Thai land title documents explained

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules have many exceptions, so always confirm with the land office or the agency that issued the document.

Chanote (โฉนดที่ดิน, Nor Sor 4 / Nor Sor 4 Jor)

A chanote is a title deed showing full ownership, issued by the Department of Lands after a survey with boundary markers. Nor Sor 4 Jor is the current form; older forms have the same legal standing. It can be sold, gifted and mortgaged by registration at the land office. Some chanotes carry a transfer ban for a set period (for example land originally allocated by the state), so read the deed and its registration entries.

Nor Sor 3 Gor and Nor Sor 3 (หนังสือรับรองการทำประโยชน์)

Certificates of utilisation give a right of possession, not full ownership, but in practice they can be sold and mortgaged.

• Nor Sor 3 Gor is issued where aerial photo sheets exist, so boundaries are reasonably clear. Many lenders accept it.
• Nor Sor 3 is issued where no aerial photos exist; boundaries are approximate, and a sale generally requires a public notice period first.
• Both can be upgraded to a chanote through an area-wide survey or an individual application with a new survey.
• Possession rights can in some cases be lost to someone who takes over possession, so check how the land is actually used.

Sor Kor 1 (ส.ค.1)

A notification of possession filed when the Land Code took effect in 1954. It is not a title, but may support an application for a chanote or Nor Sor 3 Gor. It generally changes hands by handing over possession rather than registered sale. High risk: check with the land office whether a title can still be issued and whether the land overlaps state land.

Sor Por Kor 4-01 (ส.ป.ก.4-01)

Issued by the Agricultural Land Reform Office (ALRO), not the Department of Lands. It grants farmers the right to farm land in a reform zone.

• It cannot be sold to the general public. Rights pass only by inheritance to heirs or back to ALRO or eligible farmer institutions as the law allows.
• It cannot be mortgaged to ordinary banks, though some state lenders may accept it under specific conditions.
• Private "sales" of Sor Por Kor land have no legal effect, and the buyer can lose both money and land.
• A recent policy converts some 4-01 papers into "agricultural title deeds" (โฉนดเพื่อการเกษตร). These remain reform land with transfer limits, and the policy may change. Ask the provincial ALRO office.

Por Bor Tor 5 (ภ.บ.ท.5)

A receipt for the former local maintenance tax, replaced by the Land and Building Tax from 2020. It is not a title document. Paying tax does not create land rights, and many such plots are forest or other state land. It cannot be registered for sale or mortgage.

Nor Kor 3 and Gor Sor Nor 5 (น.ค.3, ก.ส.น.5)

Certificates of use in self-help settlements (Nor Kor 3) and cooperative settlements (Gor Sor Nor 5). They are not titles yet. Once conditions are met, holders can apply for a chanote or Nor Sor 3 Gor, which usually carries a transfer ban for an initial period, except by inheritance or to the settlement or cooperative.

Summary

Document	What it proves	Sell / mortgage?	Notes
Chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor)	Ownership	Yes / yes	Check transfer bans and encumbrances
Nor Sor 3 Gor	Possession (land in use)	Yes / yes	Can be upgraded to chanote
Nor Sor 3	Possession (land in use)	Yes, after notice period / with conditions	Less precise boundaries
Sor Kor 1	Possession was notified	Generally not registrable	Not a title; basis for applying
Sor Por Kor 4-01	Right to farm reform land	Not to the public / very limited	Inheritance to heirs or to ALRO only
Por Bor Tor 5	Old tax was paid	No (not a title)	May be state land
Nor Kor 3 / Gor Sor Nor 5	Right of use in a settlement	Generally not yet	Title possible later, often with a transfer ban

Before buying, check the document type, its number and district (see where to find the deed number), the location and area (see the rai-ngan-wa converter), and the register at the land office. Our parcel card shows the document type so you know what you are looking at from the start.

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