REURB land regularization lawyer in São Paulo, Brazil
We run urban land regularization from categorisation to registration — Reurb-S or Reurb-E, project, CRF and a property record opened in your name. In person on Av. Paulista or remotely, across Brazil.
5,0 · 18 Google reviewsREURB is the route created by Law 13,465/2017 to turn occupation into registered ownership. The procedure runs at the municipality, which classifies the category, approves the project and issues the CRF — Land Regularization Certificate. With the CRF, registration is requested directly from the property registrar, with no court order needed. What stalls cases, almost always, is incomplete paperwork — and that is where we come in.
When REURB is the answer.
- Home in an informal settlementYou have lived for years in a subdivision that was never regularized and has no individual property record.
- Choosing the categoryReurb-S or Reurb-E changes cost, exemptions and requirements. Getting it wrong means starting again.
- Land title grantOriginal acquisition of ownership by act of the public authority, within REURB — the most direct route where available.
- Possession grantRecognition of possession convertible into ownership, with its own rules and one important limit on public land.
- Irregular subdivisionDevelopers who need to regularize the subdivision and deliver property records to buyers.
- Documents and projectSurvey, descriptive memorials, list of occupants and the whole bundle the municipality will require.
- Registering the CRFOnce the certificate is issued, we handle registration and follow through until the record is in your name.
Who decides, how long it takes, what comes out.
Competence sits with the municipality (art. 30): it classifies the category case by case, processes and approves the project and issues the CRF. The statute gives the municipality 180 days to classify or refuse with reasons — and there is a rule few know: if it stays silent, the category indicated by the applicant in the request prevails automatically.
The difference between the two instruments decides your case. The land title grant (art. 23) is an original form of acquiring ownership, conferred by the public authority on those occupying an informal urban settlement consolidated as at 22 December 2016 — and the property comes free of encumbrances. The possession grant (art. 25) merely recognises possession and converts into ownership five years after registration; it does not apply to property on public land.
On the category: Reurb-S covers settlements occupied predominantly by low-income residents, but that is not automatic — it depends on a declaration by act of the municipal executive (art. 13). Outside that, Reurb-E applies, with different costs and registry fees. Getting the categorisation right at the outset is what avoids losing months.
How we run the case.
- Diagnosis of the settlement and the plotWe check the registry position, who owns the land, the consolidation date and who the occupants are.
- Choosing category and instrumentReurb-S or Reurb-E; land title grant or possession grant. Each combination has its own requirements and costs.
- Assembling the request and the projectSurvey, descriptive memorial, plan, list of occupants and the documents the municipality requires.
- Municipal processingFiling, handling requisitions and responding to notices through to approval of the project.
- CRF and registrationOnce issued, we request registration directly from the property registrar and follow through to the record.
What to bring to the first conversation.
Documents that speed up the review
Questions about REURB always follow the same pattern — paperwork. With these items we can build the checklist for your case and tell you what is missing.
- Personal ID and proof of address
- Purchase, assignment or receipt, if any
- Property tax and utility bills in your name
- Property record of the larger area, if available
- Plan, sketch or measurements of the plot
- Evidence of how long you have occupied
- Residents’ association documents, if any
- Notices received from the city council
Document checklist at no cost, with no obligation. Informational content under Brazilian Bar Association Rule 205/2021 — it does not replace an assessment of your case.
What clients say on Google.
“From the very start I was looked after exceptionally. The team is attentive and explains every step.”
Amanda M. · Google“Excellent, highly qualified professionals. I highlight the professionalism, the service and the honesty.”
Rita G. · Google“Very polite, patient, always with precise, accurate answers. I recommend them with no reservations!”
Thais T. · GoogleReal client reviews published on Google.
Who leads this area.
Partner in charge of real estate and probate matters (OAB/SP 428.777). Postgraduate in Real Estate Law (PUC/SP) and Succession Law (PUC-Campinas). Notário Luiz Gama Medal (Santo André City Council). Fluent in English.
Meet Letícia MarquesCommon questions.
Which documents does REURB require?
There is no single list: it varies with the category and with what the municipality requires. The common core is personal ID, evidence of how long you have occupied (property tax, utility bills, contracts or receipts), identification of the plot with a plan or survey, and the settlement documents — property record of the larger area, memorial and list of occupants. We build the specific checklist once we see your case.
What is the difference between Reurb-S and Reurb-E?
Reurb-S applies to informal urban settlements occupied predominantly by low-income residents, so declared by act of the municipal executive; Reurb-E covers the rest. The practical difference is cost: Reurb-S carries exemption from registry fees on the acts the statute lists. Residents do not choose — the municipality classifies.
Are the land title grant and the possession grant the same thing?
No. The land title grant (art. 23) is an original form of acquiring ownership, by act of the public authority, for settlements consolidated as at 22 December 2016, and the property comes free of encumbrances. The possession grant (art. 25) only recognises possession, converts into ownership five years after registration, and does not apply to property on public land.
How long does REURB take?
It depends on the municipality and the state of the paperwork. The statute fixes one specific period: the municipality has 180 days to classify the category or refuse with reasons, and silence makes the category stated in the request prevail. The rest of the procedure has no statutory deadline, and anyone promising a date is guessing.
Do I need a lawyer for REURB?
In the administrative procedure before the municipality there is no statutory requirement for a lawyer — the beneficiary is among those entitled to apply under art. 14. In practice what stalls applications is paperwork and categorisation, and that is where advice saves months. For any court proceedings, legal representation is required.
Do you act outside the city of São Paulo?
Yes. The procedure is municipal and largely documentary, which allows remote handling. We act across Brazil, travelling or using a local agent where the municipality requires attendance.
Your home still has no property record?
Describe the situation of the plot and the settlement. We build the document checklist at no cost and indicate the likely category and the route. We reply within one business day.