This article lists the documents a foreign owner should gather before appointing an agent and listing a condominium in Thailand for sale, and where each one comes from. It is written for overseas owners who are preparing to sell a Thai condo from abroad. For the whole selling process, see the main article, “Selling Property in Thailand as a Foreigner: Buyers, Process, Taxes, and Moving the Money Out” (link added by the publisher).
Why Gather the Sale Documents Before Listing?
A Thai condo transfer is completed in one sitting at the Land Department (กรมที่ดิน), and the taxes and fees are paid on the spot. If one document is missing, the transfer cannot go ahead. Some documents must be requested from the condominium juristic person (the building’s management body), and others mean going back to the purchase and remittance records from the year you bought. When you live overseas, chasing a missing paper is harder. Having everything ready also helps you work out which taxes you will owe and who you can sell to.
The Short Answer: Which Documents Do You Need?
| Document | Purpose | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Title deed Or Chor 2 (อ.ช.2) | Proves ownership; needed for transfer | Your own original copy |
| Proof of the acquisition date | Decides whether specific business tax or stamp duty applies, and the number of years for withholding tax | The title deed and the sale documents from when you bought |
| Debt-free letter (certificate of no outstanding fees) | The unit cannot be transferred without it | Condominium juristic person |
| Foreign quota certificate | Needed when the buyer is a foreigner | Condominium juristic person |
| FET or bank confirmation letter from the year you bought | Needed later to remit the sale proceeds out of Thailand | The Thai bank that received your funds at the time |
| Passport | Proof of identity | Yourself; if you have been issued a new passport, keep both old and new |
| Household registration book (the “yellow book”) | Only needed if you are registered | Yourself |
| Marriage or divorce certificate | When it relates to how the property is held | Yourself |
| Power of attorney Or Chor 21 | When someone else attends on your behalf | Authenticated according to where you sign it |
The Land Department’s official document list could not be obtained for this article, and the actual requirements at individual branches are unconfirmed. Follow the Land Department office that will handle your transfer. The table above is compiled from law firm and agent summaries.
Title Deed and Acquisition Date: Why Check Them First?
Each condo unit has its own title deed, the Or Chor 2 (อ.ช.2), which records the unit’s area and its share of the common property.
The acquisition date decides two things:
- Specific business tax or stamp duty: a sale within 5 years of acquisition is subject to specific business tax. After 5 years, stamp duty applies instead. The count is day to day.
- Number of years for withholding income tax: counted by calendar year, up to a maximum of 10 years.
So confirm the acquisition date before you set an asking price or decide when to sell. For how the taxes are calculated, see “How Much Tax Do You Pay When Selling Property in Thailand? Transfer Fee, Specific Business Tax or Stamp Duty, and Withholding Tax” (link added by the publisher).
Which Two Certificates Come From the Management Body?
The condominium juristic person (นิติบุคคลอาคารชุด) issues two documents:
- Debt-free letter: under Section 29 of the Condominium Act (พระราชบัญญัติอาคารชุด พ.ศ. 2522), a unit cannot be transferred without this certificate. Once outstanding fees are paid and you apply, the manager is required by law to issue it within 15 days. A manager who does not issue it as required can be fined up to THB 50,000, plus up to THB 500 for each day the failure continues.
- Foreign quota certificate: confirms that the unit falls within the building’s 49% foreign quota. It is needed when the buyer is a foreigner.
Before you list the unit, you can ask the juristic person for a current statement of your maintenance fees and ask what the building’s foreign ownership share is today. The land and building tax is an annual holding tax, and any unpaid amount should also be settled before the transfer.
Foreign Exchange Records: Why Look for Them Now?
The Foreign Exchange Transaction form (FET, formerly ท.ต.3) from the year you bought is the document the bank will want to see when you later remit the sale proceeds out of Thailand. The transfer itself does not require the seller’s FET, but the bank checks that the money going out corresponds to the funds originally brought in plus any gain.
- For each inward remittance of USD 50,000 or more, the bank issues an FET. Below that threshold, a credit advice plus a bank confirmation letter takes its place.
- Check the name and the stated purpose on the form. If the purchase money was sent by a third party, or the purpose was written as a general term such as “investment” or “gift”, this may cause trouble later.
- Keep the original with your title deed and purchase contract.
The written documents each bank requires for an outward remittance could not be obtained for this article and remain unconfirmed. You can start by asking the bank that issued your FET. For details, see “How to Remit Thailand Property Sale Proceeds: FET Records, Bank Documents, and Common Snags” (link added by the publisher).
What Is the Yellow Book, and Do You Need One?
The yellow book is the household registration book for foreigners (ทะเบียนบ้าน, Tabien Baan). A foreign owner can register a condo in it as a primary residence. If you have never registered, you do not need to prepare anything extra.
If you are registered, note one point. A property where the seller’s name has been in the household registration book for at least 1 year, as a primary residence, can be sold within 5 years without specific business tax. Whether a foreigner’s yellow book qualifies for this 1-year exemption is not written in the current law, and the sources reviewed did not show the Revenue Department’s interpretation for foreigners. This is unconfirmed. If you hold a yellow book, check with the Revenue Department or the Land Department before selling.
Whether this applies to you depends on whether you were ever registered and for how long. If you are unsure which case you are in, confirm your registration history before you list.
Passport, Marriage Documents, and Power of Attorney
- Passport: the title deed records your details from when you bought. If you have since been issued a new passport, the sources reviewed do not say which supporting proof must be added. This is unconfirmed. Keep both the old and the new passport, and check with the Land Department in advance.
- Marriage or divorce certificate: where it relates to how the property is held, agent checklists list it as a transfer document.
- Power of attorney: if you are not in Thailand, use the Land Department’s condominium power of attorney form, Or Chor 21, and have it authenticated according to the place where you sign it. See “Selling Thai Property from Abroad: The Condo Power of Attorney (Or Chor 21), Consular Legalization, and Translation” (link added by the publisher).
If what you hold is a leasehold rather than ownership, also prepare the registered lease and confirm the remaining term and the transfer terms. The taxes and fees on transferring a leasehold, and the lessor’s consent, are not written in the current sources. This is unconfirmed.
Does Your Own Situation Differ?
Whether your documents are complete depends on the individual unit, so check the list against your own title deed, building, and purchase records.
FAQ: Documents for Selling Thai Property
How long does the debt-free letter for a Thai condo take?
Under the Condominium Act, once the outstanding fees are paid and you have applied, the manager must issue it within 15 days. A manager who does not issue it as required can be fined.
Can an owner without a yellow book sell a Thai condo?
Yes. The yellow book only needs to be brought by people who have registered. It affects whether the 1-year exemption from specific business tax can apply, and whether a foreigner’s yellow book qualifies is not written in the current law. This is unconfirmed.
I lost the FET from when I bought. Can I still sell?
The transfer itself does not require the seller’s FET. It is the document needed later when you remit the sale proceeds out through a bank. Ask the bank that received your money at the time to look up the inward remittance record. How a replacement is issued is up to the bank.
Glossary
- Title deed Or Chor 2 (อ.ช.2): the ownership deed for a condo unit.
- Condominium juristic person (นิติบุคคลอาคารชุด): the management body of each condo building.
- Debt-free letter: a certificate issued by the juristic person confirming the seller has no unpaid common charges.
- Foreign quota certificate: a certificate issued by the juristic person confirming the unit falls within the foreign quota.
- Household registration book (ทะเบียนบ้าน, Tabien Baan): the house registration book. The foreigner’s version has a yellow cover, hence “yellow book”.
- Foreign Exchange Transaction form (FET, formerly ท.ต.3): the bank record showing that foreign currency was remitted in from abroad and converted into baht.
About This Information
Prepared by Zagdim research. The statutory points were checked against the legal text (Verified by Zagdim), and market practice is marked separately. Information current as of October 8, 2026. The Condominium Act provisions follow a law firm’s summary of the articles. The Land Department website could not be accessed, so its official document list was not obtained. The following points were not stated in the sources reviewed and are unconfirmed: document requirements at individual Land Department branches, proof needed after a passport is replaced, whether a yellow book qualifies for the 1-year exemption, each bank’s list of documents for outward remittance, and the taxes and fees on transferring a leasehold. The transfer-day document list and the FET practice are summaries from law firms and agents (Zagdim practice note).
Have a question about this guide? Leave a comment below, or ask Zagdim directly.
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Sources
- ThaiLawOnline – Condominium Act B.E. 2522 (1979)
- ThaiLawOnline – Condominium Juristic Person
- ThaiLawOnline – FET Form Thailand
- Thai Revenue Department – Specific Business Tax on Sale of Immovable Property (Thai-language page)
- Sena Development – International FAQ
- The Thaiger – Foreigner’s guide to selling property in Thailand
Important Notice
This article is a general information summary and does not constitute individual legal advice. Information current as of October 8, 2026. Document requirements may change; follow the current requirements of the Land Department office handling your transfer, the condominium juristic person, and the relevant Thai authorities.
