How to Conduct a Land Search in Kenya: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Buying land is one of the biggest and most exciting investments you will ever make. But in Kenya, there is one golden rule every serious buyer must follow:

Never pay even a single shilling before you verify the ownership of the land through an Official Land Search.

At CityChoice Land Properties, we have helped hundreds of families in Kikuyu, Kamangu, Gikambura, Thogoto, and surrounding areas buy genuine, clean-title plots. Today, we are sharing the exact step-by-step process we use when conducting a land search for our clients.

Whether you are buying from us or elsewhere, follow these steps to protect your hard-earned money.

Step 1: Get the Title Deed Details from the Seller

Ask the seller (or agent) to give you a coloured copy of the title deed or at least the following details:

• Title Number
• Approximate acreage
• Name of the registered owner

Take a clear photo or scan of the title deed.

Step 2: Visit the Ardhi Sasa Online Portal (Recommended & Fastest only applies for Nairobi County Only)

Since 2021, the Ministry of Lands has moved most searches online via the Ardhi Sasa platform (https://ardhisasa.go.ke).

Here’s how to do it yourself:

1. Create/Log in to your Ardhi Sasa account (you need a Kenyan ID or passport).
2. On the dashboard, click “Land Registration” → “Land Registration” → “Search”.
3. Choose the county (for Kikuyu area, it’s usually Kiambu County).
4. Enter the exact Title Number.
5. Pay for a search fee.
6. Within minutes to 24 hours, you will receive the official search result as a PDF.

What you will see in the result:

• Current registered owner
• Size of the land
• Any encumbrances (charges, cautions, inhibitions, or court orders)
• Date the title was issued

Pro Tip from CityChoice: If the name on the search does NOT match the seller’s ID, walk away immediately.

PRIME PLOTS FOR SALE IN KIKUYU

Step 3: Alternative – Visit Lands Registry of the Lands Location(Physical Search applies for other all other Counties)

If the land is still on the old registry (some Kikuyu parcels still are), you must visit the Kiambu Lands Registry at Kiambu Town or the old way:

1. Carry the coloured copy of the title deed.
2. Go to the search counter and fill Form RL 26 (available at the registry).
3. Pay the search fee at the banking hall.
4. Submit and collect your official search the same day or next day.

Step 4: Verify the Green Card / Registry Index Map (RIM) – Very Important!

After the official search, ask the seller to provide the file (green card) for the mother title (especially for subdivisions in Kikuyu).

At CityChoice, we always accompany our buyers to the registry to pull the green card because it shows:

• The mutation form (how the land was subdivided)
• Beacon numbers and exact boundaries
• History of previous owners

This prevents buying a plot that was subdivided fraudulently.

Step 5: Physical Site Visit with the Map & Neighbours

Once the search is clean:

• Print the official search and the mutation map.
  Visit the exact plot with our CityChoice team.
  Confirm boundaries using the beacons and neighbours.
  Ask long-term neighbours: “Who really owns this land?”

Recommendation: Hire a Licensed Surveyor (Optional but Wise)

For high-value plots in Kikuyu (especially 1/8 acre and above), we recommend a licensed surveyor to place beacons a fresh and confirm the acreage on the ground matches with the title.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

• Seller refuses to give title copy before deposit → Red flag
• Search shows a bank charge or caution → Do not proceed
• Name on title is a company that was struck off → Dangerous
• Seller wants you to pay before search → Run!