As part of Cambodia’s continued efforts to strengthen regulatory compliance in the non-banking financial sector, the Real Estate Business & Pawnshop Regulator (“RPR”) under the Non-Banking Financial Services Authority (“NBFSA”) issued a new notification on 17 June 2025, reminding all relevant stakeholders that: “Engaging in real estate and pawnshop business without a license from the RPR is a violation subject to strict legal enforcement”.
Who Needs a License?
RPR has clearly clarified that the following business categories must obtain a license prior to commencing each relevant business as follows:
- Residential Development Business: applicable to the development of flat house, linked villa/shophouse villa, twin villa, single villa, mansion, etc.
- Co-owned Building Development Business: applicable to the development of condominiums, office building, shopping complex, multi-purpose building, etc.
- Land Lot Development Business: applicable to the development of residential land lot, commercial land lot, agricultural land lot/ farmland, etc.
- Real Estate Service Business: applicable to property management services, property valuation services, property agent services, etc.
- Pawnshop Business and Financial Leasing Business: applicable to a form of business or that of commercial activity in which a customer pledges property or grants a security interest over their movable assets to a financial leasing recipient to obtain a loan, with a promise to repay the principal and interest according to the terms and conditions of an agreed contract.
According to the applicable regulations of the RPR, any business project operating without a proper license shall be subject to monetary fines of from KHR 500,000 (approximately USD 125) to KHR 500,000,000 (approximately USD 125,000). Additionally, businesses operating with an expired or invalid license shall be subject to monetary fines of KHR 20,000,000 (approximately USD 5,000) per project.
Compliance Reminder
Therefore, to mitigate the eventual risks of non-compliance and potential legal enforcement from the regulator, we kindly remind all companies, enterprises, and projects to complete the registration process and obtain a license from the PRP prior to commencing operations. The regulator encourages applicants to use its online registration portal. However, hard copies submission remains acceptable in case of technical issues or preference. For physical submissions, the application dossier may be submitted to the NBFSA’s office at Building No.168F 7th Floor Street No.598, Sangkat Chraing Chamreh 1, Khan Russey Keo, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, during regular working hours.
For further details on real estate business registration, please also visit our website: Cambodia: Update on Cambodia’s Real Estate Business Online Registration Procedure – DFDL
