Buying from abroad: power of attorney, notary, payment
What the law requires of the notary, how to give power of attorney from France, and why a French document is legalised rather than apostilled.
At a glance
- The notary is a public officer: they lodge a security bond, they are insured, and a collective guarantee fund covers their professional faults1.
- The money you pay goes into a dedicated bank deposit account, and the notary cannot hold it for more than 6 months1.
- Côte d'Ivoire is not a party to the Apostille Convention: a document signed in France goes through legalisation3.
- 1
Choose the notary, and understand what they guarantee
The notary is a public officer: they draw up the deeds to which the parties must, or wish to, give official authenticated status1. This is not a go-between you pick at random from a Facebook group.
That status comes with safeguards written into the law: the notary lodges a security bond, takes out professional liability insurance, and pays into a collective guarantee fund for notaries (Caisse de garantie collective des notaires) that covers their faults1. That is what makes going through a notary different from an arrangement based on trust between you and a seller.
Watch out
The “notary” who is introduced to you and whom you have never called yourself. From abroad, the notary is your only serious counterpart: call their office yourself, on a number you found, not the one the seller sent you.
- 2
Have the power of attorney drawn up from France
You cannot travel, so you give power of attorney to someone you trust, who will sign in your place. The Embassy of Côte d'Ivoire in France draws up this power of attorney2.
Bring: your consular card, your ID, the letter of power of attorney, a proof of address, and a copy of the ID of the person you are appointing2.
Ask your notary
The exact form of power of attorney the office accepts for a sale, and the time to allow, in writing, before you book an appointment at the embassy or consulate. No public text sets them.
See licensed notaries - 3
Have the document legalised, not apostilled
Many blogs recommend an apostille for a French document intended for Côte d'Ivoire. That is wrong: as of 17 September 2026, Côte d'Ivoire does not appear on the list of parties to the Hague Apostille Convention3.
A document signed in France therefore goes through legalisation, not an apostille. The embassy also handles legalisations2.
Watch out
Having a document apostilled, then finding out in Abidjan that it is not accepted. You lose your representative’s trip and the appointment with the notary.
- 4
Choose who represents you, and what they can do
Your representative signs in your name: the power of attorney must state what they can do, and nothing more. Do not confuse the person who found you the plot with the person who represents you at the signing.
What your representative does not replace: checking the property. A chartered surveyor registered with the professional body confirms the boundaries on site, and the notary requests the état foncier (land status report), which shows the rights registered against a property that already has a title4.
- Cost of the état foncier
- 3,000 FCFA · 2 days4
Ask your notary
Whether payment to the seller can be made conditional on the issue of the ACD (Arrêté de Concession Définitive, final concession order) or the transfer certificate (certificat de mutation), through the office's deposit account1. It is for the notary to say whether this arrangement is possible.
See licensed notaries - 5
Pay through the notary, never by hand
The notary must open a bank deposit account dedicated to the funds received, keep separate accounts for each client, and cannot hold money on behalf of a third party for more than 6 months1.
From abroad, it is the only way to move the money through a traceable channel. A direct transfer to the seller, or cash handed over by a relative, leaves no trace you can rely on in a dispute.
Watch out
The “escrow account” promised by a go-between. Ivorian law refers to a dedicated bank deposit account held by the notary1, not an account opened by an agency or a “representative”.
- 6
Get the costs set out in figures before you sign
The notary cannot charge any fees or duties other than those set by decree1. So you are entitled to ask for the breakdown, in writing, before you commit.
The item you can check yourself: the 4% registration duty on the price of a property sale5.
- Registration duty
- 4% of the price5
Ask your notary
A detailed breakdown, in figures, of their fees and of all costs, in writing, before signing. The scale is set by decree1: it is for the office to give you the amount.
See licensed notaries
This process involves a notary
Sources
Texts in force as of the update date, read on the Official Gazette or on Ivorian government websites.
- 1. Official GazetteLoi n° 2018-897 du 30 novembre 2018 portant statut du notariat (Law of 30 November 2018 on the status of notaries), art. 1, 10-13 and 21-23 — droitci.info
- 2. OfficialEmbassy of Côte d'Ivoire in France: power of attorney (documents, €15 / €30) and legalisation (€15 to €50) — france.diplomatie.gouv.ci
- 3. OfficialHCCH: status table of the 1961 Apostille Convention; Côte d'Ivoire is not listed (checked on 17/09/2026) — hcch.net
- 4. Officialservicepublic.gouv.ci: “Demander un état foncier / état historique” (requesting a land status report; 3,000 FCFA, 2 days) — servicepublic.gouv.ci
- 5. OfficialDGI (tax authority): “Impôts et taxes en Côte d'Ivoire”, June 2025; 4% registration duty on property sales — dgi.gouv.ci
This guide explains the process; it doesn’t replace a notary’s advice on your case. Spotted a mistake, or a text that has changed? Let us know.
A project in Côte d'Ivoire? Get it checked before you pay.
Notaries, chartered surveyors and architects verified by LNA-CI, contacted directly, no commission.
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