Legal requirements to subdivide land in Paraguay (2026 guide)
Subdividing without the paperwork is the most expensive way to lose money in Paraguay. Before opening a single street, the project has to go through two counters: the Municipality and the National Unified Registry (RUN). This is the complete route — and if you prefer that we handle it without you giving up a percentage of your land, see how our land subdivision service works.
1. Clean property title
It all starts with the title. It must be registered in the RUN in the name of the subdivider, free of liens and injunctions, and with the title's area matching the reality of the land. When there are differences, a judicial or administrative survey is done first, supported by a georeferenced plan.
2. Preliminary subdivision design
The preliminary design is drawn up on the title and a topographic survey: street layout (respecting minimum municipal widths), lot dimensions, green areas and parcels for public use. The Municipal Organic Law 3966/10 requires transferring to the municipality a percentage of the area for streets, squares and public buildings. This survey and the georeferenced plan are the geomatics work that underpins the whole file.
3. Environmental impact study
Law 294/93 on Environmental Impact Assessment requires filing an EIA with MADES for subdivisions. Without the Environmental Impact Declaration (DIA), the municipality will not approve the project.
4. Municipal approval
The Municipal Board approves the project by ordinance or resolution. Streets, drainage, tree planting and public-land cessions are reviewed here.
5. RUN
With municipal approval, the RUN (National Unified Registry) assigns cadastral accounts to each lot and registers the subdivision, generating the individual registration numbers. Only then can each lot be legally deeded and sold.
How long does it all take?
A well-managed subdivision takes between 8 and 14 months from the preliminary design to the individual registration numbers. Poorly managed, it can stall for years. That is why our Premium plan includes full management of the paperwork. And before taking on the whole process, it is worth running the numbers: see how in economic feasibility of a subdivision.