Can a foreigner buy property in China?

Foreigners cannot own the land, only lease it or hold use rights

In China the state owns urban land and collectives own rural land. A buyer gets a land-use right for a fixed number of years, and a foreign individual may buy a home for their own use under conditions.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

Land is owned by the state or by rural collectives. A buyer holds a right to use it for a fixed term, generally seventy years for homes.

Houses and flats

A foreign individual may buy a home for their own use, and a foreign company may buy property it needs for its business in China, under conditions set by local rules.

Buying through a company

Foreign-invested companies can hold property needed for their business and have a land-use right in an approved project.

Limits and closed zones

Local governments set their own conditions for foreign buyers, so the position differs from city to city.

What to watch for

Currency controls affect how money can enter and leave China. Ask a Chinese lawyer about the rules in the exact city.

Understand the legal system first

China belongs to the Civil law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the China legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
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Official sources

Ministry of Natural Resources of China

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.