Implementation Guidelines for Decree No. 20/NY (November 5, 2024) on Recognition of Land Use Rights in Forest Areas

Article

Lao People's Democratic Republic

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry No.
Vientiane Capital, 7 June 2025

Guideline

On the Implementation of the Order on Recognition of Land Use Rights

In Forest Land Areas, No. 20/PM, dated 5 November 2024

Peace Independence Democracy Unity

- Pursuant to the Decree of the Prime Minister on the Organization and Operation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, No. 603/PM, dated 15 October 2023;

- Pursuant to the Order of the Prime Minister on Recognition of Land Use Rights in Forest Land Areas, No. 20/PM, dated 5 November 2024;

- Pursuant to the Letter of the Department of Forestry, No. 2178/DOF, dated 25 April 2025;
Pursuant to the letter of the Office No. 2076/ຫກ, dated May 20, 2025.

To implement and operationalize the Order of the Prime Minister No. 20/ນຍ, dated November 5, 2024, to give effect to the recognition of land use rights in forestland areas for people who have established permanent residence and production within and adjacent to protection forests, conservation forests, and production forests, through registration and issuance of land titles, registration and issuance of land use certificates in forestland areas, and conclusion of forest and forestland management and protection contracts, aiming to ensure the management, protection, development, and sustainable use of land in forestland areas, in order to increase forest cover and protect.
Forest land shall reach 70% of the national area, in accordance with the Resolution of the Party Central Committee on Strengthening Land Management and Development in the New Period No. 026/CPC, dated August 3, 2017, as well as the Resolution of the National Assembly on the National Land Allocation Master Plan to 2030 No. 098/NA, dated June 28, 2018, and related legislation, contributing to the improvement of people's livelihoods and the socio-economic development of the nation in a green and sustainable direction.

The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry issues the following guidance:

1. Objectives, meaning, and importance of recognition of land use rights in forest land areas
1. Objectives
> To implement the Order of the Prime Minister No. 20/PM, dated November 5, 2024
Regarding the detailed responsibilities of the agriculture and forestry sector in the recognition of land use rights in forest areas, aiming to ensure the effective implementation of such work;

Introducing the principles and methods for recognizing land use rights in forest areas, including conditions for survey and allocation, conditions for recognizing land use rights in forest areas, and conditions for registration and issuance of land titles, certificates of land use rights in forest areas, forest management and protection contracts, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations;
To serve as a reference for the agriculture and forestry sector, the people who have settled, reside, and engage in production within the three forest categories, as well as other relevant parties, to implement uniformly nationwide.

2. Meaning and Importance of Recognition of Land Use Rights in Forest Land Areas
Recognition of land use rights in forest land areas is the recognition of land use rights of people who have settled, reside, and engage in production in forest land areas, through surveys, data collection, and village-level land and forest management planning, which can be certified as complete and accurate according to the conditions stipulated in this guideline, in order to provide the people with permanent cultivation and production areas through registration.
Issuing land titles, registering and issuing certificates of land use rights in forest land areas, making management and protection contracts for forests and forest land, aiming to ensure the management, protection, development and sustainable use of land in forest land areas.
Recognition of land use rights in forest land areas is directly important to the people who settle, reside and produce in forest land areas, recognizing the fundamental right of the Lao people to settle according to the Constitution. Moreover, it enhances the people's ownership in managing, protecting, developing and using such land to bring maximum benefits to themselves, families, localities and the nation.

1. Survey and allocation of recognition of land use rights in forest land areas
In forest land areas, comply with the following laws: Law on Survey and Allocation of Recognition of Forest Land Use Rights (amended) No. 64/NA, dated 13 June 2019; Land Law (amended) No. 70/NA, dated 21 June 2019; Prime Minister's Order on Recognition of Land Use Rights in Forest Land Areas No. 20/PM, dated 5 November 2024; Decree on Establishment of Each Area; Resolution of the Government Regular Session for March 2012 No. 04/G, dated 5 April 2012; and relevant agreements of the Vientiane Capital Governor and Provincial Governors according to specific characteristics of each forest type as follows:
1. Survey and data collection of people who have resided and engaged in production in protected forest land areas
National, provincial and district protected areas shall implement as follows:

-- For the use of land by people who have resided and produced in national protected areas before their establishment according to the decree on the establishment of each national protected area, and in provincial and district protected areas before the agreement of the Governor of Vientiane Capital, Provincial Governors approving each area, the construction land and permanent agricultural land (paddy fields) shall be separated from the said forest land, then handed over to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for registration and issuance of land titles;

-- For the use of land by people who have resided and produced in national protected areas
After the establishment according to the decree on the establishment of each protected area, and in the provincial-level and district-level protected areas, following the approval of each area by the Vientiane Capital Governor or Provincial Governor, until the promulgation of the amended Forestry Law (No. 64/NA, dated 13 June 2019) and the amended Land Law (No. 70/NA, dated 21 June 2019), it is required to proceed with registration and issuance of certificates for the use of construction land and production land (paddy fields, agricultural plantation land, livestock farming land, tree plantation land, and fish pond land) within an area not exceeding twenty hectares per household for a period of fifty years, and to specify conditions for land use in such certificates. For production land, it is permitted to
Carry out activities such as planting trees, planting forest products, planting agricultural crops, and agroforestry, but must fulfill the obligation to plant trees and protect forests to achieve a crown cover of at least twenty percent on that land, which remains forest land; if the area exceeds twenty hectares per household, a lease, concession contract must be made or the land returned to the state;

> The use of land by people who have resided and engaged in production in national protected forest areas, provincial protected forest areas, and district protected forest areas from the effective date of the amended Forestry Law No. 64/NA, dated June 13, 2019, and the amended Land Law No. 70/NA, dated June 21, 2019, until the effective date of this Order
No. 20/MAF, dated November 5, 2024, on entering into contracts for the management and protection of forests and forest land for construction land and production land (paddy fields, agricultural crop gardens, livestock land, tree plantations, and fishpond land) by assigning the District Agriculture and Forestry Office as the party to conclude contracts for the management and protection of forests and forest land on an area not exceeding twenty hectares per household for a period of fifty years, with conditions for land use specified in the contract. For production land, activities such as tree planting, planting of non-timber forest products, agricultural crops, and agroforestry are permitted, but the obligation to plant trees and protect forests must be fulfilled to ensure
The tree canopy cover of twenty percent or more on the said land plot, which is still forest land, if the area exceeds twenty hectares per household, must be subject to a lease, concession, or return to the state.

2. The survey and collection of data on people who have resided and engaged in production in the production forest land area according to the decree establishing the area shall be implemented as follows:

< For the land use of people who have resided and engaged in production in the production forest land area before the establishment according to the decree on the determination of each national production forest area, the construction land and permanent agricultural land (paddy land) shall be separated from the said forest land and transferred to the natural resources and environment sector for registration and issuance of land certificates;
The use of land by people who have resided and engaged in production in production forest areas after the establishment of such areas, in accordance with the decree on the designation of each national production forest area, until the promulgation of the amended Forestry Law (No. 64/NA, dated 13 June 2019) and the amended Land Law (No. 70/NA, dated 21 June 2019), shall proceed with registration and issuance of land use certificates for land in forest areas for construction and production land (paddy fields, agricultural plantation land, livestock pens, tree plantation land, and fish pond land) within an area not exceeding twenty hectares per household, for a period of fifty years, and with conditions for use specified.
The land in the said certificate. For production land, it is permitted to carry out activities of planting trees, planting forest products, planting agricultural crops, and integrated agriculture-forestry, but must fulfill the obligation to plant trees and maintain forests to achieve a crown cover of twenty percent or more on that land parcel, which remains forest land; if the area exceeds twenty hectares per household, a lease, concession, or return to the state contract must be made;
< The use of land by people who have resided and produced in the production forest area since the promulgation of the Law on Forests (amended) No. 64/NA, dated 13 June 2019, and the Law on Land (amended) No. 70/NA, dated 21 June
From 2019 to the issuance of Order No. 20/NY, dated November 5, 2024, it is required to proceed with the creation of contracts for the management, protection of forests and forest land, assigning the District Agriculture and Forestry Office to be the creator of such contracts on an area not exceeding twenty hectares per family for a period of fifty years, and with conditions for land use specified in the contract. For production land, activities such as planting trees, planting non-timber forest products, planting agricultural crops, and agroforestry are permitted, but the obligation to plant trees and protect forests must be fulfilled to achieve a tree canopy cover of at least twenty percent on that plot, which remains land.
Forests, if the area exceeds twenty hectares per household, must be subject to lease, concession, or return to the state.

3. Survey and data collection of people who have resided and engaged in production in national, provincial, and district protection forest areas shall be carried out as follows:

> The use of land by people who have resided and engaged in production in national, provincial, and district protection forest areas, prior to the approval of each protection forest area according to the resolution of the regular government meeting of March 2012, shall have the construction land and permanent agricultural land (paddy land) cut out from the said forest land area, and then handed over to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for registration and issuance of land titles;
Regarding the use of land by people who have resided and engaged in production in national protection forest areas, provincial protection forest areas, and district protection forest areas, after the approval of each protection forest area according to the resolution of the regular government meeting of March 2012 until the promulgation of the amended Forestry Law No. 64/NA, dated 13 June 2019, and the amended Land Law No. 70/NA, dated 21 June 2019, the registration and issuance of land use certificates shall be carried out for construction land and production land (paddy fields, agricultural plantation land, livestock farm land, tree plantation land, and pond land) within the forest land areas.
(k) Within an area not exceeding twenty hectares per household, for a period of fifty years, and with conditions for land use specified in the certificate. For production land, activities such as tree planting, planting of non-timber forest products, agricultural crops, and integrated agro-forestry are permitted, but there is an obligation to plant trees and protect forests to achieve a canopy cover of at least twenty percent on the plot, which remains forest land. If the area exceeds twenty hectares per household, a lease, concession, or return to the state is required:

< Regarding the use of land by people who have resided and engaged in production in national protection forest areas, provincial protection forest areas, and district protection forest areas since the promulgation of the Law on Forests
(Amended) No. 64/NA, dated 13 June 2019, Law on Land (Amended) No. 70/NA, dated 21 June 2019, and the Prime Minister's Order on Recognition of Land Use Rights in Forest Land Areas No. 20/PM, dated 5 November 2024, require the conclusion of contracts for the management, protection, and conservation of forests and forest land, assigning the District Agriculture and Forestry Office as the contract drafter, for an area not exceeding twenty hectares per household, for a period of fifty years, and stipulating land use conditions in the contract.

4

Permit the conduct of activities such as tree planting, planting of non-timber forest products, planting of agricultural crops, and integrated agriculture-forestry, but must fulfill obligations for tree planting and forest protection to ensure
Tree canopy cover of twenty percent or more on the said land plot, which is still forest land, if the area exceeds twenty hectares per household, must enter into a lease, concession agreement or return to the state.

1. Registration and issuance of land titles, land use certificates in forest land areas and forest and forest land management and protection contracts

Before registering and issuing land titles, land use certificates in forest land areas and forest and forest land management and protection contracts to any household, the said village must have completed and reviewed the village-level land and forest management plan, then submit it to the provincial administrative authority for consideration.
In order to submit to the Provincial People's Assembly for approval, there has been a process of inquiring about rights and collecting data on land use rights, possession, and utilization, using modern tools, aerial photography, etc., to ensure transparency, verifiability, and compliance with the Law on Forests (amended) No. 64/NA, dated June 13, 2019; the Law on Land (amended) No. 70/NA, dated June 21, 2019; the Prime Minister's Order on Recognition of Land Use Rights in Forest Land Areas No. 20/PM, dated November 5, 2024; and related legislation.

In addition to the general conditions, specific conditions for land registration and issuance of land titles must also be followed.
And the land use certificate in forest land areas and the forest and forest land management and protection contract as follows:

1. Conditions for registration and issuance of land title

Those who will receive registration and issuance of land title must meet the following conditions:

< Individuals or families who have settled, reside, and engage in production in forest land areas, with their household registration in the village where the land is located;

< If individuals or families have household registration in another village but reside and engage in production in forest land areas, they must have complete and continuous documentation certifying the acquisition of land use rights for that plot, as stipulated by relevant laws and regulations;

-- Being a village that has completed village-level land and forest management planning;
It is land used permanently, such as: residential construction land and production land, as defined by the village-level land and forest management plan;

There is a certification document from the village administration and neighboring land users regarding continuous possession and use without dispute or with dispute already resolved;

Annual land tax or fee has been paid regularly.

2. Conditions for issuing land use certificates in forest land areas

Those who will receive land use certificates in forest areas must meet the following conditions:

Individuals or families who have settled, reside, and engage in production in the forest land area, with their household registration in the village where the land is located;
If an individual or family has their household registration in another village but resides and produces in the forest land area, they must have complete and continuous documentation regarding the acquisition of land use rights for that plot, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations; be a village that has completed village-level forest management planning; be a plot located in the forest land area but permitted by the state for people to use for residence and production, according to the village-level land and forest management plan; have certification from the village administration and neighboring land use rights holders regarding continuous possession and use without dispute or with disputes already resolved;
- Have paid annual land tax or land rent regularly;

< Comply with the conditions stipulated in the land use certificate in forest land areas, including land use conditions, area not exceeding twenty hectares per household (if exceeding twenty hectares, a lease or concession contract with the state must be made), and the validity of the certificate is fifty years, but during such period if the conditions stipulated in the certificate are not complied with, the land use certificate will be revoked to reallocate that land plot as provided in Articles 144 and 145 of the Land Law (amended) No. 70/NA, dated 21 June 2019 and relevant regulations.

3. Conditions for contracts on management and protection of forests and forest land
Those who will enter into a contract for the management and protection of forests and forest land must meet the following conditions:

- Individuals or families who have settled, reside, and engage in production in the forest land area, with their household registration in the village where the land is located;

- If individuals or families have their household registration in another village but reside and engage in production in the forest land area, they must have complete and continuous documentation certifying the acquisition of land use rights for that plot, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations;

- The village must have completed village-level land and forest management planning;

- The plot is located within the forest land area, but the state has permitted the people to use it for residence and production, as stipulated in the village-level land and forest management plan.
There is a certification document from the village administration and the neighboring land use right holders regarding continuous possession and use without dispute or with dispute but already resolved;

Have paid annual land tax or land rent regularly;

Comply with the conditions stipulated in the management, protection and maintenance contract for forests and forest land, including land use conditions, area conditions not exceeding twenty hectares per household (if exceeding twenty hectares, a lease or concession contract with the state must be made) and the contract term of fifty years, but during such period if the conditions stipulated in the contract are not complied with, the use contract will be revoked in order to reallocate that land plot according to the
Stipulated in Articles 144 and 145 of the Land Law (amended), No. 70/NA, dated June 21, 2019, and relevant regulations.

4. Conditions of land parcels that individuals, families, legal entities or organizations have used forest land to conduct contracts for management, protection and preservation of forests and forest land

For forests and land of protection forests, conservation forests and production forests that the state manages, protects, develops and uses, after allocation, classification and determination of boundaries of forests and forest land, the state assigns to individuals, families, legal entities or organizations as managers, protectors and developers as
Stipulated in Articles 114, 116 and 120 of the Law on Forestry (Amended), No. 64/NA, dated 13 June 2019, with the following conditions:

- Enter into a contract for the management and protection of forests and forest land with an individual or family voluntarily, on an area not exceeding ten hectares per person but a maximum of twenty hectares per family, for a period of fifty years, and stipulate conditions for land use in the said contract;

- Enter into a contract for the management and protection of forests and forest land with a village administration or a group within the village voluntarily, and within the forest area according to the village-level land and forest management plan, for a period of fifty years, and stipulate conditions for land use in the said contract;
Contract for management, protection and maintenance of forests and forest land, voluntarily entered into with permanent forest management units, field units, national defense-security forces, educational institutions, research centers, and economic enterprise units, according to the forest allocation plan for a period of fifty years, with conditions for land use specified in the contract.

1. Coordination Mechanism

1. There shall be a coordination mechanism for the recognition of land use rights in forest land areas, with the Department of Forestry serving as the focal point for such work, and coordinating with the provincial Agriculture and Forestry Department, district Agriculture and Forestry Office, and relevant parties at both central and local levels according to the division of management;
2. The provincial agriculture and forestry departments and district agriculture and forestry offices shall take the initiative to coordinate with relevant sectors, strictly implement the recognition of land use rights in forest land areas according to this guideline, and periodically report the results of the implementation of the recognition of land use rights in forest land areas to the Department of Forestry.

3. Measures and Implementation

1. The Department of Forestry and provincial agriculture and forestry departments shall take the initiative to coordinate with relevant sectors, disseminate this guideline to officials, military personnel, police, entrepreneurs, and the general public so that they are aware, understand, reach consensus, and participate in the implementation of the recognition of land use rights in forest land areas.
Forest land areas nationwide, as well as training and capacity building for relevant civil servants and officials in the work of recognizing land use rights in forest land areas:

2. The Department of Forestry, Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Departments, and District Agriculture and Forestry Offices shall be responsible for implementing this guideline, especially village-level land and forest management planning, as a condition for registration and issuance of land titles, certificates of land use rights in forest land areas, and making contracts for management and protection of forests and forest land, as well as adjusting forest land area boundaries to be consistent with the National Land Allocation Master Plan, the Forest Land Allocation Plan, and the Local Land Allocation Plan.
To submit to the government for consideration and approval of the reclamation of forest land, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

3. The Department of Forestry, in coordination with the Department of Land and relevant agencies at central and local levels, shall elaborate the action plan on recognition of land use rights in forest land areas into detailed plans, programs, and projects to conduct surveys, collect data, and formulate village-level land and forest management plans for villages located in protection forests, conservation forests, and production forests, totaling 3,567 villages, in a detailed, clear, and focused manner, with indicators and targets to be completed within five years, or no later than 2030;

4. The Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office, in coordination with the Provincial Department of Natural Resources and
Provincial environment, relevant sectors and local administrative bodies shall develop detailed, clear, focused action plans with indicators and targets for survey, data collection and village-level land and forest management planning for villages located within or adjacent to protection forests, conservation forests and production forests within their province, to be completed within five years or by 2030 at the latest.

7. Vientiane Capital, provinces in using technical revenue budget and development assistance budget from domestic and foreign projects;

5. The Department of Forestry shall proactively promote, monitor, inspect and evaluate the implementation of this guideline.
This also includes periodic summary reports to the ministry leadership to understand the conveniences, difficulties, and problems in implementation for timely improvement.

This guideline is effective from July 13, 2025 onwards.

Lin Kham Duangsathvan