Yes. Foreigners can legally own property in Roatan, in Honduras’ Bay Islands, and have been able to since 1991. You do not need Honduran residency to buy: a foreign buyer can hold fee-simple title to a single residential property of up to 0.72 acres (3,000 square meters) in his or her own name, and a Honduran corporation — straightforward to form — can own larger or multiple holdings.
That short answer covers most buyers. The sections below explain how ownership is structured, what the purchase process looks like from offer to closing, and how title is verified along the way.
How Foreign Ownership Works in Honduras
Honduran law gives a non-citizen two clean paths to ownership. As an individual, you can purchase up to 0.72 acres (3,000 square meters) of land in your own name for residential use — enough for the great majority of homes, condos, and building lots on Roatan. You hold the title outright, much as you would at home.
For anything beyond that — a larger parcel, several properties, or a commercial holding — the standard route is a Honduran corporation. A local attorney can form one for approximately $1,800 USD, and the corporation is entitled to all the rights of a Honduran citizen with respect to property ownership, with no practical limit on the size or quantity of holdings. Corporations are a routine part of closings here, not an exotic workaround, and many buyers of Roatan properties use them.
Residency Is Not Required
You do not need resident status to conduct real estate transactions in Honduras. Visitors from the United States, Canada, and most European countries enter on a valid passport, with no visa required for stays of up to 90 days. Staying longer than 90 days on a single visit simply means applying for a monthly extension or leaving the country for at least three consecutive days.
Formal residency is available if island life becomes permanent — pensioner, renter, work, and investor categories typically take three to six months to process — but it is a lifestyle choice, not a prerequisite for ownership. Our frequently asked questions cover the residency categories in more detail.
The Purchase Process, Step by Step
From the buyer’s side, a Roatan purchase differs little from one you may have made in the past. The sequence looks like this:
- Offer to Purchase. You choose the property and complete a simple purchase agreement outlining the property details, price, timeline, and conditions.
- Earnest money. Once the seller accepts the offer and all conditions are removed, a deposit — typically 10% of the purchase price — is transferred within the following seven days.
- Due diligence. Your real estate agent works with your attorney to obtain title copies, run a title search, and secure recent surveys of the property.
- Closing. Closing is usually completed within about two months of the purchase agreement, though timing varies with the circumstances of the parties. Buyer and seller sign the Notary Protocol, and the transaction is complete.
One genuine difference from North America is the agent’s role. On Roatan, your agent carries the transaction well past the accepted offer — coordinating with your attorney on title work and surveys, working toward closing, and attending the closing on your behalf if you cannot be there. That is how buying with Roatan Sotheby’s International Realty works, from first showing to signed Notary Protocol.
Buying Without Being on the Island
You do not need to attend your own closing, and you do not need to be on the island to purchase at all. As a buyer, you can grant a Power of Attorney authorizing a person of your choosing to attend the closing and accept the property on your behalf. Many clients complete their purchases remotely, using virtual tours, digital document handling, and trusted legal guidance to keep an off-island transaction secure and efficient.
Title Security and Closing Costs
Title verification is built into every properly handled transaction. Before closing, your attorney and agent obtain copies of the existing title, run a title search, and confirm the boundaries with recent surveys. The closing itself is formalized when buyer and seller sign the Notary Protocol before a Honduran notary.
Closing costs are normally the buyer’s responsibility: approximately 4.2% of the purchase price for a direct transfer of title, or about 2.5% when the property changes hands as a change of administrators of an existing corporation. The real estate commission, normally 10% of the purchase price, is the seller’s responsibility.
Talk to Us
Roatan Sotheby’s International Realty combines deep local knowledge of the Roatan market with the global reach of the Sotheby’s International Realty network. Whether you are weighing a condo in West Bay, a home near West End‘s dive culture, or land held through a corporation, our team has walked buyers through every step of this process. Browse current listings or contact us to talk through your plans — straight answers from people who live and work here.