Land Sale Agreement Kenya: Template Following Kenyan Law (Word and PDF)
Make a land sale agreement that follows Kenyan law, before you pay a deposit.
Checked 20 Oct 2026 against the sources listed below.
1. Who is signing
Leave anything blank to fill in by hand.
2. The land and price
Your land sale agreement
- Price
- KES 1,500,000
- Deposit
- KES 150,000 (10%)
- Completion
- within 90 days
- Land Control Board
- consent needed
11 clauses, written for Kenyan law
- 1.The property
- 2.Price and payment
- 3.Completion
- 4.Title and searches
- 5.Completion documents
- 6.Land Control Board consent
- 7.Costs and taxes
- 8.If a party doesn't perform
- 9.Risk and possession
- 10.Advocates and notices
- 11.The whole agreement
- ✓ Word (to edit) and PDF (to print), with your details filled in
- ✓ Signature and witness blocks
- ✓ Before-you-sign checklist
Before you sign
- Do an official search at the land registry (on Ardhisasa where available) to confirm the owner and any charges or cautions.
- Visit the land with a surveyor to confirm the beacons match the map.
- Check whether it is agricultural land: if so, Land Control Board consent is needed within six months or the sale is void.
- If the seller is married and it's family land, get the spouse's written consent.
- Use an advocate, pay into a bank account (never cash), and budget for stamp duty: 4% in towns, 2% elsewhere.
A template based on Kenyan law, not legal advice. Read every clause before signing, and have an advocate review a land sale.
About this tool
Enter the seller and buyer, the title number, the price, the deposit and how long completion takes, and tick whether it's agricultural land or the seller is married. You get a complete agreement for sale of land: title warranties and searches, completion documents, Land Control Board consent, spouse's consent, stamp duty and other costs, what happens if either side doesn't complete, and attested signature blocks.
The outline and a before-you-buy checklist are free. The full agreement downloads in Word and PDF for a small M-Pesa payment.
For land, have an advocate review it before anyone signs.
What Kenyan law requires of a land sale agreement
- In writing, signed and witnessed. Under section 3(3) of the Law of Contract Act, a contract to sell land must be in writing, signed by all the parties, and each signature attested by a witness who was present when it was signed. Courts apply this strictly: an unwitnessed or oral agreement can't be enforced.
- Land Control Board consent for agricultural land. Under the Land Control Act, a sale of agricultural land in a land control area is void unless consent of the Land Control Board is applied for within six months of the agreement. The template makes the seller apply within 30 days and refund everything if consent is refused.
- Spouse's consent for family land. If the land is matrimonial property, the seller's spouse should consent in writing; the template adds a consent clause and signature line when you tick "seller is married".
Costs to budget for
| Cost | Usually paid by |
|---|---|
| Stamp duty: 4% of the value in a municipality, 2% elsewhere | Buyer |
| Registration fees and valuation for stamp duty | Buyer |
| Land Control Board consent, rates and rent clearance | Seller |
| Capital gains tax on the sale | Seller |
| Advocates' fees | Each side pays their own |
Planning to build once the land is yours? The house construction cost calculator prices a house phase by phase from your plan.
Frequently asked questions
How much deposit is normal when buying land in Kenya?
10% of the price on signing is common, with the balance on completion, usually within 90 days. The template lets you set both.
What happens if the buyer or seller backs out?
Either side can give 21 days' notice to complete. If the buyer still doesn't, the seller can cancel and keep up to 10% of the price. If the seller doesn't, the buyer can cancel and get everything back, or ask the court to order the sale.
Do I still need an advocate?
For land, yes: an advocate can witness the signatures, run the searches, hold the deposit and register the transfer. Use this template to understand and agree the terms first, and to save on drafting.