Retain the Land Registration Office Model: A Critical Proposal

On October 13, the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Natural Resources and Environment submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, advocating for the retention of the current Land Registration Office model and the implementation of a property tax rate to curb speculation.

According to the Institute, as the 2024 Land Law undergoes review and adjustments to address outstanding issues, maintaining the Land Registration Office system is essential to ensure stability in land-related procedures.

Local authorities at two levels are currently facing challenges due to staff unfamiliarity with new policies and models, while the digitization of land data as per Articles 163-166 of the 2024 Land Law is still in its early stages.

The land database compilation process, jointly conducted by the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment over the past 90 days, remains incomplete. Therefore, altering the model at this juncture could lead to disruptions.

The Institute’s assessment highlights that the current Land Registration Office system operates smoothly, maintains high security, and demonstrates robust data management capabilities. The staff is well-versed in their duties, ensuring efficient service delivery to citizens.

Implementing the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s proposal to dissolve Land Registration Offices by October 15, 2025, and transfer responsibilities to commune-level authorities would pose significant challenges, particularly in densely populated areas with extensive data volumes like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

The Institute argues that Ho Chi Minh City is currently focused on three critical tasks: finalizing administrative boundary data post-merger, cleansing land data within 90 days, and digitizing plot and parcel information in the national database. Without ready digital infrastructure and specialized training for commune-level personnel, immediate transfer of land management responsibilities could cause bottlenecks and inconvenience citizens. Therefore, the Institute recommends delaying the transfer of Land Registration Offices to commune-level authorities until the national database is complete and digital infrastructure is fully deployed.

Previously, the Land Management Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) proposed transferring the functions of Land Registration Office branches to commune-level authorities, aligning with the two-tier local government model.

In its submission to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the department reported that 34 provinces and cities nationwide have established 703 Land Registration Offices under the Department of Agriculture and Environment, employing a total of 16,683 staff members. Among these, approximately 12,600 personnel at branch offices handle the majority of land-related administrative procedures for citizens and businesses.

To uphold the “one level, one focal point” principle in processing land files, the Land Management Department recommends maintaining Land Registration Offices under the Department of Agriculture and Environment, responsible for developing, updating, and operating provincial land databases. Concurrently, the department proposes transferring branch functions to commune-level authorities, aligning with the two-tier government model through two approaches.