An official search is the single most important piece of paper in a Ghanaian land purchase — and the most commonly misunderstood. It tells you what the register knows about a parcel. It does not tell you everything true about the land, which is why a clean search is a necessary check, not a complete one.
What a search confirms
An official search at the Lands Commission returns the registered status of the specific parcel and its registered proprietor — whether the interest is registered, to whom, and whether anything is recorded against it. On the strength of that, you can tell whether the person selling matches the person the register recognises.
How to run one
- Identify the exact parcel. You need the site plan with coordinates, not just a description — the search is only as good as the parcel it points at.
- Submit the request at the Lands Commission (your lawyer usually does this on your behalf) with the site plan and details.
- Pay the statutory fee and wait for the official search report. Turnaround is typically a matter of weeks rather than days; expedited handling varies.
- Read the result with a lawyer, who can interpret registered encumbrances and whether the seller's interest is what is being conveyed.
A clean search proves the register is clean. It does not prove the land is empty, undisputed, or dry. Those are separate checks.
What it will not show
- Occupation. A registered parcel can have people living on it. Only a site visit reveals that.
- Competing customary claims. Stool and family land carries history that may not sit in the register at all.
- Physical risk. The register says nothing about whether the plot floods or sits in a no-build buffer — check that separately on a risk map.
This is why the reliable sequence is a search and an independent site inspection and a flood/no-build check — see the full flow in buying land from abroad.
Frequently asked
How do I do a land search at the Lands Commission in Ghana?
Identify the exact parcel with a site plan and coordinates, submit an official search request at the Lands Commission (usually through your lawyer), pay the statutory fee, and receive a search report confirming the registered status and proprietor. Read the result with a lawyer, then pair it with an independent site inspection and a physical-risk check, because the register does not show occupation, disputes or flood exposure.
How much does a Lands Commission search cost and how long does it take?
It carries a statutory fee and typically takes a matter of weeks rather than days, though this varies by office and whether expedited handling is available. Because fees and turnaround change, confirm the current specifics with the Lands Commission or your lawyer rather than relying on a fixed figure.
Does a Lands Commission search show everything about the land?
No. It confirms what the register records — status and proprietor — but it will not reveal people occupying the land, competing stool or family claims that never reached the register, or whether the plot floods or sits in a no-build buffer. A clean search must be paired with a physical site inspection and a flood/no-build risk check to be meaningful.