The purchase of a luxury apartment in Lima closes when the documents are in order. A missing no-debt certificate or an outdated registry record can delay the deed signing by three weeks and, in some cases, jeopardize the operation. The rule that distinguishes the HNW buyer who closes fast from the one who gets stuck on the way is simple: the documentary file is prepared before signing the contract, not after.

This 2026 checklist covers the documents the buyer, the seller and the bank must have ready in each phase of the operation, from firm offer to SUNARP registration.

Peruvian individual buyer documents

The Peruvian buyer’s file is built with four basic documents.

Current DNI of the buyer. Without a valid DNI there is no deed. If close to expiration, renew before starting the operation.

Domicile certificate, required by some notaries and banks. Obtained at the municipality of current residence.

Documented marital status. If the buyer is married, a current marriage certificate. If the operation will be in conjugal partnership, both spouses sign; if it will be in only one name with separation of property regime, public deed of the patrimonial regime.

Source of funds documentation. The Peruvian bank receiving the wire or issuing the cashier’s check requires documentation: recent financial statements, tax returns from the last years, deeds from prior asset sales, business sale contracts, documented inheritances. The quality of the file determines the speed of bank compliance.

Peruvian corporate buyer documents

If the purchase is made by a Peruvian company (SAC, SA, EIRL), the file adds five documents.

Current Copia Literal of the company’s registry record. Obtained from SUNARP.

Validity certificate of the legal representative’s POA. Confirms that the person signing has current authority to do so on behalf of the company.

Minutes of the general meeting or board that authorize the purchase and the representative to sign. For operations above one million dollars, this document is usually formally required.

Active RUC of the company and current tax domicile certificate.

Last year’s financial statements, required by the bank to verify capacity to pay and comply with AML.

Foreign buyer documents

The non-Peru-domiciled buyer adds four documentary components.

Current passport. If the signing is done in Peru, the physical passport must be presented at deed signing. If the signing is done by POA, the current passport is attached to the POA.

Tax ID or equivalent from the country of residence. Allows the Peruvian bank to comply with international tax reporting requirements (FATCA, CRS).

Apostilled or consularly legalized power of attorney. If the buyer will not sign in person in Peru, they grant POA before the Peruvian consul of the country of residence or before a local notary with Hague apostille. The POA must specify the exact powers: signing the contract, public deed, receiving balances, registering at SUNARP.

Source of funds documentation in international format. Financial statements, tax returns from the country of origin, sale contracts or documented inheritances. The Peruvian bank applies the same AML filter as for Peruvians but with documentation that may require official translation.

Seller documents

The buyer must demand, before signing the firm offer, the seller’s complete file. The gestation is by the seller but the buyer verifies it.

Current DNI or passport of the seller. Validate that the person signing the contract is the registered owner at SUNARP.

Updated extended Copia Literal of the property’s registry record. Shows title, encumbrances, liens, annotations. It must be requested from SUNARP on the same day of firm offer signing and again on the day of contract signing.

No-debt certificate of property tax and fees, issued by the district municipality. Confirms the seller is current on municipal obligations. Without this certificate, the operation does not register.

No-debt certificate of the condominium, issued by the building administration. Confirms the seller does not owe maintenance fees or common expenses.

Descriptive memorial and floor plans of the property, especially important in penthouses with complex common areas or prior renovations. They allow validation that real built area matches what is registered.

If there is a current mortgage on the property, lifting or cancellation authorization from the corresponding financial entity. The mortgage must be cancelled before or simultaneously with deed signing.

If the seller is a legal entity, registry record copy literal, POA validity certificate, and minutes of the meeting or board authorizing the sale.

Operation documents

The operation produces its own documents that are managed during the process.

Sale contract, drafted by the buyer’s legal advisor or the notary, signed by both parties before the notary.

Alcabala tax payment receipt, issued by the SAT of the district where the property is located. Paid before deed signing.

Registry block, requested from SUNARP immediately after contract signing to prevent third-party registrations for 60 days.

Public deed of sale, signed by both parties before the notary.

Deed registration receipt at SUNARP, issued at the close of registry processing.

Post-registration Copia Literal confirming the buyer’s title.

Bank file for international operations

When the international wire enters the Peruvian bank, the compliance area requests a specific file from buyer and seller.

For the foreign buyer. Passport, tax ID, proof of residence in country of origin, financial statements supporting source of funds, sworn declaration of lawful origin.

For the seller. Documentation supporting property title, copy of signed contract, Peruvian receiving account number.

Estimated bank file approval time: 5 to 15 business days for clear profiles, 30 to 60 days if there are observations. The quality of the file at submission determines speed.

Partial financing process documents

When there is partial bank financing, the bank requests additional documents.

Formal mortgage credit application with buyer data, property data, price and financed amount.

Bank appraisal of the property, performed by an SBS-accredited appraiser. Cost 0.05 to 0.15 percent of value.

Buyer financial statements from the last two to three years, tax returns, employment contracts or documentation of business activity.

Risk bureau reports and bank references.

Insurance: life and multi-risk for the property.

The documentary sequence

The ideal file sequence follows five phases.

Phase 1, before firm offer: seller’s file (extended Copia Literal, no-debt certificates, corporate documents if applicable).

Phase 2, before contract signing: buyer’s file (DNI or passport, source of funds, consular POA if applicable, corporate documentation if applicable), contract preparation by the legal advisor.

Phase 3, contract signing: signed contract, registry block, Alcabala payment initiated.

Phase 4, before deed signing: Alcabala payment finalized, bank file approved, lien lifting if applicable.

Phase 5, deed signing and registration: signed public deed, SUNARP registration, post-registration Copia Literal received.

The legal advisor as file manager

The legal advisor specialized in luxury operations coordinates the complete documentary file. The role is not just drafting the contract but ensuring each document is available in its corresponding phase, validating authenticity, managing timelines with SUNARP and municipality, and resolving observations when they arise.

Investment in specialized legal advisory (0.5 to 1.5 percent of property value) pays for itself when the file is complete and the operation closes on time. Operations that get delayed are usually delayed by incomplete documentation, not by price disagreement.

If the purchase is close, the first operational step is to request the legal advisor for the exact list of the file for your specific profile (Peruvian, foreign, individual, company). Each profile has nuances and the list is built before signing firm offer, not after.