A Comparative Analysis of the Legal Mechanisms for Determining the Registration Status of Lands and Buildings Lacking Official Title Deeds in Iranian and German Law, with Emphasis on the Institutional Efficiency of the Land Registration System

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Majid Jadidi ¹

Mahdi Zolfaghari ²

Ahmadreza Behniafar ²

¹ Da. C, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran

² Da. C, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran.

10.22067/jrrp.v15i2.2602-1160

Abstract

Purpose- The registration status of lands and buildings lacking official title deeds constitutes a significant challenge for land governance, ownership security, and the efficiency of registration systems. This study aims to examine the legal mechanisms for determining the registration status of undocumented properties through a comparative analysis of Iranian and German legal systems, with particular emphasis on the institutional efficiency of land registration mechanisms and the assurance of tenure security.
Design/methodology/approach- This research employs a descriptive-analytical method with a comparative legal approach. Data were collected through library-based research, including the analysis of statutory provisions, jurisprudential principles, legal doctrines, and institutional structures governing land registration in Iran and Germany. The study focuses on the mechanisms adopted by each legal system for formalizing ownership, correcting registration deficiencies, and balancing legal certainty with the need to resolve undocumented property situations.
Findings- Iran adopts a facilitative, corrective approach influenced by Imami jurisprudence, recognizing possessory evidence and enabling integration of informal properties into formal registration systems. Germany emphasizes registration conclusiveness, public reliance on the Grundbuch, and preventive legal certainty, applying restrictive mechanisms for registration corrections while ensuring stronger transactional predictability. The comparative analysis reveals that institutional efficiency requires balancing ownership formalization flexibility with registration reliability. Iran demonstrates greater adaptive capacity for historically accumulated informal ownership, while Germany provides superior informational coherence and third-party protection.
Research limitations/implications- This study is limited to a comparative doctrinal analysis of the legal frameworks of Iran and Germany and does not include empirical assessments of administrative performance or quantitative evaluation of registration outcomes. Future research may incorporate field studies and comparative institutional assessments to examine the practical effectiveness of registration reforms.
Originality/value- This research contributes to comparative property law by analyzing the relationship between mechanisms for formalizing undocumented properties and institutional efficiency. It demonstrates that effective registration systems require balanced approaches combining procedural flexibility with registration certainty, providing insights for improving registration governance while maintaining compatibility with jurisprudential foundations.

Keywords

Properties without official title deeds

Land registration system

Ownership formalization

Imami jurisprudence

Tenure security

Subjects

• Rural Studies

---

References

1. Abbasi, B., Rajabzadeh Estahbanati, A., & Mazloum Rahni, A. (2022). The evolution of legislation related to the seizure of land by the government before and after the victory of the Islamic Revolution with a brief look at the laws of England and France. Political Sociology of Iran, 5(4), 1444-1469. https://www.magiran.com/p2585188 [In Persian]
2. Abdi, H. (2022). Applied principles of registration law: Regulations on enforcement of official documents and the law on determining the registration status of lands and buildings without official deeds. Tehran: Edalat. [In Persian]
3. Adechian, S. A. (2025). How does land tenure security contribute to sustainable development? Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, (9), 55-87. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1621537
4. Ahmadzadeh, A., & Khalilzadeh, A. (2023). Basics and nature of Land Transfer Contracts under Article 33 of the Conservation and Utilization of Forests and Pastures law. The Quarterly Journal of Judicial Law Views, 25(89), 1-20. https://jlviews.ujsas.ac.ir/article_703595.html [In Persian]
5. Alizadeh Sabet, N. (2021). Law of registration of documents and properties and commentary on the law on determining the registration status of lands and buildings without official deeds. Tehran: Ghanoon Yar. [In Persian]
6. Alhola, S., & Gwaindepi, A. (2024). Land tenure formalisation and perceived tenure security: Two decades of the land administration project in Ghana. Land Use Policy, (143), 229-253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2024.107195
7. Assfaw Wolde, A. (2025). Assessing the dynamic impact of formal and perceived land rights on fruit tree cultivation: Exploring the moderating role of forest ecology, gender, and land acquisition method. Trees, Forests and People, (20), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tfp.2025.100871
8. Bashiri, A. (2025). Commentary on the law mandating official registration of transactions of immovable property (July 2024) in applied property and land registration law. Tehran: Khorsandi. [In Persian]
9. Bauer, T., & Schaub, B. (2023). Grundbuchordnung: Kommentar. Köln: Verlag Dr. Otto Schmidt. [In German]
10. Beheshtian, S. M. (2019). Land acquisition by municipalities: A theoretical and applied study of the governing order of property rights in relation to municipal public projects. Tehran: Majd. [In Persian]
11. Böttcher, R., & Meikel, P. (2023). Grundbuchordnung: Kommentar. München: C.H. Beck. [In German]
12. Braun, H., & Schmidt, L. (2025). Digitale Registerintegration und Rechtssicherheit im Grundbuchwesen. Zeitschrift für Bundes- und Europarecht (ZBR), Deutschland: Mohr Siebeck. [In German]
13. Chigbu, U. E. (2023). Unhiding the “land rights” and “land wrongs” in sub‑Saharan Africa: Outcomes and challenges of land tenure security interventions. Land Use Policy, (127), 855-883. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.107576
14. Dieterle, C. (2025). When “best practice” means formalising: foreign large-scale land investments on customary tenure in Uganda and Sierra Leone. Journal of Agrarian Change, Early View, 46(1), 1-26.
15. Dixon, M. (2024). Modern land law (12th ed.). London: Routledge.
16. Dreier, H., & Schmidt, U. (2024). Sachenrecht.Tübingen, Deutschland: Mohr Siebeck. [In German]
17. Hügel, H. (2023). Grundbuchordnung: Kommentar. München: C.H. Beck. [In German]
18. Emamverdi, M. H. (2022). Land and property law. Tehran: Majd. [In Persian]
19. Fischer, T., & Janssen, R. (2023). Digitalisierung im Grundbuchwesen: Chancen, Risiken und Rechtsfragen. München: C.H. Beck. [In German]
20. Fredrick, L. A., Lucian, C., & Urassa, J. (2025). Women and land rights: The impact of formalization in Tanzania’s Coastal Region. Global Studies Journal, 48(2), 113-131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resglo.2025.100288
21. Haddad Rahmati, A., Taheri Bajd, M. A., & Hashemi, S. H. (2024). Ethical and legal analysis of changes in agricultural land and orchard use. Ethics in Science and Technology, 19(1), 51-58. [In Persian] http://ethicsjournal.ir/article-1-3227-en.html
22. Haghaeighi, S. M. B., Yazdanpanah, F., & Kenarizadeh, H. R. (2025). Conflict between governing principles of urban land and property rights in Iran’s legal system. Legal Civilization, (23), 515-525. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.22034/lc.2025.511991.1610
23. Karkhaneh, M. (2024). Analysis of international environmental law instruments. Tehran: Majd. [In Persian]
24. Kral, W., & Uhl, Y. (2025). Grundbuchrecht: Recht in Ausbildung und Praxis bei den Gerichten und Staatsanwaltschaften. Pegnitz: Juristischer Verlag Pegnitz. [In German]
25. Khezrian, R., Ghayoomzadeh, M., & Taghavi, S. H. (2023). State acquisition of land and property. Comparative Studies in Islamic Jurisprudence, Law and Politics, 5(2), 145-158. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.61838/csjlp.5.2.11
26. Kratzlmeier, F. (2023). Die, alte “GbR im Grundbuch aktuelle Probleme des intertemporalen Grundbuchrechts nach dem MoPeG. Zeitschrift für Immobilienrecht (ZfIR), (5), 197-210. [In German] https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-000F-47A6-6
27. Kühn, R. (2024). Rechtssicherheit im Grundbuch Probleme der Eintragung und Berichtigung nach MoPeG. München: C.H. Beck. [In German]
28. Lenz, R. (2025). Grundzüge des Grundstücksrechts: Ein Lehrbuch für Studium und Praxis. Berlin: De Gruyter. [In German]
29. Manara, M., & Regan, T. (2024). Institutional pluralism and pro‑poor land registration: Lessons on interim property rights from urban Tanzania. Land Use Policy, (129), 148-163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2023.106654
30. Mghase, J. R. (2025). Assessment of legal challenges in the customary land formalisation process in Tanzania. East African Journal of Law and Ethics, 8(1), 322-335. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajle.8.1.3615
31. Mashhadi, A. (2025). Collection of fundamental laws and regulations of environmental law. Tehran: Khorsandi. [In Persian]
32. Masoudi Lamraski, R., & Ghari Fatemi, S. M. (2021). Capacities and shortcomings of Iranian law and Imamiyya jurisprudence in recognizing the right to the city with reference to French law: With emphasis on land ownership rules. Comparative Research on Islamic and Western Law, 8(2), 245-278. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.22091/csiw.2021.6385.1980
33. Masoumi, M. H., Rahmatollahi, H., & Pilvar, R. (2024). Declaration of land as public and its effect on ownership rights and title deeds (with emphasis on decisions of the Supreme Court and the Administrative Justice Court). Modern Research in Administrative Law, (21), 63-83. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.22034/mral.2024.2037902.1643
34. Meikel, G., & Böttcher, R. (Eds.). (2024). GBO: Grundbuchordnung: Kommentar (12th ed.). Carl Heymanns Verlag. Publisher information.
35. Meier, P., & Bühler, J. (2024). Die Hypothek in der Kaufvertragsabwicklung – Risiken und Grundbucheintragung. Pegnitz: Juristischer Verlag Pegnitz. [In German]
36. Movahhed Moghaddam, S. (2025). Impacts of land tenure security on the conversion of agricultural land to urban use: A meta-analysis. Land Degradation & Development, 24(1), 185-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2023.106831
37. Nazari, A. A., & Ahmari, H. (2021). Jurisprudential study of the rule of dominion and its relation to the law on preservation of agricultural land and orchards. Jurisprudence and History of Civilization, 18(69), 1-10. [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.30513/cjd.2021.266.1053
38. Neumann, F. (2024). Rechtliche Herausforderungen bei der Eintragung von Grundpfandrechten im elektronischen Grundbuch. Pegnitz: Juristischer Verlag Pegnitz. [In German]
39. Ndugwa, R. P., & Omusula, C. K. (2025). Institutional Frameworks, Policies, and Land Data: Insights from Monitoring Land Governance and Tenure Security in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia. Land, 14(5), 960-987. https://doi.org/10.3390/land14050960
40. Notarkasse München A. D., & Kell, B. (2025). Grundbuch Rechte in Abt. II. München: Deutscher Notarverlag GmbH & Co. KG. [In German]
41. Odoyi, E. J. (2025). Exploring land policy tools and instruments for formalising informal settlements in Nigeria. Land Use Policy, (130), 291-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103605
42. Palandt, O., Grüneberg, C., & Weidenkaff, W. (2024). Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch. München: C.H. Beck. [In German]
43. Pierri, F. M. (2025). Land tenure for resilient and inclusive rural transformation. World Development, (185), 317-344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100835
44. Saki, M. R. (2024). Land and natural resources law: Introduction to civil and criminal litigation (scientific and applied). Tehran: Khorsandi. [In Persian]
45. Sharifi, H. (2025). Engineering law (land and property and construction violations). Tehran: Khorsandi. [In Persian]
46. Sohrabi Derakhshani, M. (2021). Change of agricultural land and orchard use in Iran’s legal system: With emphasis on judicial practice. Tehran: Majd. [In Persian]
47. Walter, F., & Walter, C. (2025). Die Entwicklungen im Grundbuchrecht. Monatsschrift für Deutsches Recht (MDR), 79(10), 791-808. [In German] https://doi.org/10.9785/mdtr-2025-791008
48. Wegerif, M., Coulibaly, M., & Ouedraogo, H. (2025). Land tenure governance in the first decades of the 21st century: Progress, challenges, and lessons from 18 countries. Land, 14(4), 671- 689. https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v14y2025i4p671-d1617936.html
49. Yousefi, M. H. (2024). Conflict of the law on determining the status of lands and buildings without official deeds with existing legislation. Tehran: Ghanoon Yar. [In Persian]
50. Zheng, L. (2024). Those with constant property rights have perseverance: China’s land tenure reform promotes environment‑friendly farming practices. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, (11), 762-788. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03295-9