Land shares: how to keep your ownership rights until 2028

Millions of Ukrainians who received land shares during the division of lands from former collective agricultural enterprises face the danger of losing their property forever. The state land reform program has set a clear deadline: by January 1, 2028, all owners of land shares must register ownership rights. If they fail to do so, the land will be confiscated, declared abandoned, and transferred to the communal property of territorial communities. Over 104,400 unclaimed land shares remain unprivatized.

Why the State Needs Land Privatization

Increasing the tax base. Unprıvatized land is not recorded in registers as private property, so the state cannot fully tax this land. When land officially transitions to private ownership, it becomes subject to land tax. Thousands of hryvnias in annual taxes will flow into local budgets.

Developing the real estate market. Unprıvatized land cannot be sold, gifted, or pledged as collateral for a loan. When land is privatized, it becomes an asset for investments, business, or sale, promoting economic growth in rural areas.

Preventing corruption. If land shares remain unprıvatized, they can become targets of corruption. When land is officially privatized and registered, such manipulations become significantly more complicated.

Strategic importance. Land is Ukraine’s most important natural resource. The state needs complete and transparent information about all land plots for strategic development planning, land use control, and environmental monitoring.

Final Deadline: January 1, 2028

The law clearly sets the deadline – by January 1, 2028, all owners of unclaimed land shares must register ownership rights. Previously, the deadline was set for January 1, 2025, but was extended by three years due to military operations. This was a necessary concession since people from occupied territories, mobilized individuals, and displaced persons had objective reasons not to register rights on time. However, after January 1, 2028, the law will not negotiate further.

What Happens After the Deadline

If an owner of an unclaimed land share does not register ownership by January 1, 2028:

Recognition of abandonment. That person will automatically be considered as having abandoned the land plot – without needing to submit a statement.

Transfer to communal ownership. The land will be transferred to the communal ownership of the territorial community (OTG or city) where the plot is located and will cease to be private property.

Seven-year moratorium. The law establishes a moratorium (until January 1, 2035) on transferring this plot to private ownership of other persons, except for transfer to the original owner or their heirs. Theoretically, the original owner can reclaim their plot within seven years if they prove their ownership rights.

Loss of control. After that, the territorial community can use the land at its discretion: lease it, develop public facilities, or transfer it through auctions to other persons.

How to Register Ownership Rights to a Land Share

The process of registering ownership rights to a land share is an achievable task if you act systematically:

1. Find documentation about the share.You must find the original certificate of ownership rights to the land share. If it’s missing, contact the archives of local government bodies.
2. Find a land surveyor.Contact a land surveying organization that will develop documentation for determining plot boundaries in kind.
3. Geodetic work.A geodesist will conduct a survey of the territory and develop a plot plan with exact coordinates and boundaries.
4. Registration with the local authority.Submit documents for plot allocation in kind and obtain a decision on allocation.
5. Cadastral registration.Documents are transferred to the administrative services center (ЦНАП) for cadastral registration, where the plot is assigned a cadastral number.
6. Registration of ownership rights.Submit an application to ЦНАП or the e-Land platform to register ownership rights in the Register of Rights to Real Property.

The entire process may take from several months to a year depending on the complexity of the situation and the quality of work by the organizations involved.

Special Exceptions and Deadline Extensions

The law provides special exceptions for people who could not register ownership rights on time due to objective circumstances:

• People who were mobilized or participated in combat operations
• People who were internally displaced due to occupation
• People who were in temporarily occupied territories
• People whose place of residence was in a zone of active combat

For these categories, it is possible to extend the deadline for registering ownership rights if documents confirming their special status are provided.

Categories of People Most Affected

Elderly people. Pensioners often do not understand the complexity of administrative procedures and pass away without registering their rights. Their heirs are left with an unresolved problem.

Emigrants. Many Ukrainians who emigrated abroad have forgotten about their land rights. For them, registration requires special procedures through diplomatic institutions.

People from occupied territories. Those who fled occupied territories often lost their original documents. Registration requires court procedures or special document recovery procedures.

People who don’t understand the procedures. Many people simply don’t know how to register ownership rights, where to turn, or what documents are needed.

Heirs. If the original owner of the land share has died, heirs must first register a certificate of inheritance rights, and then register rights to the plot, which doubles the time and complexity.

Practical Recommendations

1. Check if you have a land share.Contact the administration of your OTG, village, or city with a request about the availability of an unclaimed land share.
2. Don’t wait until the last day.The process takes time. Start immediately, ideally no later than 2027.
3. If you are an emigrant, contact a representative.The law allows you to authorize a representative with a notarized power of attorney.
4. Collect documentation about deadline extension.If you have objective reasons for extension, submit an application and obtain written confirmation from local government authorities.
5. Use the services of a lawyer.If the procedure seems complicated, hire a lawyer specializing in land issues.
6. Check the registration status.After registration, verify that the data has been correctly entered into the Register of Rights. It’s better to identify and correct errors immediately.

Future: Value of Released Land

The value of land in Ukraine has increased sevenfold over the past two years. Land that was previously considered worthless can now cost thousands of hryvnias per hectare. Territorial communities can use this land for community development, agricultural activities, investments, or sale through auctions. The prospect of losing land is not just a loss of property, but a loss of potential income from that property.

Conclusion

Land share privatization is a critical moment in the lives of millions of Ukrainians. Until January 1, 2028, people have a final opportunity to register ownership rights to their land. Those who act actively will retain their property and the ability to sell, lease, or pass it as inheritance to their children. Those who ignore this requirement will lose their land irreversibly.

Author – Svetlana Krutorogova, attorney at the Law Firm «WINNER» Bar Association.

If you have questions or problems related to registering ownership rights to a land share, understanding the privatization procedure, preparing necessary documents, working with local government authorities, obtaining deadline extensions for special categories of persons, inheritance rights to land plots, or protecting land ownership rights – contact our team of professionals in the field of land and administrative law. Contact us – we are ready to protect your rights to land!