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Practice Area

Land Title Regularization

Regularization of small landholdings, title curing, land subdivision and correction of registered areas under D.L. 2,695 and complementary rules, before the regional office of the Ministry of National Assets and the Real Estate Registrar.

We assist people who hold material possession of real estate without a registered title, or whose titles are defective, managing the regularization of small landholdings (saneamiento de la pequeña propiedad raíz) under Decree Law No. 2,695 (Decreto Ley N° 2.695). Law No. 21,737 (Ley N° 21.737) updated the regime and set a single maximum tax appraisal of 1,000 UTM (Chile’s inflation-indexed monthly tax unit) for both urban and rural land.

Regularizing delivers legal certainty: with a title registered in your name you can sell, mortgage, bequeath and subdivide the property, and qualify for state subsidies and benefits.

Who can regularize land in Chile?

Anyone who meets the following requirements as of the filing date may apply:

  • Material possession of the property that is peaceful, continuous, uninterrupted and exclusive for at least five years.
  • A tax appraisal of 1,000 UTM or less (urban or rural).
  • No registered title, or a title with defects that prevent proving ownership.
  • No pending lawsuits over ownership or possession filed before the application, and no conviction for usurpation (unlawful occupation).
  • The property must have clear boundaries, and the applicant must have carried out positive acts on it (improvements, construction, payment of utilities or property taxes).

The cap: 1,000 UTM

The current limit is a tax appraisal of up to 1,000 UTM (as of June 2026, roughly CLP $71.5 million; the UTM is adjusted every month, so the peso amount varies). The appraisal in force on the application date applies, as determined by Chile’s Internal Revenue Service (SII).

There is also an emergency procedure, created by Law No. 21,741 (Ley N° 21.741) and Exempt Resolution No. 222 of 2024, that allows regularization without the 1,000 UTM cap in cases of catastrophe or irregular settlements under the authority of the Housing and Urbanization Service (SERVIU).

Required documents

  • Form No. 1 (application), No. 2 and No. 2.2 (sworn statements), No. 3 (declaration by adjoining neighbors) and No. 4 (location sketch); the official forms are in Spanish.
  • A Prior Information Certificate (Certificado de Informaciones Previas) from the Municipal Works Department (Dirección de Obras Municipales).
  • A litigation certificate from the Real Estate Registrar (Conservador de Bienes Raíces).
  • The property’s tax roll number (rol de avalúo).

Further down this page you will find the official forms for download and a calculator that estimates whether a portion of the property falls within the cap.

Stages of the procedure

  1. Filing and review. Submission of the application and supporting documents to the regional office (SEREMI) of the Ministry of National Assets (Bienes Nacionales) and coordination with the Municipal Works Department.
  2. Survey and resolution. On-site survey, preparation of the plan, notices to public entities, notification of the presumptive owner and a resolution recognizing possession.
  3. Publication and objections. Publication of notices in a regional newspaper and posting of a sign on the property, with a 60 business day window for anyone claiming rights to object.
  4. Registration. Registration with the Real Estate Registrar and delivery of the ownership title. Once two years have passed from registration with no adverse action, the possessor acquires full ownership by prescription (adverse possession).

Costs

The procedure carries a fee determined by the Social Household Registry (Registro Social de Hogares): applicants in the most vulnerable 40% may qualify for a full fee waiver; between the 41% and 60% brackets the corresponding reduced tier is paid; above 60% the full fee applies. If the application is rejected after payment, a refund applies depending on the stage reached.

Regularizing only a portion of the property

You do not always need to regularize the entire parcel. When the total appraisal exceeds 1,000 UTM, regularizing only a portion can keep that part’s appraisal within the cap. The appraisal calculator below prorates the tax appraisal by surface area and tells you whether the portion qualifies. The final value is set by the SII based on the survey and subdivision.

How we help

  • Curing and regularization of ownership titles before the regional office of the Ministry of National Assets.
  • Land subdivision and correction of registered areas and boundaries.
  • Registration of the property with the competent Real Estate Registrar.
  • Counsel in possession disputes and third-party objections during the procedure.

We know the process in Temuco and the La Araucanía Region in detail, which allows us to anticipate deadlines, requirements and potential objections and see your case through to a successful close.

We handle land title regularization matters in Temuco and across the Araucanía Region, with in-person and remote representation throughout Chile.

Tool

Assessed value calculator: does the portion meet the cap?

If you are regularizing a portion of a property rather than the whole parcel, this calculator estimates the proportional assessed fiscal value of that portion and checks whether it stays within the legal cap of 1,000 UTM. Use the total assessed value and the total surface area shown on the assessment certificate issued by Chile's Internal Revenue Service (SII).

UTM value for the selected date (source: mindicador.cl). You can adjust it manually.

Enter the assessed value and surface areas to see the result.

Reference estimate only. The assessed value is prorated by surface area; the actual assessed fiscal value of the portion is determined by the SII based on the survey and subdivision. An emergency procedure (Ley 21.741) allows regularization without the 1,000 UTM cap.

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum fiscal appraisal for regularizing land under Decree Law 2,695 (D.L. 2.695)?

The current limit is a fiscal appraisal equal to or below 1,000 UTM, set by Law No. 21,737 (Ley N° 21.737), which applies equally to urban and rural properties (the previous cap was 380 UTM for urban and 800 UTM for rural land). As of June 2026, 1,000 UTM equals roughly CLP 71.5 million, but since the UTM is adjusted every month, it is advisable to calculate the amount using the value in force on the date of the application, which is the one Chile’s Internal Revenue Service (SII) takes into account. There is an emergency procedure (Law No. 21,741, Ley N° 21.741) that allows regularization without this cap in catastrophe situations or irregular settlements.

How many years of possession are required to regularize a property?

You must prove material possession of at least five years as of the date the application is filed. That possession must be peaceful, continuous, uninterrupted, and exclusive, meaning you act as the owner without acknowledging anyone else’s title and without ongoing disputes. Evidence can include, among other things, payment of property taxes and utilities, improvements or buildings on the land, and statements from adjoining neighbors. In addition, there must be no pending lawsuit over ownership or possession filed before the application.

Can I regularize only part of the land instead of the whole property?

Yes. When you do not want to, or cannot, regularize the entire property, it is possible to regularize a portion of it. This is especially useful when the total fiscal appraisal exceeds 1,000 UTM: by considering only part of the land, the proportional appraisal of that portion may fall within the legal cap. The final appraisal of the portion is determined by Chile’s Internal Revenue Service (SII) based on the survey and the subdivision. On our Land Title Regularization page you will find a calculator that prorates the appraisal by surface area and estimates whether the portion meets the 1,000 UTM cap.

How much does regularization cost and can it be free of charge?

The procedure before the Ministry of National Assets (Bienes Nacionales) carries a fee calculated according to the applicant’s Social Household Registry (Registro Social de Hogares): those within the most vulnerable 40% can obtain the procedure free of charge; between 41% and 60%, the applicable tier is paid; and above 60%, the full amount is paid. Payment is made at BancoEstado or online, and if the application is rejected after payment, a refund applies depending on the stage at which it is rejected. Professional fees may be added if you hire counsel to prepare and follow up on the case.

What happens if someone opposes the regularization?

During the procedure, notices are published in a regional newspaper and a sign is posted on the property, opening a 60 business day period for anyone who believes they hold rights over the property to file an opposition. The opposition must be substantiated and supported by evidence; merely asserting a right is not enough. If one is filed, the regional office (SEREMI) of the Ministry of National Assets (Bienes Nacionales) rules on it and, depending on the case, the matter may be referred to the courts. That is why a prior review of the background is key: it makes it possible to anticipate potential oppositions, gather the evidence of possession, and respond to them properly. A motion for reconsideration may also be filed against the resolution within five days.

How long does the regularization procedure before the Ministry of National Assets (Bienes Nacionales) take?

There is no single timeframe: it depends on the workload of the regional office (SEREMI), on the on-site survey, on the clarity of the boundaries, and on whether oppositions arise. The procedure advances in stages (filing and review, survey and resolution, publication of notices with a 60 business day opposition period, and registration with the Real Estate Registry (Conservador de Bienes Raíces)), so it usually takes several months. Submitting a complete and well-founded application from the outset, with the correct forms and certificates, is the best way to avoid observations that lengthen the process. After registration, ownership is consolidated by prescription once two years have elapsed with no actions against it.

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