Land subdivision

7  Steps of Land Subdivision in Kenya

Here are the steps:

1. Conducting a Title Deed Search

The initial step for a landowner wishing to subdivide their land is to perform an official title deed search at the local land registry. This process, which typically takes three days, requires the landowner to provide:

A copy of their national identity card.

A copy of their KRA PIN card.

A copy of the title deed or its number.

The title deed search is crucial as it confirms ownership of the land and reveals any existing encumbrances.

2. Obtaining a Registry Index Map (RIM)

Following the title deed search, the landowner, with the help of a surveyor, must obtain a Registry Index Map (RIM) from the Survey of Kenya. The RIM is a detailed map covering the geographic area where the land to be subdivided is located. The surveyor visits the land to take ground measurements, ensuring they match the RIM.

3. Preparation of Subdivision Scheme

The surveyor then prepares a subdivision scheme, which a registered physical planner must sign, resulting in the issuance of a Physical Planning Act (PPA) form, specifically the PPA 1 form. The subdivision blueprints are submitted to the County Lands Office for approval. Once approved, a PPA 2 form is issued.

4. Meeting with the Local Land Control Board

After submitting the subdivision blueprints, a current title search valid for three months, and the PPA 1 and PPA 2 forms, the landowner must schedule a meeting with the Local Land Control Board. This board, comprising local elders at the sub-county level, meets once a month and approves all land transfers in the area. The landowner must book this meeting at least two weeks in advance and attend it with their spouse, explaining their intentions for subdividing the land.

5. Placing of Beacons to Mark Boundaries

Nyota Njema sample of Beacon

With the Land Control Board’s consent, the surveyor places beacons to demarcate the land’s boundaries. In rural areas, an error margin of one meter is allowed, whereas in urban areas, cadastral (fixed) land boundaries measured in coordinates are preferred.

6. Signing of the Mutation Form

Once the boundaries are marked, the landowner and the surveyor sign three copies of the Mutation Form, which is then signed by a senior surveyor, known as a licensed surveyor. These forms, along with the title search documents, the Land Control Board consent form, and the PPA 1 and PPA 2 forms, are submitted to the district survey office.

7. Subdividing the Land

A cartographer assigns new plot numbers to the subdivided plots. The same documents are taken to the respective county land registries for the land registrar to register the new titles. Certified copies of the mutation forms are then submitted to the Survey of Kenya to amend the maps accordingly.