Legal · Ownership structure
How should you hold the title?
Personal name, a Dominican SRL, a foreign corporation, or a fideicomiso — each changes your liability, taxes on rental and resale, inheritance, and cost. Tell us about the purchase and we'll rank the fit.
Briefing toolFree · no signup
Examples
Best-fit structure
Personal name
For a simple, lower-value purchase, holding title in your own name is cheapest and easiest — no company to set up or maintain.
Fit score100 / 100vs 32 next best
Setup costLow~$1–2K legal
OngoingNoneno annual filing
Recommended
Personal name Individual
100 / 100Title held directly in your own name (or jointly with a spouse). The default — simplest and cheapest, but with no liability shield, and Dominican forced-heirship rules apply to your estate.
Setup LowOngoing NoneRental tax Individual rates
Dominican SRL Sociedad de Resp. Limitada
32 / 100A Dominican limited-liability company owns the property; you own the company. The investor favourite — liability protection plus resale by transferring shares.
Setup MediumOngoing AnnualRental tax 27% on net rental income
Foreign corporation Offshore / home entity
2 / 100Hold the DR property through a company incorporated abroad. Useful when you already have a corporate structure or want cross-border tax planning — a foreign entity is taxed as an individual (~10%) on DR rental, not 27%.
Setup HighOngoing AnnualRental tax ~10%
Fideicomiso Trust · Law 189-11
2 / 100A trust holds legal title for your benefit. The standard vehicle for pre-construction deposits and the strongest tool for estate planning and asset segregation.
Setup HighOngoing Trustee feesRental tax Special Law 189-11 regime
Don’t forget succession
Forced heirship applies to DR real estate regardless of your home-country will: a reserved portion (la legítima) goes to children and a surviving spouse. Holding through an SRL or fideicomiso can convert "inheriting real estate" into "transferring shares" — decide before you buy.
Side by side
4 structures| Personal ★ | SRL | Foreign | Fideicomiso | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liability shield | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
| Avoids forced heirship | ✕ | ~ | ~ | ✓ |
| Resale via share transfer | ✕ | ✓ | ~ | ✕ |
| Privacy | ✕ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rental tax | Indiv. | 27% | ~10%* | 189-11 |
| Setup cost | Low | Medium | High | High |
| Ongoing cost | None | Annual | High | Trustee |
* Foreign-corp's ~10% rental rate assumes a non-US owner; US persons face IRS Forms 5471/8938/3520.
Structure is a lawyer's call — but walk in knowing your options.
The right holding vehicle depends on your tax residency, estate goals, and total DR holdings. Use this as a briefing, then confirm with a Dominican real-estate attorney and a cross-border tax advisor before you sign.