Guide · Updated 2026-10-24

How to do a land search in Nairobi

A land search tells you who owns a piece of land and whether anything is registered against it. This guide explains, step by step and in plain words, how to find a plot in Nairobi, do the official search, and check everything else a buyer should check before paying.

Find a parcel on the map Nairobi zoning by zone

What a land search is

An official land search is a request to the Ministry of Lands for what the land register says about a parcel: the registered owner or owners, the parcel’s size, and anything registered against the title, such as a charge (a loan secured on the land), a caution or a restriction. It is a record of the register — it does not show where the land is, what may be built on it, or whether the fence on the ground matches the survey. A careful buyer checks all of those too.

First, find the right number

A Nairobi parcel can be known by more than one number, and you need the right one for the search:

LR number — the older Land Reference number on many Nairobi titles, such as 209/12345.
Block and plot number — since 2021 the Ministry of Lands has been replacing many Nairobi LR numbers with parcel numbers written by registration block, such as Nairobi/Block 181/2504.
FR number — the number of the survey plan that created the parcel, such as FR 518/115.

Nairobi Maps finds a parcel by any of these, however it is written, and by a map position or a Google Maps link.

Step by step

Find the plot on the map. Type its number into the Nairobi Maps search box. Check that the parcel on the map is the one you were shown on the ground.
Check the planning rules. Tap the parcel to see its zone under the Development Control Policy 2026: the most floors, the ground coverage, the plot ratio and the smallest plot. Every zone has a page in Nairobi zoning by zone.
Check the survey. Look at the parcel’s survey plan (FR) and the Registry Index Map for its block, and have a licensed surveyor confirm the beacons on the ground.
Do the official search on Ardhisasa. Nairobi’s land registry is on Ardhisasa, the Ministry of Lands’ online platform. Create an account, request a search for the parcel number, pay the fee online and download the result.
Check what else affects the land. Rivers and wetlands, road reserves, airport height limits near JKIA and Wilson, and unpaid county rates.
Use an advocate for the sale agreement and the transfer.

Planning to build, change the land’s use or subdivide after you buy? The county approves each of those on its own system, NPDMS — see building and planning approval in Nairobi for what to check before you apply and how long approvals take. Many projects also need NEMA’s environmental licence — see NEMA licences in Nairobi — and every check is in one place in built-environment due diligence in Nairobi.

A buyer’s checklist

Check	Where	Why it matters
The parcel is where you think it is	Nairobi Maps search, then a visit	Sellers sometimes show one plot and sell another.
Who owns it, and what is registered against it	Official search on Ardhisasa	Only the register says who owns the land and whether it is charged.
The size and the boundaries	Survey plan (FR), Registry Index Map, a licensed surveyor	The register’s size and the ground can differ; the beacons settle it.
What you may build	The zone on Nairobi Maps (DC Policy 2026)	Floors, coverage, plot ratio and the smallest plot decide what the land is worth to you.
Rivers, wetlands and road reserves	Rivers and roads layers on the map	Land beside a river or inside a road reserve can be taken back or not built on.
Airport height limits	Airport height limits page	Near JKIA and Wilson, the airport can limit height below what the zone allows.
Environmental licences on and around it	The NEMA layers on the map, and NEMA’s ENVIS	A licensed project on the land passes to a buyer only by transfer; neighbouring licences show what the area lives with.
Rates and land rent	Nairobi City County and the Ministry of Lands	Unpaid rates can hold up a transfer.

Nairobi Maps and Ardhisasa: which does what

	Nairobi Maps	Ardhisasa
Who owns the land	No	Yes — the official search
Where the parcel is, on a map	Yes, every Nairobi parcel	No
What may be built (zoning)	Yes, for every parcel	No
Survey plans and index maps	Yes, per sheet — and which cover the plot, on the map	Yes — Sale of Plans, by parcel number (how)
Transfers and registration	No	Yes

Use them together: check the plot here, check the title there.

Questions

How do I do a land search in Nairobi?

Find the parcel and its number (Nairobi Maps finds it by LR, block or FR number, or by position), then do the official search on Ardhisasa, the Ministry of Lands’ online platform, and download the result. Check the survey, the planning rules and the ground as well — the official search shows the register, not the land.

What is the difference between an LR number and a block number?

Both identify a parcel in the land register. Older Nairobi titles carry an LR number such as 209/12345. Since 2021 the Ministry of Lands has been replacing many Nairobi LR numbers with parcel numbers written by registration block, such as Nairobi/Block 181/2504. A title may carry either.

Can I do a land search online in Kenya?

Yes, for registries on Ardhisasa, which includes Nairobi. You create an account, request the search for the parcel number, pay online and download the result.

What does an official land search show?

The registered owner or owners, the size of the parcel, and anything registered against the title — for example a charge (a loan secured on the land), a caution or a restriction.

What is a Registry Index Map (RIM)?

A survey sheet showing all the parcels in an area of a registration block, with their numbers. It shows how a parcel sits among its neighbours. An FR (survey plan) is the plan for one survey, such as the subdivision that created a parcel.

Is a Nairobi Maps result an official land search?

No. Nairobi Maps shows where a parcel is, its size, its planning rules and its survey plans, to help you look before you buy or build. Only the Ministry of Lands’ search is the official record of ownership.

This guide explains the usual steps; it is not legal advice. Laws, fees and procedures change — confirm them with the Ministry of Lands and an advocate.