Last month, Egypt’s Parliament approved the Unified National Property ID Law, a key step toward modernizing the country’s real estate sector. The law introduces a digital system that assigns a unique identification number to each property, creating a centralized database aimed at improving transparency and regulatory oversight.
This is seen as a critical step toward reducing the country’s high rate of unregistered properties and improving the efficiency of property transactions.
The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), in coordination with the Ministry of Communications and other government bodies, will oversee the creation and operation of this database, which will house detailed property records, ensuring each property has a unique identifier that is easy to track, verify, and update.
The law is expected to address long-standing issues in Egypt’s real estate sector, including property disputes, tax collection inefficiencies, and registration delays. It will be implemented within six months of the issuance of the law’s executive regulations and applies to all properties.
“Introducing the Real Estate ID is a strategic milestone in Egypt’s journey toward building a transparent, well-regulated, and data-driven sector,” said Dr. Ahmed Shalaby, Co-Founder, President & CEO of Tatweer Misr and Co-Chair of the Real Estate Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. “It will significantly enhance the government’s ability to conduct nationwide property surveys, develop a comprehensive and accurate real estate database, and strengthen the foundations for effective policymaking and sector oversight.”
“On an operational level, the Real Estate ID acts much like a digital barcode, embedding key location data, such as district, city, and governorate into each property’s profile to ensure its unique, non-duplicable identity. This will bring much-needed clarity and trust to property transactions for all stakeholders in the market,” Shalaby noted.
Law’s core objectives
At its core, the Unified National Property ID Law seeks to modernize property registration, reduce administrative delays, and create greater transparency in property ownership and transactions. The law mandates the creation of a national digital database that will assign a unique ID to each property, allowing for easier access to property records. The database will be regularly updated to reflect changes such as construction, demolition, or property mergers.
Fathallah Fawzy, Chairman of the Real Estate Development Chamber and Chairman of Mena For Real Estate Development Consultancy, explained that 80% of real estate in Egypt remains unregistered due to the lengthy and complex registration process. He added that the Unified Property ID would simplify this process and include comprehensive data such as specifications, dimensions, descriptions, and licenses.
Impact on property transfers and mortgages
One of the most significant changes introduced by this law is the ease of transferring property ownership. Historically, property transactions in Egypt have been bogged down by a slow, bureaucratic process. The Unified Property ID will streamline these transactions, providing a secure and efficient way to handle property transfers and mortgages.
The new law is also expected to benefit foreign investors, who have long faced difficulties in registering property. Fawzy remarked, “Transferring property to foreigners has been a thorny issue, as the registration process is not straightforward. This has posed a significant obstacle to real estate export.”
“At the sector level, the Real Estate ID will support the growth of property financing by providing financial institutions with verified, detailed information on individual assets, ultimately facilitating more secure and scalable mortgage financing mechanisms. It will also play a key role in streamlining property registration processes, eliminating transaction duplications, and paving the way for more efficient property export mechanisms,” Shalaby explained
Mai Abdel Hamid, Head of the Mortgage Finance Fund, previously announced that approximately 564,102 clients had benefited from mortgage financing provided by banks. She added that, as of the end of August 2024, 22 banks had issued mortgage loans totaling EGP 70.627 billion.
Government oversight and tax collection
The new law also strengthens government oversight of the real estate sector. By establishing a centralized database, authorities will gain clearer visibility into the market, enabling more effective tracking of ownership, identification of violations, and enforcement of proper taxation.
Waleed Sweida, President of the Engineering Consulting Committee at the Egyptian Businessmen’s Association, highlighted the law’s significance for taxation and market regulation. “This will give us greater control over the real estate sector,” he said. “A national real estate census will help the country better understand availability, demand, and supply.”
The digitization of property records is expected to improve tax assessments by making property owners more easily identifiable, thereby enhancing compliance. The Ministry of Finance projects that real estate tax revenues will reach approximately EGP 8 billion in the 2024/2025 fiscal year, marking a 12.4% increase from the previous year.
Shalaby noted that the new system aligns with broader national objectives by promoting tax equity and supporting more sustainable and organized urban development.
A report by The Board Consulting revealed that Egypt’s top 21 real estate developers set a new sales record in 2024, reaching EGP 1.4 trillion—double the EGP 701 billion recorded in 2023.
Addressing resistance
Despite its advantages, the implementation of the new law may encounter resistance from individuals who have benefited from the existing disorganized system. Those who have avoided formal registration or exploited legal loopholes may oppose the mandate for comprehensive property documentation.
“The main challenge lies with those who profited illegally from flaws in the current system,” Sweida said. Nonetheless, he expressed optimism about the law’s potential, adding, “This will ultimately benefit the public, as registering property makes it more legitimate and lawful.”
While the law mainly targets older properties in traditional areas like downtown Cairo, newer developments are expected to face fewer obstacles. “We are transitioning the market from a highly disorganized state to a more structured and regulated one,” Sweida noted.
The road ahead
Public awareness campaigns will be essential to inform property owners about the system’s benefits. “It will take time, as it is not an easy cycle,” Sweida said. “However, this will provide benefits for property owners in confirming their ownership of the property and resolving old conflicts.”
Shalaby emphasized that, in the long term, the implementation of the Real Estate ID will help build greater trust and transparency within the real estate market, laying the groundwork for advanced digital services such as smart mortgage financing and property insurance.
In essence, the Unified National Property ID Law marks a pivotal step toward a more transparent, efficient, and investor-friendly real estate market in Egypt, with long-term benefits for both the public and private sectors.
