Buyer and seller guide
Buying and transferring property
A source-led route through title, professional appointments, transfer documents and the taxes that may arise in a Zimbabwe property transaction.
Answer this questionProperty law & development
Zimbabwe Property Law Resources
Explore the Acts, regulations, tax notices and local by-laws most often connected with owning, renting, transferring, valuing, designing and developing property in Zimbabwe.
How to use this library
Start with a question-led guide, then open the source documents behind it. Version dates are shown because older consolidated Acts and historical by-laws may have later amendments or current administrative requirements.
Start with your question
Practical property guides
Landlord and tenant guide
Renting property
Understand which residential or commercial rental framework may apply, what to record in the lease and where rent-board and tax questions begin.
Answer this questionPlanning and development guide
Planning permission and subdivision
A practical introduction to plans, development permission, change of use, subdivision, environmental checks and the relevant planning authority.
Answer this questionBulawayo building guide
Building standards in Bulawayo
Connect building approval, public health, drainage, water, roads and professional-design questions before work begins.
Answer this questionLand rights guide
Land tenure and compensation
Distinguish registered title, communal or State-land interests, compulsory acquisition, planning proposals and compensation processes.
Answer this questionProfessional team guide
Choosing property professionals
Understand the distinct roles of estate agents, valuers, legal practitioners, land surveyors, architects and quantity surveyors.
Answer this questionCost-planning guide
Property taxes and costs
Identify the main tax and duty sources behind property transfers, rental income and transaction cost estimates without relying on stale rates.
Answer this questionLocal property guide
Bulawayo property rules
A joined-up route through council powers, planning, buildings, roads, public health, water, sewerage and protection of land and natural resources.
Answer this questionDocument index
Browse every source
Ownership and development
National property law
Regional, Town and Country Planning Act
A practical guide to Zimbabwe's main planning statute, including plans, development permission, change of use and subdivision.
Read the guideEstate Agents Act
An orientation to the law governing estate-agent registration, practice, client money and the Estate Agents Compensation Fund in Zimbabwe.
Read the guideDeeds Registries Act
A guide to Zimbabwe's deeds-registration framework for title, transfers, mortgage bonds, servitudes and registered land rights.
Read the guideUrban Councils Act
An overview of the law behind urban local authorities, municipal services, rates, land administration and council by-laws.
Read the guideEnvironmental Management Act
A property-focused introduction to Zimbabwe's environmental framework, including impact assessment, pollution, wetlands and project controls.
Read the guideLand Survey Act
A guide to the survey records, diagrams, general plans and boundary work that support registration of land in Zimbabwe.
Read the guideLandlords, tenants and housing
Rental and housing law
Commercial Premises (Lease Control) Act
The parent Act for rent boards and controls affecting commercial, industrial and business premises.
Read the guideCommercial Premises Rent Regulations
The principal regulations covering commercial rent-board applications, fair rent and protected lease matters.
Read the guideCommercial Premises Rent Amendment Notice 2024
A 2024 amendment to the commercial-premises rent regulations, retained alongside the principal regulations.
Read the guideHousing and Building Act
The parent housing statute under which residential rent boards and rent regulations are provided for.
Read the guideRent Regulations 2007
Residential rent-board rules covering fair rent, prohibited payments, statutory tenants, ejectment and appeals.
Read the guideHousing Standards Control Act
The framework for unsafe or unsatisfactory housing standards, overcrowding, harmful occupation and housing-control orders.
Read the guideCommercial Premises Rent Board Notice
The notice that constitutes Zimbabwe's Commercial and Industrial Rent Board and defines its nationwide jurisdiction.
Read the guideTenure and public administration
Land and local government
Land Acquisition Act
Zimbabwe’s statutory framework for compulsory acquisition of land and other immovable property and related compensation questions.
Read the guideLand Commission Act
The framework for the Zimbabwe Land Commission and the administration, disposal, settlement and use of State land.
Read the guideRural District Councils Act
The framework for rural district councils, their areas, administration, services, by-laws and local land-related functions.
Read the guideCommunal Land Act
The framework for classification, occupation, use, permits and local administration of Communal Land.
Read the guideDisposal in Lieu of Compensation Regulations 2020
A repealed 2020 process for disposal of gazetted land in lieu of compensation, retained with its repeal notice.
Read the guideDisposal in Lieu of Compensation Repeal Regulations
The 2024 instrument that repealed the 2020 disposal-in-lieu-of-compensation regulations.
Read the guideTransaction and rental tax
Tax and property transfers
Capital Gains Tax Act
The statutory framework for capital gains tax, including disposals and transfers of specified assets such as immovable property.
Read the guideValue Added Tax Act
The parent VAT statute for deciding whether a property-related supply, business or transaction falls within Zimbabwe’s VAT system.
Read the guideFinance Act 2025
The Finance Act that introduced the 2026 presumptive rental income tax framework referenced by ZIMRA.
Read the guidePresumptive Rental Income Tax Notice
ZIMRA’s operational explanation of presumptive rental income tax for qualifying non-residential rental arrangements from 2026.
Read the guideStamp Duties Act
The statutory framework for duties and fees on instruments, including documents used in property transactions.
Read the guideValue Added Tax General Regulations
The detailed regulations beneath the VAT Act, including registration, invoices, exemptions, zero-rating and records.
Read the guideRegulated professional services
Property professionals
Valuers Act
The statutory framework for registering valuers and regulating professional valuation practice in Zimbabwe.
Read the guideLegal Practitioners Act
The Act governing legal practitioners, notaries public and conveyancers and continuing the Law Society of Zimbabwe.
Read the guideLaw Society of Zimbabwe By-laws
Professional by-laws covering Law Society administration, practitioner records, complaints, charges and trust-account duties.
Read the guideQuantity Surveyors Act
The statutory framework for registering quantity surveyors and regulating professional quantity-surveying practice.
Read the guideStandards and professional design
Building and design law
Model Building By-laws 1977
The widely referenced model building code adopted or adapted by local authorities, presented with a clear source-quality warning.
Read the guideArchitects Act
The statutory framework for registering architects and regulating architectural practice in Zimbabwe.
Read the guideLocal focus
Bulawayo by-laws
Bulawayo Public Health By-laws
A plain-language orientation to Bulawayo's published public-health rules for premises, sanitation, drainage and nuisance control.
Read the guideBulawayo Sewerage, Drainage and Water By-laws
A starting point for Bulawayo rules on water connections, sewerage, drainage installations and related responsibilities.
Read the guideBulawayo Protection of Lands and Natural Resources By-laws
A guide to Bulawayo rules covering municipal land, excavation, dumping, vegetation, watercourses and public amenity areas.
Read the guideBulawayo Buildings, Roads and Streets Amendment By-laws
A clearly bounded note on one Bulawayo amendment instrument affecting the earlier Buildings, Roads and Streets By-laws.
Read the guideBulawayo Building Adoption Amendment By-laws
A City-published amendment showing Bulawayo’s adoption treatment of the Model Building By-laws, 1977.
Read the guide