Leasehold is how most foreigners hold a villa or a house in Thailand. Done properly it is a solid, registered right. Done badly it can leave you with far less than you thought you bought.
The basic rules
- The maximum term the Land Office will register is 30 years (Civil and Commercial Code s.540).
- A lease of more than three years must be in writing and registered at the Land Office. If it isn't, it can only be enforced for three years.
- Registration needs the landlord's title deed (ideally a chanote), and the landlord's spouse usually has to consent.
- The lease is recorded on the back of the title deed, so a later buyer of the land takes it subject to your lease.
Renewals: what changed
Many leases sold to foreigners promise "30 years plus two renewals of 30 years". In Supreme Court judgment 4655/2566, reported in 2025, the court held that pre-agreed renewals beyond the first 30 years are not enforceable, even where they were written into the contract or registered. Workarounds such as signing several leases in advance were treated the same way.
In practice, treat a 30-year lease as 30 years. Any renewal will depend on the landowner (or their heirs) agreeing to it when the time comes. Price the property on that basis.
What it costs to register
At the Land Office, registering a lease typically costs:
- a registration fee of 1% of the total rent over the whole term, including any upfront payment, and
- stamp duty of 0.1% of the total rent.
Who pays is a matter for the contract. These figures come from secondary sources; confirm them with the Land Office before you budget.
Protecting yourself
- Use a Thai lawyer who acts only for you, not the developer's lawyer.
- Check the title deed and that the person leasing to you actually owns the land.
- Make sure the lease says what happens if the landowner dies or sells, and who can inherit your lease.
- If you're building, register a right of superficies so the building is clearly yours.
Will 99-year leases happen?
The government has floated extending leases to 99 years since 2024, and a draft bill went to public consultation in July 2025. As of October 2026 it has not become law, so the 30-year limit still applies. We track it on What's changed.
Want someone to handle this?
If you own a villa or condo in Phuket, Pearl Property's management team takes care of the day-to-day paperwork for owners, from TM30 reports to tenant contracts and rental records for your accountant.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Figures were correct on the date shown above; rules change, so confirm with a Thai lawyer, accountant or the relevant office before you act.