Update, October 2026: This article replaces our September 2024 report on the bill that created the Unified National Registry. The bill is now law, and the RUN has been operating since January 2026.
In September 2024, we reported that Paraguay’s Executive and Judicial branches had jointly presented a bill to create the Unified National Registry (Registro Unificado Nacional, RUN). The goal was to end decades of confusion caused by three separate government offices managing property records. Two years later, the RUN is operating. Here’s what has happened and what it means for anyone buying land or property in Paraguay.
From bill to law
Congress passed the bill on 17 December 2024. It was signed into law as Law 7424/2025 on 9 January 2025 and published on 14 January 2025 (BACN). The government described it as modernising the property registry after 150 years (Presidency of Paraguay).
Supreme Court Minister Alberto Martínez Simón said in 2024 that the law had a one-year transition period before taking effect. In January 2026, President Santiago Peña signed the decree setting out how the RUN would operate. The RUN has handled property registrations since 14 January 2026.
Three offices become one
The RUN is a technical body of the Judiciary, under the Supreme Court of Justice. It has taken over the work of three agencies:
• the General Directorate of Public Registries (DGRP), formerly part of the Judiciary;
• the National Cadastre Service (SNC), formerly under the Ministry of Economy;
• the Department of Surveying and Geodesy, formerly under the Ministry of Public Works.
For property buyers, this means one filing desk, one application and one tracking number for each transaction.
A single code for every property
The biggest practical change is the Unique Cadastral Registration Identification Code (CUICR), designed to reduce data duplication and property disputes. It replaces the several reference numbers previously used for the same property, such as finca, padrón and matrícula. Each property is also meant to have a map showing its boundaries and area.
In October 2026, the President, the head of the Supreme Court and the RUN’s management launched the Digital Cadastral and Registry Property Certificate (CCRID). It combines cadastral, registry and survey information in a single digital application.
The first months in numbers
In its first six months, the RUN processed about 250,000 property transactions under the new unified structure (EstateNews Paraguay). Registering a property now costs 0.85% of the higher of the deed price or the official tax value.
Problems still to solve
The reform has not fixed everything, and the minister said as much in 2024. He warned that the law would not “magically solve” existing overlapping titles but would help prevent new ones.
The problem is large. Official figures show 47.5% more titled land in Paraguay than physically exists. Private estimates suggest that 70% of privately owned land has some irregularity or title dispute.
There are also concerns about how the new system is working:
• Speed. In June 2026, notaries warned that the merger had not yet sped up processing.
• Data quality. Critics argue that the new digital certificate validates faulty existing data, which carries old errors into the new system.
• Timeline. The full transfer of staff from the three former agencies is expected to take until 2029.
What this means for investors
The RUN is a real step forward for legal certainty in Paraguay’s property market. International observers expect it to improve legal security, reduce paperwork and help resolve overlapping titles. However, careful due diligence is still essential, especially for rural and agricultural land:[state]
1. Ask for the CUICR and the digital certificate (CCRID) for any property you’re considering.
2. Have the boundaries checked on the ground by a qualified surveyor, as older records may still contain errors.
3. Trace the full chain of title with a Paraguayan notary or lawyer, particularly for land that came from INDERT (the national rural land agency).
4. Allow extra time for registration while the new system settles in.
Gateway to South America works with trusted local professionals to help international buyers carry out thorough due diligence on Paraguayan property.
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