A condo debt-free certificate in Thailand is issued by the condominium juristic person for an ownership transfer. It addresses expenses under Section 18 of the Condominium Act. It is not a blanket certificate that the seller has no bank borrowing or other debts.
If you are buying or selling a resale condo, start the request before the planned transfer day. Ask the owner to contact the condominium office, obtain a written account of outstanding charges, and check who is authorized to sign. This guide separates statutory requirements from a practical preparation checklist.
Scope: an ordinary resale ownership transfer in a registered condominium with an established juristic person, including condos in Pattaya, Chonburi and Bangkok. Court auctions and other exceptional transfers are outside this guide.
What the certificate covers, and what you must check separately
Section 29 requires a current debt-free certificate from the condominium juristic person for an ownership transfer, covering expenses under Section 18. The provision contains an exception for transfers before registration of the condominium juristic person. See the Condominium Act, Section 29 and the Department of Lands explanation.
| Check | Evidence or contact | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| Expenses under Section 18 | The certificate and the condominium office's account statement | That the certification covers any period without checking its details |
| Bank borrowing and mortgage registration | The seller, lender and registration information at the Land Office | That this certificate proves the loan was repaid or the mortgage discharged |
| Ownership and unit identification | The condominium unit title deed and checks with the Land Office | That a debt-free certificate replaces an ownership check |
This table is an editorial guide to separating tasks, not a complete official document list. For the wider purchase checks, read documents to check when buying a resale condo directly from an owner.
Where to request it: prepare before transfer day
The unit owner should start with the condominium juristic office. Ask how that building accepts requests. If someone will act on the owner's behalf, confirm the required authority documents before sending personal information.
- Identify the unit and planned transfer: provide the building name, unit number, owner name and purpose of the request. Make clear that you need a debt-free certificate for transfer, not just a common-fee receipt.
- Request an itemized written account: ask which Section 18 expenses remain unpaid, the periods involved and whether any items still need clarification. If the account differs from the owner's payment records, request a breakdown before settling it.
- Confirm the supporting documents: ask about evidence of unit ownership, identification, payment records and authorization documents where relevant. These are items to ask about, not a universal list imposed on every building.
- Keep request and payment records: obtain an acknowledgment or evidence of when the request was received. Keep receipts and correspondence, arrange collection, and check the unit details, issue date and signatory before the transfer.
A buyer can coordinate the timetable with the seller, but should not send identity copies or payment through an unverified contact claiming to represent the condominium. Confirm the office's contact channel independently first.
Does the 15-day rule apply?
Section 29 says the manager must issue the certificate within 15 days from receipt of the request, with the owner having fully paid the expenses under Section 18. Read the request and full-payment conditions together. Paying only part of the account does not establish that a certificate is immediately available.
Begin the preparation before the planned transfer and confirm that the evidence and balance have been checked. If the amount or the signing authority is disputed, request a written explanation and seek case-specific guidance from the handling Land Office. Do not promise a transfer date on the assumption that the certificate will be issued the same day.
References: Section 29 and the Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Land Office explanation.
Six checks before collecting the certificate and confirming the transfer
This is a recommended preparation checklist, not an official checklist replacing the registration officer's review.
- Do the building name and unit number match the unit being transferred?
- Are the owner's name and the details on the certificate correct?
- Do the issue date and the covered expense period fit the planned transfer?
- Is the signatory authorized when the certificate is issued?
- What original documents and supporting evidence does the handling Land Office require?
- Have you separately arranged the mortgage, tax, transfer-fee and other document checks?
Certificate age and charges: do not assume from hearsay that every building uses the same validity period or service charge. Ask the condominium office for an itemized written explanation of any charges, and confirm the document's acceptance for the actual transfer date with the handling Land Office.
Signing authority: in its answer about a manager whose term had expired, the Department of Lands states that the former manager no longer has authority to sign as the juristic person's representative. Verify the current authorized representative rather than automatically accepting the previous manager's name. See the official answer on signing authority.
A message the unit owner can send to the condominium office
The message below is an editorial request template, not an official form or a debt-free certificate. Replace the bracketed details with the actual unit information.
To the juristic office of [condominium name],
I am [owner name], the owner of unit [unit number]. I plan to transfer ownership around [planned date] and would like to request a debt-free certificate for the transfer.
Please confirm the required documents, submission channel, itemized Section 18 expenses and periods covered, authorized signatory and collection procedure. If any processing charges apply, please provide their details and supporting basis.
Please explain how I can obtain evidence of the request's receipt date and confirm the collection timetable. My contact channel is [owner contact].
After receiving a reply, send only necessary information through the office's verified channel and keep copies for tracking the timetable.
Frequently asked questions
Can I obtain the certificate directly from the Land Office?
The Section 29 certificate comes from the condominium juristic person. The owner should contact the building's juristic office. The Land Office checks the transfer documents; ask its staff what evidence to bring for your registration.
Does a debt-free certificate mean there is no mortgage?
Do not interpret it that way. The certificate concerns expenses under Section 18. It does not replace checks of mortgage registration, the loan balance or the lender's and Land Office's discharge procedures.
Must every request result in a certificate within 15 days?
Read the Section 29 conditions together: receipt of the request and full payment of the owner's Section 18 expenses. Where a balance or factual issue remains unresolved, the request alone does not guarantee that the ownership transfer can proceed on a particular day.
Can a former manager sign after their term expires?
The Department of Lands answer about an expired manager's term states that the former manager cannot sign as the juristic person's representative. Ask who is currently lawfully authorized and check any specific uncertainty with the handling Land Office before relying on the document.
Is the certificate always valid for 30 days?
Do not substitute a blanket 30-day assumption for checking the document. Section 29 refers to a current certificate. Confirm its issue date and covered period with the condominium office and its acceptance for your planned transfer with the handling Land Office.
Before agreeing to the transfer date
Ask the owner to start with the condominium office, reconcile the balance and payment evidence, confirm the signatory's authority, and check the documents with the Land Office. Keep this work separate from ownership and loan checks. This helps organize the process without certifying that a particular transaction is safe or certain to complete.
If you are still comparing properties, browse sale listings on Baandeego. Listing information is not proof of ownership or unpaid balances: inspect the unit and the seller's documents separately.
Sources and verification scope
- Department of Lands: consolidated Condominium Act, Section 29, for covered expenses, issuance conditions and the exception before registration of the juristic person.
- Department of Lands answer Q2602-000079, dated 24 February 2026, for the expired-manager case and signing authority.
- Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Land Office: debt-free certificate explanation, checked against the statutory text, not treated as a project-specific rule for Pattaya.
Prepared by Baandeego from official sources, checked on 14 October 2026. Checklists and the example message are editorial preparation suggestions, not government instructions or individualized legal advice. No specific unit's status has been verified. Foreign-buyer transfers, court auctions and disputes require checks by the handling Land Office or an appropriate professional based on the actual facts.
