Apartment ownership term: 50 years or long-term?

This content is for reference and is not legal advice. Regulations may change and vary by locality; for a specific case, ask the competent authority or a lawyer. Updated 24/10/2026.

"My apartment's pink book says 50 years, so after 50 years do I lose my home?" is a very common question. The answer needs three concepts kept apart: the home ownership term, the project's land-use term and the building's service life.

1. Three concepts that are often confused

Concept	Meaning	Commonly seen
Home ownership term	How long the owner may own the apartment	Vietnamese individuals: stable and long-term; foreigners: up to 50 years (see below)
Project land-use term	The term for which the State allocates / leases land to the developer	Usually set per project; may be 50 years or longer
Building service life	The structure's lifespan per inspection results	Old, deteriorated apartment buildings may have to be demolished and rebuilt

2. Vietnamese citizens: long-term ownership

The 2023 Housing Law (No. 27/2023/QH15) sets the 50-year ownership term for foreign individuals (section 3 below); the sources opened do not state a similar limit for domestic individuals, and many sources describe domestic individuals as owning housing on a stable, long-term basis. How exactly it is written on the certificate (whether it says "long-term") could not be checked against the original document. The project's land may carry its own land-use term; for apartments, the rules on land-use rights over the common areas and on the apartment building apply alongside.

3. Foreigners: up to 50 years

Under Article 20 of the 2023 Housing Law (summarised from legal news sources), foreign individuals may own housing as agreed in a sale, hire-purchase, gift or inheritance transaction but for no more than 50 years from the date the certificate is issued; the term is stated on the certificate and may be extended once, by up to a further 50 years if needed. If the term expires and the owner does not sell or gift the home, it becomes public property. Article 161 sets the conditions for transaction parties: a foreign buyer must be an eligible person to own housing in Vietnam. The rules applying specifically to foreign organisations were not checked. For detailed conditions (eligible persons, number of units, areas where purchase is not allowed), see foreigners buying homes in Vietnam.

Illustrative example (assumed dates)

Mr B is a foreign individual issued an apartment certificate on 01/3/2027 with a 50-year term, expiring on 01/3/2077. If he wishes, Mr B may extend once by up to 50 years; if he does not extend and does not sell, the apartment becomes public property under the rules above. A person buying the apartment from Mr B should ask clearly about the remaining term stated on the certificate.

Quick comparison

Subject	Apartment ownership term	Extension
Foreign individual	Up to 50 years from the certificate issue date	Once, up to 50 years
Domestic Vietnamese individual	Stable, long-term (as described by news sources)	Not applicable

4. What happens when the project's land-use term runs out

When the project's land-use term is close to ending, home owners do not automatically lose their rights: extension and handling procedures are carried out by the developer, the management board and State agencies under the law. Follow notices from the management board and local authorities, and do not act on rumours.

5. Building service life and rebuilding

An apartment building may need inspection when it deteriorates. If seriously damaged, it may be renovated or demolished and rebuilt as regulated; owners are provided with temporary housing or compensation and resettlement plans depending on the case. Details are set by the Housing Law and guiding decrees.

6. What to read on documents and contracts

1. Buyer type: Vietnamese or foreign, clearly stated in the contract and certificate.
2. Term notation: "long-term" or a specific number of years; compare with the project's land-use term.
3. Project land-use term: ask for the land allocation or lease document and look at the start and end dates.
4. Extension and transfer clauses: whether a later buyer inherits the remaining term.
5. Private and common use area: to compare with the certificate after receiving the home (see handover and area acceptance).

7. Effect on price and the buying decision

The remaining ownership term affects resale, mortgage lending and the apartment's value. For an investment apartment, ask carefully about the project's land term and the bank's rules when accepting it as collateral. For long-term living, prioritise projects with clear land records (see Checking a project's legal status before buying).

8. When to ask further

Every case differs (buyer type, property type, date the documents were issued). If your certificate states the term unclearly, ask the land registration office or a lawyer before buying.

The pages below are all newspapers or legal news sites, not the original documents; article and clause numbers come from these pages and must be checked against the original documents before being relied on.

• Articles 20 and 161 of the 2023 Housing Law No. 27/2023/QH15 — Thu vien Phap luat, Người nước ngoài được gia hạn thời hạn sở hữu căn hộ chung cư ở Việt Nam mấy lần?, seen in search results 24/10/2026, could not be opened (thuvienphapluat often returns 403).
• Hết thời hạn sở hữu nhà ở thì giấy chứng nhận cấp cho bên mua còn giá trị pháp lý không? — not opened.