Can You Buy Land in Texas With an ITIN? Yes | La Tierra
Aerial view of Campo de Oro in Lockhart, Texas, acreage a buyer can purchase with an ITIN through owner financing

Can You Buy Land in Texas With an ITIN? Yes. Here Is How

Texas has no citizenship requirement for owning land, SB 17 does not apply to ordinary immigrants, and owner financing accepts an ITIN: the full guide to buying land without a Social Security number.

Yes, you can buy land in Texas with an ITIN. Texas has no citizenship requirement for owning real estate, a deed can be recorded in the name of any person, and owner financing does not require a Social Security number. Texas Property Code Section 5.005 states that "an alien has the same real and personal property rights as a United States citizen."

La Tierra Realty is an Austin-based land company that sells surveyed, unrestricted 1 to 25 acre tracts in Central and North Texas with owner financing through Stonebridge Purchasing (NMLS #2349261), and it closes land sales with ITIN buyers in English and Spanish. The sections below explain the law, the 2025 SB 17 restrictions, the documents, the financing options, and what changes with property taxes.

Can a Non-Citizen Buy Land in Texas?

A non-citizen can buy and own land in Texas. Texas Property Code Section 5.005, in force since 1984, gives an alien the same real property rights as a United States citizen. No Texas statute asks a buyer for a Social Security number, a green card, or a visa to sign a deed, and county clerks record deeds without checking immigration status.

An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, is a nine-digit tax processing number the IRS issues to people who need to file taxes but do not qualify for a Social Security number. The American Immigration Council's June 2025 fact sheet states that "people who do not have a lawful status in the United States may obtain an ITIN." An ITIN is not an immigration document.

ITIN holders are a large group. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration reported in March 2026 that the IRS has issued about 31 million ITINs since 1996, that 5 million were active as of October 2025, and that 469,888 were issued in calendar year 2025. The American Immigration Council counted about 3.8 million tax returns filed with an ITIN in 2022, paying $6.5 billion in Social Security and Medicare taxes.

What Does Texas SB 17 (2025) Restrict?

Texas Senate Bill 17, effective September 1, 2025, bars governments, companies, and certain individuals connected to countries named as national security threats, currently China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, from acquiring Texas real property. SB 17 does not apply to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or immigrants from any other country, regardless of immigration status.

Precision matters here because the law is widely misreported. According to the Texas Real Estate Research Center's September 2025 summary, a "designated country" is one the U.S. Director of National Intelligence named in at least one of the three most recent Annual Threat Assessments. Greenberg Traurig's July 2025 analysis states: "Individuals who are either U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States are not subject to the Act."

BuyerAffected by SB 17?Can buy Texas land?
Citizen of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, or any non-designated country, any immigration statusNoYes
U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, any country of originNoYes
Citizen of China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia lawfully present in the U.S. (visa holder)PartlyOne residential homestead only
Citizen of a designated country living abroad, or in the U.S. unlawfullyYesNo
Company controlled by a designated-country government or partyYesNo

The penalties are aimed at the restricted group: Greenberg Traurig's July 2025 summary lists a state jail felony plus civil penalties of $250,000 or 50 percent of the property value, whichever is greater. Under the Texas Attorney General's proposed SB 17 rules, described by Jackson Walker in March 2026, title insurance companies carry a reporting duty, so expect a question about country of citizenship at closing. For most immigrant buyers, that question is the whole effect of SB 17.

How Do You Buy Land With an ITIN Instead of a Social Security Number?

Buying land in Texas with an ITIN follows the same steps as any land purchase: pick a tract, sign a contract, provide identification and proof of funds or income, and close at a title company. The ITIN replaces the Social Security number on the financing application and on the IRS forms the title company files after closing.

  1. Get the ITIN first if you do not have one. File IRS Form W-7 with a tax return. TIGTA's March 2026 audit puts standard processing at about 7 weeks, and up to 11 weeks between January and April.
  2. Choose the tract. Confirm acreage, survey, road access, utilities, and deed restrictions. La Tierra provides the survey and the restriction status on every listing.
  3. Sign the purchase contract. The contract lists the buyer by legal name as it appears on a passport, consular ID (matrícula consular), or other government photo ID.
  4. Provide documents. Typical list: ITIN assignment letter (CP565), passport or consular ID, proof of address, proof of income (pay stubs, 1099s, or 2 years of ITIN tax returns), and 2 to 3 months of bank statements for the down payment.
  5. Close at a title company. The title company issues title insurance, records the warranty deed in the buyer's name at the county clerk, and reports the sale to the IRS on Form 1099-S using the ITIN.

The deed is recorded in the buyer's name exactly as on the contract. Married buyers should decide whether both spouses go on the deed, because Texas community property rules affect the sale later. La Tierra's guide to how to buy land in Texas covers each step in more detail.

Can You Get Financing for Land With an ITIN?

Financing for land with an ITIN is available two ways: owner financing from the seller, which is the most common path for rural tracts, and ITIN mortgage programs from portfolio lenders, which mainly finance homes rather than raw land. Conventional bank land loans and government programs such as USDA and VA require a Social Security number.

OptionAccepts ITIN?Typical down paymentNotes
Owner financing (La Tierra / Stonebridge Purchasing)YesLow; ask about current termsNote and deed of trust; warranty deed at closing; closes in 2 to 4 weeks
ITIN mortgage (portfolio lender)Yes10% to 20% (McGowan Mortgages, Jan. 2026)Built for homes, not raw land; rates above conventional; 620 score or 12 to 24 months of bank statements
Bank or Farm Credit land loanUsually no20% to 50%Requires SSN, strong credit, 10 to 20 year term
USDA, VA, Texas VLBNo0% to 5%Citizens, permanent residents, or qualified non-citizens only

McGowan Mortgages' January 2026 ITIN loan guide explains why ITIN mortgages cost more: the loans are "held in lender portfolios or sold to private investors rather than government-sponsored enterprises," which brings higher down payments and higher rates. Owner financing avoids that layer entirely, because the seller carries the note. Read how owner financing on Texas land works and the comparison of owner financing vs. a bank land loan.

La Tierra's owner financing through Stonebridge Purchasing (NMLS #2349261) accepts an ITIN in place of a Social Security number. Rates, down payments, and terms are set per contract, so ask about current terms before you choose a tract.

What About Property Taxes and the Homestead Exemption?

Property taxes on land owned with an ITIN work exactly as they do for any owner: the county appraisal district values the land each January 1, and the tax bill goes to the owner of record. The residence homestead exemption is available to ITIN holders in principle, but the application requires a Texas driver's license or state ID, which needs proof of lawful presence.

The statute itself is neutral. Texas Tax Code Section 11.43(f) requires the homestead application to include "the applicant's name and driver's license number, personal identification certificate number, or social security account number." A Social Security number is one option, not a requirement.

The practical barrier sits one step earlier. Tax Code Section 11.43(j) requires a copy of the applicant's Texas driver's license or state-issued personal identification certificate, and the Texas Department of Public Safety states that applicants "must present one document from the appropriate category below to verify their U.S. citizenship or lawful presence status."

An ITIN holder with lawful presence (a visa, DACA, TPS, or pending adjustment) can get the ID and the exemption; an ITIN holder without lawful presence usually cannot.

Agricultural appraisal is different. The ag exemption on Texas land depends on land use and acreage under Tax Code Chapter 23, not on the owner's identification type, so ITIN owners qualify on the same terms as anyone else. Raw land does not qualify for a homestead exemption anyway until a home sits on it and the owner lives there.

How La Tierra Realty Works With ITIN Buyers

La Tierra Realty has bilingual staff, a financing arm that accepts ITINs, and surveyed tracts that close through a title company with a recorded warranty deed, so a family can buy land in Texas with an ITIN in one visit and one closing. Buyers searching for terrenos con ITIN or comprar terreno sin seguro social in Central Texas get the same process in Spanish, from the first call to the closing table.

  • Tracts that fit a first purchase. Campo de Oro in Lockhart offers 2 to 3.8 acres from $150,000, about 35 minutes from Austin. Waelder Ranches in Gonzales County offers 2.7 to 5 acres from $80,000. Mineral Springs Ranches in Luling offers 1 to 25 acres from $80,000.
  • No deed restrictions on most tracts. A manufactured home, barndominium, RV, or site-built house is allowed, and livestock is fine.
  • Documents in plain language. The contract, note, and deed of trust are explained in Spanish before signing, and the title company handles recording.

Every current listing is on the available properties page. Call (512) 980-1719 and ask for atención en español to start with a specialist who works with ITIN buyers every week.

Buy Texas Land With Your ITIN

La Tierra Realty closes land purchases with ITIN buyers through owner financing from Stonebridge Purchasing, with the deed recorded in your name. Call (512) 980-1719 for the document list and current terms. Atención en español.

Browse Available Land Talk to a Land Specialist

Sources: Texas Property Code §5.005 (1984); Texas Senate Bill 17 (2025); Texas Real Estate Research Center, SB 17 summary (September 2025); Greenberg Traurig, SB 17 analysis (July 2025); Jackson Walker, SB 17 proposed rules (March 2026); TIGTA, Assessment of the IRS ITIN Program (March 2026); American Immigration Council, Facts About the ITIN (June 2025); McGowan Mortgages, ITIN Loan Requirements (January 2026); Texas Tax Code §11.43 and Chapter 23 (2026); Texas Department of Public Safety, lawful presence requirement (2026); IRS, FIRPTA withholding rules (2026).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an undocumented immigrant buy land in Texas?

Texas law does not ask a land buyer for immigration status. Texas Property Code Section 5.005 gives non-citizens the same property rights as citizens, and a deed can be recorded in any person's name. The 2025 SB 17 restrictions apply only to persons connected to countries named in U.S. national threat assessments, such as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

Do I need a credit score to buy land with an ITIN?

Not always. Owner financing through La Tierra's financing arm, Stonebridge Purchasing, reviews income, down payment, and payment history rather than requiring a specific score; ask about current terms. ITIN mortgage lenders usually want a score of about 620 or 12 to 24 months of bank statements, according to McGowan Mortgages' January 2026 ITIN loan guide.

Can I put the land in my children's names if they are U.S. citizens?

Yes. Texas allows a buyer to take title in the name of any adult, or to add an adult child as a co-owner on the deed. Many families do this for estate reasons. Talk with a Texas real estate attorney first, because adding a co-owner affects who must sign to sell or refinance and who is responsible for the note.

What happens if I sell the land later and I am not a U.S. tax resident?

Under the federal FIRPTA rules, a buyer purchasing from a foreign person must generally withhold 15 percent of the sale price and send it to the IRS, and the seller then files a return to settle the actual tax. ITIN holders who live in the U.S. and file resident returns are usually not treated as foreign persons. A tax preparer can confirm your status before you list.

Can I get an ag exemption on land I bought with an ITIN?

Yes. Agricultural appraisal under Texas Tax Code Chapter 23 depends on how the land is used, not on the owner's citizenship or Social Security number. The application asks for the owner's name and identification, and county appraisal districts accept an ITIN or other ID. The land still has to meet the county's minimum acreage and use history rules.

This article is general information for Texas land buyers and is not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Laws such as SB 17 and IRS rules change, and each buyer's situation differs; confirm details with a Texas attorney or tax professional and with La Tierra before you buy. Owner financing is offered through Stonebridge Purchasing (NMLS #2349261); ask about current terms.

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