Puerto Rico’s property registry system is unlike any other in the United States. While most states organize property records by street address, Puerto Rico indexes real estate records by Property Number, Book, and Page within the Property Registry of the specific municipality (municipio) where the property is located. With 78 municipalities on the island, understanding this distinction is key to ensuring successful search results.
At Real Title Services, we’re fully equipped to handle these unique requirements, and we want to make it as easy as possible for clients to place searches with confidence.
What We Need to Perform a Search
To perform any kind of title search in Puerto Rico—including Legal and Vesting, Current Owner, or full chain-of-title—we require the Property Number, Book, and Page as officially recorded in the registry. This applies to all property types and all municipalities.
For example: In the below image, the yellow-highlighted text (in English and Spanish) includes the required registry information (“Finca [property number] 10,085, recorded at Folio [page] 270, Tomo [book] 208 del Municipio de [city] Toa Alta”). Once we have that information, we can then provide you with the full legal description, shown in the blue-highlighted section.
Why We Can’t Use Just the Street Address
Although most U.S.-based searches can be performed using a street address, that’s not the case in Puerto Rico. Properties there are filed and retrieved based on the legal identifiers mentioned above—not on location or street name.
We’re happy to attempt a search based on address alone, but please note:
- These searches have a very low success rate
- Even “no-find” results are charged at the applicable rate
If your team doesn’t have the registry details, we’re happy to look at samples of what you do have to determine whether we can help locate them or assist with alternative solutions.
⚠️No Copies or Tax Records in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico’s Property Registry system does not store or distribute full copies of recorded documents—only official summaries (abstracts) of the filings. If a full deed copy is needed, it must be requested directly from the notary who prepared and filed the document, which will involve extra time and cost. If this is needed, please inquire and we can make arrangements for you, but unless otherwise arranged for, we will not be returning any copies with standard title searches.
In addition, property tax records are not included with standard title searches and require a separate request through the tax authority. Accessing tax data typically requires the owner’s full Social Security Number, and comes with an additional fee per parcel.
Bulk Orders, High Volume, and Flexible Support
Real Title Services can support both single-property searches and bulk projects. Our team understands the nuances of Puerto Rico’s system and works directly with qualified abstractors on the ground who know how to navigate each municipality’s registry.
Pricing is custom-quoted based on your search type, volume, and turnaround requirements. We offer all search-types including:
- Legal and Vesting Searches
- Current Owner
- Full Searches
- Custom reports
Quick Facts About Puerto Rico’s Registry System
- The island is divided into 78 municipios (municipalities), each with its own registry office.
- Properties are filed by Finca Number (Parcel), Tomo (Book), and Folio (Page).
- Legal descriptions are often recorded in Spanish or bilingual format (like the image above).
- Registry data is managed under the Puerto Rico Department of Justice’s Office of the Property Registry.
Ready to Get Started?
If you’re exploring Puerto Rico as part of a larger real estate, legal, or investment project, we’d love to support your title search needs. If you’re unsure whether your data is sufficient, feel free to send us a few samples for review.
Real Title Services provides nationwide boots-on-the-ground title searches—including work in all 78 Puerto Rico municipalities.
To discuss your project or pricing needs, schedule a call with Angela Sharp, President and Client Advocate:
👉 www.calendly.com/rtsangela
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