Many People Don't Know Yet: How to Handle a Lost Land Certificate

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - A land certificate is an important document that serves as legal proof of ownership of a plot of land. Losing this document not only causes panic but also has the potential to trigger legal issues, from disputes to misuse by irresponsible parties. In some cases, a lost certificate can even be exploited for illegal transactions if not handled immediately. On the other hand, many people are still unaware that a lost land certificate can still be replaced through official procedures. “A lost land certificate must be replaced by obtaining a loss report and announcing it in the newspaper, using the old form,” said the Head of the Regional Office (Kanwil) of Banten Province, Harison Mocodompis, as quoted by Kompas.com on Friday (27/3/2026). The first step in applying for a replacement land certificate is for the applicant to prepare all the required documents. The most important is to create a statement letter regarding the loss of the land certificate. This is because the letter serves as the basis for applying for a replacement land certificate. The statement letter is made by taking an oath in front of the Head of the local Land Office or the designated official. After all the required documents are complete, the applicant submits the file to the service counter at the Land Office. The staff will check the completeness of the submitted documents. If the required documents are declared complete, the applicant moves to the payment counter for the applicable fees. Then, the Land Office will announce the loss of the land certificate so that it is known to the public at large through newspapers (with costs borne by the applicant), announcement boards at the Land Office, and roads near the location of the land plot. The issuance of the replacement land certificate does not go through the land measurement process or land inspection, and even the ownership number is not changed.