80 years of land management: Consolidating the registration system to serve the people

Throughout 80 years of formation and development, Vietnam's land management sector has accompanied the nation's historical journey, associated with the resistance for independence, national construction, and defense. From fragmented and dispersed land management in the past, the legal system on land is now increasingly complete, affirming that land is the property of the people, with the State acting as the representative owner and exercising unified management.

Important milestones such as the Land Law of 1987, 1993, 2003, 2013, and most recently the Land Law of 2024 have gradually established a coherent and modern legal corridor, aligned with the country's progress of Doi Moi (Renewal) and international integration. In addition, key resolutions of the Central Committee, particularly Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW (2012) and Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW (2022), have set requirements for strong reforms in land management in the direction of transparency, efficiency, and responsiveness to development demands.

Land Registration Offices create a foundation for modernization

One of the most important turning points has been the consolidation of the Land Registration Office system. Previously, the model of decentralized district-level Land Use Rights Registration Offices, as stipulated in the 2003 Land Law, revealed many limitations. Since the 2013 Land Law, further reinforced by the 2024 Land Law, the single-tier Land Registration Office under the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has been established. This represents a major step forward, overcoming fragmentation while laying the foundation for modernizing the land management sector in line with the process of national digital transformation.

Implementing Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW (2012), Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW (2022), and the provisions of the 2013 and 2024 Land Laws, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) has issued multiple directives guiding localities to consolidate their Land Registration Offices. As of July 1, 2025, all 63 centrally governed provinces and cities have completed the consolidation according to the single-tier model.

The consolidation of Land Registration Offices has unified the management of cadastral records, thereby strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of state land management and gradually creating the premise for the development of a national land database. This system is ready to provide land information to agencies, organizations, the people, and businesses. At the same time, the model helps ensure transparency in the real estate market, clearly separates state management from public service delivery, and clarifies the responsibilities of each agency in handling administrative procedures.

Administrative reforms in the land sector have also been accelerated, with more standardized, interconnected, and efficient procedures for handling applications. In practice, the Land Registration Offices have become focal points promoting administrative reform, fostering the development of e-government while enabling more flexible coordination of human resources across units.

Outstanding results include the decrease in the number of procedures for the registration and issuance of Certificates of Land Use Rights, Ownership of Houses, and Assets Attached to Land from 48 to 30, with processing time shortened by 27.84%. The rate of resolving land transaction applications at local levels has reached 90–95% of the required standard. To date, more than 44 million cadastral records have been established nationwide, over 30 million records updated and revised, and approximately 30 million electronic cadastral books brought under management.

In addition, many administrative procedures for registration and certificate issuance have been implemented online through the National Public Service Portal and the public service portals of provinces and cities.

Aiming at transparent land governance

Alongside the achievements, certain limitations remain. In some localities, administrative procedures are still complicated and prolonged, cadastral databases remain inconsistent, high-quality human resources are in short supply, and overlapping management causes inconvenience for people and businesses.

Many solutions have been put forward to enhance management efficiency. Specifically, continuing to streamline organizational structures while improving the quality of personnel; accelerating the application of information technology and the digitization of records; carrying out thorough, public, transparent administrative reforms; strengthening inspection, supervision, and enforcement against violations; and intensifying public communication of land laws so that the people better understand their rights and obligations in land management and use.

The consolidation of Land Registration Offices is clear evidence of the determination to build a modern, transparent land governance system that serves the people and contributes to transforming land into a truly vital resource for socio-economic development.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Minh Ngan emphasized that Land Registration Offices serve as the "extended arm" of the State in land management, directly serving the people and businesses while helping the State firmly grasp and effectively manage the national land fund.