural village, a certificate of life, a death certificate; authorisation for producing wood charcoal, clay bricks, and tiles burning; authorisation for forest harvesting, and a guardianship certificate.

The order states that the exemption from the mentioned fees on services and certificates does not waive the obligation to request them from the competent authorities before using them for their intended purpose.

A look at previous fees

Regarding fees charged for services related to titles of immovable property, including land or plot titles, the previous Presidential Order – of July 9, 2012 – provided that changing ownership of immovable property for any reason shall be subject to a fee equal to Rwf20,000, irrespective of the value of the concerned property.

Concerning people living in villages in places considered rural areas, requests for a building permit and measurement of a land plot were charged Rwf5,000, according to the 2012 Presidential Order.

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Regarding life and death certificates, the fee was Rwf1,200.

Authorisation for repair, rehabilitation of houses, or erection of a fence around a house, was subject to a fee of Rwf5,000 in the City of Kigali, and Rwf1,200 elsewhere in the country.

For fees charged on authorisations to burn firewood, clay bricks, and roof tiles, those charged on the provision of land and plot-related services, and those levied on official documents and documents notified by the public notary, they were based on services rendered to citizens, as per the previous Presidential Order.

Meanwhile, for the guardianship record (certificate), the cost was Rwf2,000, according to data from Irembo – a portal where people can access government services online in Rwanda.