Vietnam tightens land management and administrative penalties

The Vietnamese government has issued Decree 281/2026/NĐ-CP to amend and supplement regulations regarding administrative penalties in the field of land management. The new decree aims to align enforcement mechanisms with current land use practices.

Key updates include specific rules for land use rights held jointly by spouses, where violations on shared land will be treated as individual offenses to ensure consistent penalties. The decree also introduces new remedial measures for violations involving the falsification of land documents, requiring offenders to restore the land to its original state and redo administrative procedures.

Furthermore, the decree clarifies the calculation of illegal profits derived from violations. If multiple entities violate rules on a single plot of land, the illegal profit must be divided equally among them. Notably, the decree significantly expands the enforcement authority of Commune-level People's Committee Chairpersons, increasing their maximum fine capacity from 5 million VND to 250 million VND to allow for more proactive local management.