Does the Village Land Act apply to land in cities?
No. The Village Land Act, 1999 governs land within registered village boundaries. Land in urban and peri-urban areas administered by local government authorities mainly falls under the Land Act instead.
The Village Land Act, 1999 governs land that falls within the boundaries of a registered village, roughly 70% of mainland Tanzania's land area.
The main right recognised is the Customary Right of Occupancy, which gives village members a recognised, transferable right to occupy and use land under customary law.
The Village Council manages village land on behalf of the community, subject to decisions made by the Village Assembly for significant matters like allocating or transferring land to outsiders.
Villages can apply for a Certificate of Village Land, and individuals or households can apply for a Certificate of Customary Right of Occupancy to formally record their holding.
Village Land Councils handle mediation of local land disputes before they escalate to the formal Land Courts.
Confirm the seller's customary right is properly registered, that the Village Council has approved any transfer to a non-villager, and that the transaction follows the Act's procedure. Informal purchases without this can leave your ownership unprotected.