Summary
Foreigners can own condominium units in Cambodia under the Law on Providing Foreigners with Ownership Rights in Private Units of Co-owned Buildings, promulgated on 24 May 2010. Foreigners may own private units only from the first floor up; ground floors and underground floors cannot be owned by foreigners, Article 6 says, in the translation by the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC).
Sub-Decree No. 82 of 2010 caps foreign ownership at 70% of the total floor area of all private units in a building. The land under the building cannot be owned by foreigners.
What this means for foreign condo buyers in Cambodia
The rules at a glance
| Rule | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Foreigners with legal capacity under Cambodian law who entered Cambodia legally | Law, Articles 4 and 5 |
| Which floors | First floor and above only; not ground or underground floors | Law, Article 6 |
| How much of a building | No more than 70% of the total floor area of all private units | Sub-Decree 82, Article 2 |
| The land | Cannot be owned by foreign co-owners | Law, Article 6 |
| Border areas | No ownership within 30 km of land borders, with exceptions such as special economic zones | Law, Article 6 |
Sources: MLMUPC translation of the 2010 law; Sub-Decree No. 82.
What a foreign owner holds
A foreign owner holds the private unit and the right to use and enjoy the common areas, such as the courtyard, stairs, roof, gardens and access ways, the law says. Cambodian co-owners hold undivided ownership of the common areas; foreign co-owners have use rights over them. When the cadastral authority issues a certificate of ownership to a foreign owner, it records the unit's floor area as a share of all private units in the building (Sub-Decree 82, Article 3).
Why the 70% cap matters at resale
The 70% cap is measured by floor area, not by number of units. In a building where foreign owners already hold 70% of the private floor area, a foreign seller may only be able to sell to a Cambodian buyer, which can narrow the market for resale. Ask the developer or the building's management for the current foreign share before you buy.
Illustration: a 10,000m² building
Illustration only. A building has 10,000m² of private units across all floors, including 800m² of shops on the ground floor. Foreigners may own up to 7,000m² of private units in total, and none of it can be on the ground floor.
FAQ
Can foreigners own a condo in Cambodia? Yes, a private unit from the first floor up, under the 2010 law. What is the foreign ownership limit? 70% of the total floor area of all private units in a building. Can foreigners own the land under the building? No.
Education only — not tax, legal or investment advice. Confirm with a licensed professional.
What to do next
- Confirm the unit is on the first floor or above and outside the 30 km border zone.
- Ask for the building's current foreign-owned floor area before paying a deposit.
- Check that the project has its co-owned building registration in place before you sign.
- Ask a verified lawyer to review the sale and title: proprkey.com/en/pros?segment=legalFinance
- Compare condos for sale: proprkey.com/en/properties?segment=buyer&mode=buy