What is ejido land?
An ejido is communal farmland in Mexico, granted to a rural community under the country's land reform. Ejido land cannot simply be sold to an outsider: it has to be converted to private ownership (dominio pleno) and titled first.
Last updated · Buying & ownership glossary
About Ejido
A large share of rural and coastal land in Mexico was, or still is, ejido land. Parcels offered for sale before conversion to private title carry real risk for a buyer, because the community and the agrarian authorities have a say in what happens to them.
Before buying land that was ever part of an ejido, buyers usually have a lawyer confirm that the conversion to dominio pleno was completed and recorded in the public registry.
- Also called
- ejido land
- Where it applies
- Mexico
This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm with a licensed local attorney before you buy.
Related terms
- Restricted zone (Mexico)
- Mexico's restricted zone is the strip of land within 50 km of the coastline and 100 km of the land borders, where foreigners may not hold direct title to land. They hold homes there through a fideicomiso, or business property through a Mexican company.
- Fideicomiso
- A fideicomiso is a Mexican bank trust that lets a foreign buyer hold residential property in Mexico's restricted zone — the land within 50 km of the coast or 100 km of a border. A Mexican bank holds title as trustee and the buyer is the beneficiary.
- Public property registry
- The public property registry is the government record of who owns each parcel of land and of the mortgages, liens and easements attached to it. A buyer's title search starts there.
- Due diligence
- Due diligence is the set of checks a buyer makes before committing to a property: the registry title and any liens, the survey and boundaries, zoning and coastal rules, permits, access, utilities and unpaid taxes.