Who owns what in a marriage in Chile?
Chile's default is a conjugal partnership, with options to choose separation of property or participation in gains by agreement.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
What applies by default
Unless the spouses choose otherwise, the conjugal partnership applies and property acquired during the marriage is shared, while each keeps what they owned before.
When the marriage ends in divorce
The partnership is liquidated and divided. Under separation of property, each keeps their own, and under participation in gains the gains are compared.
A marriage contract
The spouses can agree on separation of property or participation in gains at the wedding or later by public deed.
What stays your own, and gifts
Property from before the marriage, gifts and inheritances stay personal.
If one spouse is a foreigner
Chile has its own rules on which law applies, so foreigners should get local advice.
Understand the legal system first
Chile belongs to the Civil law family. Family law grows out of the legal tradition, so it helps to know how the system works.
Read the Chile legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Can a foreigner buy property in Chile? →
Official sources
Take it further
The family and property rules of a European country in one PDF, with questions for a local lawyer.
Set the property rules before the marriage, in your own terms.
For couples who live together without marrying.
Marriage, divorce, custody and support, step by step.
Divide property and settle the terms in writing.
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TheLawToKnow Tools’s marital property guide is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.
