What do you need to sell a home in Taiwan? Four things: the original title deed, your ID, your registered seal with its seal certificate, and a loan balance or settlement certificate. Many owners empty every drawer, rush the unimportant items and still get stuck at signing. This guide splits the paperwork into the listing stage and the signing stage, and explains the item most often missed, the seal certificate.
For the full process see Selling a home in Taiwan: 8 steps. For what the buyer prepares at the same time, see Buying and selling costs and Offer documents explained.
Three figures: four core document types; the seal certificate costs NT$20 per copy at the household registration office; and in practice it must be issued within one year, with the purpose stated as “real estate registration”. Fees and procedures follow household registration practice as of August 2026.
Listing stage vs signing stage
A photocopy of the deed is enough to list. The original deed and the seal certificate are mostly needed at contract signing and seal affixing (用印), the step where both sides stamp the transfer documents. Prepare in stages and you avoid touring the city’s offices and banks before you have a buyer.
| Document | Listing stage | Signing and seal affixing | Where and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title deed (所有權狀) | Copy | Original required | Keep it yourself; if lost, apply to the Land Office for reissue |
| ID card plus second ID | Copy | Originals checked | Shown at signing |
| Registered seal and seal certificate (印鑑證明) | Usually not needed | Required | Household registration office of your registered district, NT$20 per copy |
| Loan balance certificate | Advisable | Used for repayment at transfer | From your lending bank |
| House tax and land value tax bills | Can follow later | For tax apportionment | Tax office or current-year bills |
| Lease and handover inventory | Advisable if tenanted | For handover | Only if there is a tenant |
| Property condition disclosure (房屋現況說明書) | Completed at listing | Annexed to the sale contract | Disclose condition and defects truthfully |
At listing, the agency needs to confirm you are the owner, that the property details are correct, and that price and terms can be agreed. The seal certificate is only accepted if issued within one year, so getting it too early can mean doing it twice. Check now that the original deed exists. If not, apply to the Land Office (地政事務所) for a reissue; the public notice period is about 30 days and blocks the transfer, so never leave this until signing.
Where to get the seal certificate
The registered seal certificate is issued by the household registration office (戶政事務所) of the district where your household registration (戶籍) is. In principle you apply in person, pay NT$20 per copy, and state the purpose as “real estate registration” (不動產登記). It is the sheet most often missing from a transfer file.
Take your ID card and the registered seal, fill in the form, pay the fee, and it is done in about 15 to 30 minutes. In Taichung and other special municipalities you can apply at any office within the city, but not in another county or city, and the first-time registration of a seal must be done by you in person.
Two dates to remember: the ideal moment is after signing the sale contract and before seal affixing; and the Land Office generally accepts only certificates issued within the past year. Owners who are overseas go through authentication of a power of attorney at an ROC overseas mission, which takes longer, so confirm with the land administration agent (代書), the licensed professional who handles title transfer, well ahead. One or two copies are usually enough. Keep all payments in escrow (履約保證), the third-party account that holds the buyer’s money until transfer completes.
Our view: The seal certificate is not “the earlier the better” but “at the right moment”. Before listing, confirm where the deed is and whether every co-owner is available. Leave the seal certificate for the two weeks after signing.
How to get a loan balance certificate
You can sell with a mortgage still running. First ask the bank for a loan balance certificate (貸款餘額證明) to confirm the sale price covers what is owed. Many owners think they must repay first; that is a misunderstanding. At transfer, the buyer’s payment through escrow repays the loan and releases the charge, so you do not have to raise a lump sum in advance.
Apply at a branch or through online banking. With the figure in hand, deduct the agent fee, land value increment tax and consolidated housing and land income tax to see what you actually receive; see Selling taxes and net proceeds. The balance changes with every repayment, so if the certificate is old by signing, request a fresh one so everyone works from the same number.
What goes in the property condition disclosure
The property condition disclosure (房屋現況說明書) records leaks, sea-sand concrete, radiation, stigma concerns, alterations and pipework, item by item, and is used at both listing and signing. It is not a formality; it is what prevents disputes after completion. A vague disclosure loses you negotiating room the moment the buyer’s inspection finds something.
Go through each item: past leaks and repairs, rooftop additions or changed partitions, agreements on parking or common areas, and any major repair plans for the building. Full disclosure does not scare buyers away; well-documented homes usually convert viewings better. Keep a copy, because if you add a second agency the versions must match. See Exclusive vs open listing.
Tenanted, inherited or co-owned
Three situations turn “we can sign next week” into “another month”. Tenanted: prepare the lease and handover inventory, and settle before signing whether vacant possession can be delivered or the buyer takes over the lease, or you risk a breach. Inherited: an unregistered inheritance cannot be sold; see Selling an inherited property. Co-owned: every co-owner needs complete documents, and one objection or one missing seal certificate stalls the whole file.
Foreign owners, or owners who live abroad long-term, may also need a passport, a power of attorney and documents authenticated by an ROC overseas mission. The timeline is longer than for a local owner, so ask the land administration agent for a tailored list the day you sign the listing.
For foreign nationals: the seal certificate runs through household registration, which most foreign owners do not have. A foreign seller abroad instead uses a passport, residence documents, and a power of attorney and signature specimen authenticated by an ROC overseas mission, with tax and remittance rules to check. Ask us for your exact list via Contact before you commit to a signing date.
Our view: The goal is zero missing items on signing day, not a full folder. Answer three questions first: is the deed in hand, are all co-owners on board, and is the purpose on the seal certificate correct. Everything else is easy.
FAQ
Can I get the seal certificate in another county?
In principle only in your registered district. Taichung and other special municipalities allow any office within the city, but not another county, and a first-time seal registration must be in person.
What if I cannot find the title deed?
Apply to the Land Office for the district where the property sits. The reissue needs about 30 days of public notice and the transfer cannot complete until it is done, so start immediately.
What do co-owners need?
Each co-owner needs an ID, registered seal and seal certificate, and must agree to the sale and affix their seal. Confirm every co-owner’s intent and progress before listing.
Can an inherited home be sold before registration?
No. Inheritance registration and the estate tax process come first; see Inheritance registration.
How many seal certificates do I need?
Commonly one or two, at NT$20 each. Follow the land administration agent’s instructions and apply after signing, before seal affixing, so it does not expire.
What do I bring to the agency at listing?
A copy of the deed, a copy of your ID, and anything that explains the property’s condition and the loan balance. Originals and the seal certificate can wait for signing.
How are documents different for foreign sellers?
A passport, residence documents or authorising documents are commonly needed in addition, and tax and remittance rules may apply. Ask the land administration agent for a list early.
How long does the whole set take?
The seal certificate takes about 15 to 30 minutes at the counter. The bank’s balance certificate depends on the bank. A deed reissue takes longest, about 30 days of notice, so do that first.
Conclusion
You do not need everything on day one. Split the list into listing and signing. For the seal certificate remember: registered district, in person, NT$20 per copy, purpose “real estate registration”, issued within one year. With documents in order, talk price and listing type next. Fusheng Realty’s three in-house land administration agents can check your list; contact us to find out which item is most urgent.