In Belgium

A cadastral transfer is the administrative procedure by which the land registry is updated following a change affecting a property. In Belgium, the FPS Finance’s Measurement and Valuation Administration handles cadastral transfers.

The most common triggers are:

  • Change of ownership: after every property sale, the notary notifies the administration, which updates the registry
  • Plot division or merger: when a plot is subdivided or merged with another
  • Change of use: when a dwelling becomes commercial premises, or vice versa
  • New construction or demolition: any new building or demolition triggers an update
  • Significant renovation: works that modify the property’s characteristics

How it works

Automatic notification. For property sales, the notary handles the notification to the land registry. The transfer is processed within a few weeks of the notarial deed.

Owner-initiated request. For changes of use, extensions or divisions not involving a sale, the owner should notify the administration themselves. In practice, the administration also detects changes via building permits.

Impact on cadastral income. A cadastral transfer can trigger a revision of the cadastral income. For example, dividing a large house into 3 apartments will result in 3 separate CIs, the total of which may differ from the original.

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Good to know
A cadastral transfer following a sale is handled automatically by the notary. The new owner does not need to take any administrative steps — they will receive the property tax assessment notice at their address the following year.

Practical example

Sophie buys a house in Liege and converts the ground floor into two studios. The notary notified the cadastral transfer at the time of purchase. Sophie then informs the administration of the conversion. The land registry creates two separate cadastral entries, each with its own CI, which will serve as the basis for the property tax on each unit.