Ownership
Before the building, the view, or the yield, every Roatán purchase comes down to one question: what are you buying into? This page answers it.
The basics
Próspera is a ZEDE, a zone for employment and economic development, on the island of Roatán, Honduras. It operates under its own common-law-based legal and regulatory framework, separate from mainland Honduran regulation, with governance designed to be transparent and business-friendly.
For a property buyer, the practical effect is straightforward. Ownership is clear, foreign buyers are treated the same as residents, and the rules that protect your purchase are written down and backed by the zone's arbitration framework and treaty-level investor protection.
What it means for you
Foreign buyers hold the same rights as residents and take title directly. No nominee structures required to own.
A common-law framework with the Próspera Arbitration Center as the default forum, a charter that bars expropriation, and a Legal Stability Agreement with the Republic of Honduras.
A flat 5% personal income tax, 1% on business, and no capital gains or estate tax. How it applies depends on residency, so confirm with a cross-border advisor.
Direct flights from Houston, Miami, Dallas, and Atlanta, with most projects about 20 minutes from the airport.
How it compares
North American buyers rarely weigh Próspera against other Próspera options. They weigh it against Panama, Portugal, Costa Rica, Belize, and Mexico, so that is the comparison below.
Common-law ownership, international arbitration, favorable tax, US-direct flights, English widely used.
Established expat market and Friendly Nations visa, but a civil-law system and rising prices in prime areas.
EU lifestyle and residency paths, higher entry prices, longer flights, and a tightening visa landscape.
Strong tourism and rentals, mature market, with higher costs and full ordinary taxation.
English-speaking Caribbean access and proven rental demand, with varied title and regulatory complexity.
This is a directional summary to frame your own research, not legal or tax advice. Rules and prices in every jurisdiction change.
Questions
It has been contested, and it is worth understanding plainly. Honduras moved to repeal the ZEDE framework in 2022, and that dispute is still working through international arbitration. Where it stands now: the zone is operating, with residents, businesses, and private capital on the ground. The November 2025 election returned the National Party, which created the framework, and the new government has moved to rejoin ICSID. A Legal Stability Agreement with Honduras, an anti-expropriation charter, and independent legal opinions from Dentons and Deloitte all support the framework remaining in force. We walk you through the current position before you commit to anything.
Yes. Foreign buyers hold the same ownership rights as residents and can hold title in their own name. Foreign ownership on Roatán has been legal for decades, and Próspera's common-law framework adds protections on top of that.
Próspera is a special economic zone, called a ZEDE, with its own common-law-based legal and regulatory framework. That framework governs property, contracts, and dispute resolution separately from mainland Honduran regulation.
Property rights rest on a common-law framework, with the Próspera Arbitration Center as the default forum for disputes. On top of that, foreign investment carries treaty-level protection under CAFTA-DR, and there is a Legal Stability Agreement in place between Honduras Próspera and the Republic of Honduras.
Próspera publishes its own tax framework: a flat 5% personal income tax, 1% on business revenue, a 2.5% sales tax, and no capital gains, estate, or inheritance tax. How it applies depends on your residency and how you hold the property, so confirm the current details with a cross-border tax advisor. This is not tax advice.
In most cases: a purchase agreement and deposit, then closing within roughly 30 to 60 days. Closing costs typically run in the single-digit percentage range. We handle the documents and coordinate with the developer.
Roatán's international airport runs direct flights from Houston, Miami, Dallas, and Atlanta. Houston is about a two-hour flight. Most projects sit within about 20 minutes of the airport.
Get in touch
Ask it and we will answer, including the awkward ones. Buying from another country is hard enough without guesswork.