Title 21, Real Property

The Legislature declares that: (a) The traditional pattern of land ownership of land abutting the beaches and ocean shores of Guam is that a strip of dry land between the mean high watermark as can be physically established from the latest tide elevation data published by the U.S…

The Legislature of Guam hereby declares as the public policy of the territory of Guam that it is the public right to have unrestricted access to the ocean shores of Guam for common use by all the people of Guam, and therefore that strip of public land above the high mean watermar…

COL120106 The Legislative findings and policy set forth in § 64101 and § 64102 shall govern the interpretation of any provision of this Chapter. SOURCE: GC '13452 enacted by P.L. 12-19.

As used in this Chapter, unless the context requires otherwise: (a) Ocean shore means the land between the mean low waterline and a series of lines connecting angle points located at a distance of twenty-five (25) feet inland from the two (2) feet contour line as established and …

Ownership of the part of the ocean shore of Guam between mean high tide and extreme low tide, excepting such portions as may have been disposed of by the territory prior to January 1, 1972, is vested in the territory beach area. SOURCE: GC '13454 enacted by P.L. 12-19.

All public rights or easements in any part of the ocean shore of Guam legally acquired through express dedication, implied dedication, prescription, grant, or otherwise are confirmed and declared vested exclusively in the territory beach area. No land subject to rights vested pur…

The Governor is hereby authorized and directed to acquire ownership of or interests in any part of the ocean shore of Guam where such lands are held in private ownership; provided, however, the Governor shall not COL120106 acquire ownership of or interests in any such ocean shore…

tion of Public Rights in Ocean Shore. No portion of the ocean shore of Guam or any interest therein vested by §§ 64105 and 64106 of this Chapter or hereafter acquired by the territory of Guam or any political subdivision thereof shall be alienated by any agencies, departments, co…

COL120106 Nothing contained in this Chapter shall be construed to relinquish, impair or limit the sovereign title or rights of the territory of Guam in its shores as the same may exist before or after the effective date of this Chapter. SOURCE: GC '13458 enacted by P.L. 12-19.

The owner or person in control of any property subject to a public easement declared a territory beach area by § 64106 of this Chapter or acquired as ocean shore for a territory recreational area pursuant to § 64107 of this Chapter shall not be liable for any injury to another pe…

Ocean Shore: Effect: Failure to File. (a) In any court proceedings involving prescriptive rights of the public over unregistered property abutting, adjacent or contiguous to the ocean shore, an instrument executed and filed as provided by Subsection (b) of this section shall be a…

This Law shall be known and may be cited as the Ocean Shore Public Access Law of 1987.

The Legislature finds that the ocean shore is a vital part of the patrimony of the people of Guam and is a major source of recreation and livelihood; that extensive areas of ocean shore are inaccessible to the public due to the absence of public rights-of-way; that structures and…

(a) Ocean Shore means the land between the mean low waterline and series of lines connecting angle points located at a distance of twenty-five (25) feet inland from the two (2) feet contour line as established by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. The angle points shall…

The Legislature recognizes that over the years the Public has made frequent and uninterrupted use of certain trails and bull cart roads providing access to the ocean shore and recognizes that such use has been legally sufficient to create rights or easements in the public through…

(a) It shall be unlawful for the owner, lessee, or tenant of any lands adjacent to or abutting the ocean shore to block, impede, or interfere with the public use of any traditional right-of-way. (b) It shall be unlawful for the Territorial Planning Commission to approve or permit…

When the provisions of § 65105 of this Chapter are not applicable, the Department of Parks and Recreation shall purchase land for public rights-of- way between the ocean shore and the nearest public highway.

All rights-of-way established under the provisions of this Chapter shall be two (2) meters in width. A distance at reasonable intervals taking into consideration the topography and physical characteristics of the land the public is desirous of reaching is established as the maxim…

Way. No lands, either presently or in the future, held by the government or any of its agencies or autonomous bodies and situated between the ocean shore and public highway shall be sold, exchanged, leased, or otherwise alienated unless there shall first be deeded and recorded a …

(a) Any person may maintain an action for declaratory and equitable relief to restrain violations, or enforce the provisions, of this Chapter. No bond shall be required for an action brought under this Section. (b) The provisions of this Section shall be in addition to any other …

This Chapter may be cited as the Building Law of Guam. SOURCE: GC § 31000. COL 2026-06-10

The purpose of this Chapter is to secure and promote the safety, health and general welfare of the people of the Territory of Guam by providing standards for the location, design, material, construction, alteration, repair, building service equipment, maintenance, use, occupancy,…

All buildings and structures, appurtenances connected and attached thereto, or equipment thereof, which are erected, constructed, installed or moved within the Territory of Guam after the effective date of this Chapter shall comply with all provisions of this Chapter; provided, h…

(a) General. Buildings or structures to which additions, alterations or repairs are made shall comply with all the requirements for new buildings or structures except as specifically provided in this Section. (b) Addition, Alterations and Repairs: More than Fifty Percent (50%). W…

Notwithstanding any provision of law, a building permit, application or notice to the building official shall not be required to paint or clean any building or structure or to build any fence which otherwise complies with government of Guam laws, rules and regulations. SOURCE: En…

No building or structure shall be constructed, extended, repaired or altered in violation of the provisions of this Chapter, except for ordinary repairs as defined in § 66104(f) and except further that the raising or lowering or moving of a building or structure as a unit necessi…

Any requirement essential for structural, fire or sanitary safety of an existing or proposed building or structure, or essential for the safety of the occupants thereof and which is not specifically covered by this Chapter shall be determined by the Director of Public Works. COL …

All buildings and structures and all parts thereof, both existing and new, shall be maintained in a safe and sanitary condition. SOURCE: GC § 31006.

The administration and enforcement of the provisions of this Chapter shall be the responsibility and duty of the Director of Public Works or his designated representatives, who for such purposes shall be known as the building official. SOURCE: GC § 31007 as amended by P.L. 14-112…

The Director of Public Works is hereby empowered to delegate any authority granted herein, except the authority to promulgate rules and any regulations as hereinafter set forth in § 66116, to any employee of the Department of Public Works. Any duty prescribed herein to be perform…

No employee or officer engaged in administering or enforcing the provisions of this Chapter shall engage in any activity inconsistent with his duties under this Chapter; and no such officer and employee so employed shall during the term of his employment, be engaged directly or i…

Any officer or employee duly charged with the enforcement of this Chapter, acting for the government of Guam in the discharge of his duties, shall not thereby render himself liable personally, and he is hereby relieved from all personal liability for any damage that may accrue to…

The Director of Public Works shall keep official records of applications received, permits and certificates issued, fees collected, reports of inspections, and notices, rules, regulations, decisions and orders issued. File copies of all papers in connection with building operatio…

The Director of Public Works shall annually submit a report to the Governor of Guam which report shall include a summary of all permits and certificates issued, rules, regulations and other promulgated, and materials approved. SOURCE: GC § 31012.

Officials of other departments in the government of Guam exercising any degree of control over construction, use or occupancy of buildings or structures, appurtenances connected or attached thereto or equipment thereof, under other applicable laws of Guam shall cooperate and assi…

(a) The provisions of this Chapter are designed to set forth the standards of safety, strength, sanitation and fire resistance and the express approval of certain materials, methods, devices or equipment which will satisfy these same standards. (b) In furtherance of the intent of…

(a) No regulation of the Director of Public Works issued pursuant to this Chapter shall become effective until fifteen (15) days after notice of intention to enforce it shall have been given in a newspaper in general circulation in the Territory of Guam, and until a public hearin…

The Director of Public Works may vary or modify the application of any provision of this Chapter or of any regulation adopted pursuant thereto, consonant with the spirit and intent of the law, upon application of the owner or his representative, if any of the following conditions…

(a) Any new or alternative materials, methods, devices or equipment may be used by their proponent only when the proposed use has been expressly authorized in writing by the Director of Public Works in execution of the broad policy set forth in Section § 66116(a) of this Chapter.…

It shall be unlawful to construct, enlarge, alter, remove or demolish, or change the occupancy of a building from one use group to another requiring greater strength, exit or sanitary provisions, or to change to a prohibited use, or to install or alter any equipment for which pro…

The application for a permit shall be submitted in such form as the building official may prescribe and shall be accompanied by the required fee as prescribed in § 66408. SOURCE: GC § 31019.

Application for a permit shall be made by the owner or lessee of the property, or agent of either, or by the licensed engineer or architect employed in connection with the proposed work. If the application is made by a person other than the owner in fee, it shall be accompanied b…

Government Agencies. (a) A permit for Clearing, Grading, and Construction shall be required of government, autonomous, and public entities in the same manner as private citizens. An application for the permit shall be submitted to the Department of Public Works by the entity who …

The application shall contain a general description of the proposed work, its location, the use and occupancy of all parts of the building or structures and of all portions of the site or lot not covered by the building, and such additional information as may be required by the b…

The application for the permit shall be accompanied by not less than two copies of specifications and of plans drawn to scale, with sufficient clarity and detail dimensions, showing the nature and character of the work to be performed. When quality or its equivalent is used, info…

There shall also be filed a plot plan showing to scale the size and location of all the new construction and all existing structures on the site, distances from lot lines and established street grades; and it shall be drawn in accordance with an accurate boundary- line survey. In…