Buying Land in Ghana: How to Do a Lands Commission Search Before You Pay

Short answer: before you pay for land in Ghana, get the seller's site plan and do an official search at the Lands Commission. The search shows whether the land is state land, already registered to someone else, or has other interests recorded on it. You can now apply online at onlineservices.lc.gov.gh for many regions and pay the fee by Mobile Money. Do not pay the full price until the search report is back.

Why is a land search so important?

Land sold to two or more buyers, land that belongs to the state, and land under a court case are some of the most expensive frauds in Ghana. A Lands Commission search is the official way to see what is recorded on a plot before your money is gone.

How do you do a search online?

1. Get the site plan of the land from the seller. It should be prepared by a licensed surveyor.
2. Go to onlineservices.lc.gov.gh and upload the site plan.
3. Pay the search fee by Mobile Money on the portal.
4. The search report is sent to your email.

In October 2026 the Lands Commission said online searches cover Greater Accra, Volta, Eastern, Western and the six new regions, with Ashanti starting. Elsewhere, apply in person.

How do you search in person?

At a Lands Commission office, submit an application letter with two copies of the site plan (the plot edged pink, grid values visible, at a standard scale such as 1:2,500). Fees are listed on the Lands Commission's fees page and depend on the land type and location. Pay only through official Lands Commission channels, never through a middleman.

What does the search report tell you?

• Whether the land is recorded as state or vested land.
• Whether someone already has a registered interest in it.
• Other information on record for the plot.

If the name on the record is not the seller's, or the land is state land, stop and get legal advice before paying anything.

Which land tricks should you watch for?

• "Pay everything today, the documents will follow." Agree to pay only a small part, if anything, until the search is back.
• A site plan that does not match the land you were shown. Walk the boundaries with a licensed surveyor.
• The same plot sold to many people, often through agents on social media. Search every plot, even "family land".
• Middlemen who offer to "do the search" for a fee. Apply yourself on the official portal.

Before paying any agent, check their number on TrustCheck. If you are renting instead, read fake landlords and agents in Accra and Kumasi.

Where these facts come from (checked 31 October 2026): Citi Newsroom: Lands Commission outlines steps for online land searches (Oct 2026); Lands Commission: official search; Lands Commission: fees and charges.