Question 1

NSW — What is a title search and what will I get?

Accepted Answer

A NSW title search returns the current Certificate of Title (the folio of the Register): the registered proprietor(s), a description of the land, and registered dealings such as mortgages, covenants, easements and caveats. It's the authoritative current record of who owns the land and what's registered against it.

Question 2

NSW — Do I have to own the property to order a title search?

Accepted Answer

No. The land register is public — anyone can order a title for any property by paying the fee. Ownership is not required.

Question 3

NSW — Why is there a fee if I already own the property?

Accepted Answer

The fee covers accessing and processing the official registry record, and it applies to everyone, owners included.

Question 4

NSW — How do I do a NSW title search?

Accepted Answer

Enter the property's address, lot/plan, or folio reference, choose the documents you want, pay, and the results are delivered by email/download. Ordering by address or lot (rather than the folio reference) needs a Title Details Search first, which is chargeable in NSW.

Question 5

NSW — How fast is a NSW title search?

Accepted Answer

NSW title searches are automated and usually delivered instantly online. Manual jobs — such as historical, old-system or name searches — allow about one business day.

Question 6

NSW — Are you the government?

Accepted Answer

No. We source documents from the official NSW Titles Office but operate independently — we have no government affiliation or endorsement. NSW titles are administered under the Real Property Act 1900 (the Torrens system).

Question 7

NSW — Can I still get my original paper Certificate of Title in NSW?

Accepted Answer

No — paper Certificates of Title were abolished in NSW under the 2021 eConveyancing reforms. There is no longer a paper CT to issue; the electronic register is the official record. A current title search is the authoritative record of ownership.

Question 8

NSW — Does a title search show the property boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Not in detail. The title describes the land and references the plan; for boundaries and dimensions you order the Deposited Plan (DP), Strata Plan (SP) or plan of subdivision. We can supply both the title and the plan.

Question 9

NSW — What does "subject to dealing", "superseded" or "cancelled" mean on a title?

Accepted Answer

"Subject to dealing" means a transaction (e.g. a mortgage or transfer) is being processed and will soon affect the title. "Superseded" means the title has been replaced by a new one (e.g. after subdivision or consolidation). "Cancelled" means the title is no longer active, usually because it was replaced after a change to the property.

Question 10

NSW — What is a limited title?

Accepted Answer

Some Torrens titles are 'limited' because the boundaries were never fully surveyed. A survey can support conversion to a standard title.

Question 11

NSW — What's the difference between joint tenants and tenants in common?

Accepted Answer

Joint tenants are co-owners with equal rights; on death, ownership passes automatically to the surviving owner(s) (the right of survivorship). Tenants in common hold distinct shares that can be left to others by will.

Question 12

NSW — What is Old System (General Law) title?

Accepted Answer

Old System (General Law) land is pre-Torrens land held by a chain of deeds rather than a folio. It's searched differently and can be converted to Torrens title by a Primary Application — a manual process; lodge an enquiry and our team can run the search.

Question 13

NSW — My mortgage still shows on the title after I paid it off — what do I do?

Accepted Answer

Contact your lender to arrange a discharge of mortgage, which is lodged with the registry to clear it from the title. Once discharged, order a current title to confirm it's clear. With paper CTs abolished in NSW there is no paper deed to 'release' — what matters is the discharge being lodged, and that arrangement is between you and your lender.

Question 14

NSW — Can I search historical or old ownership of a property?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Historical and Old System searches are run manually by our team — lodge an enquiry and we'll run it. Records often go back to the original Crown grant, which is useful for ownership history, boundary questions and heritage or genealogy research.

Question 15

VIC — What is a title search and what will I get?

Accepted Answer

A Victorian title search returns the current Register Search Statement (often called the Certificate of Title): the registered owner(s), a description of the land, the manner of holding, and registered dealings such as mortgages, covenants, easements and caveats.

Question 16

VIC — Do I have to own the property to order a title?

Accepted Answer

No. The register is public — anyone can order a title for any property by paying the fee. Ownership is not required.

Question 17

VIC — What is a Volume and Folio?

Accepted Answer

The Volume and Folio is the unique identifier the registry uses to locate a property's Certificate of Title. If you only have an address or lot/plan, ordering requires a Title Details Search first, which is chargeable in Victoria.

Question 18

VIC — How do I do a Victorian title search, and how fast is it?

Accepted Answer

Enter the property's address, lot/plan, or Volume & Folio, choose the documents, pay, and we deliver by email/download. VIC title searches are automated and usually delivered instantly; documents needing manual processing allow about one business day.

Question 19

VIC — Are you the government?

Accepted Answer

No. We source from the official Victorian Titles Office but operate independently, with no government affiliation or endorsement.

Question 20

VIC — What's the difference between a paper (pCT) and electronic (eCT) title?

Accepted Answer

A title search shows which type applies and, for an eCT, who controls it. Both paper and electronic titles are equally valid records of ownership.

Question 21

VIC — Does a title search show the boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Not in detail. The title describes the land and references the plan; for boundaries and dimensions you order the plan of subdivision / survey plan. We can supply both the title and the plan.

Question 22

VIC — What do "subject to dealing", "superseded" and "cancelled" mean?

Accepted Answer

"Subject to dealing" means a transaction is being processed and will soon affect the title. "Superseded" means it has been replaced by a new title (e.g. after subdivision or consolidation). "Cancelled" means the title is no longer active, usually because it was replaced after a change to the property.

Question 23

VIC — Joint tenants vs tenants in common — what's the difference?

Accepted Answer

Joint tenants are co-owners with equal rights; on death, ownership passes automatically to the surviving owner(s) (right of survivorship). Tenants in common hold distinct shares that can be left to others by will. Changing between them is done by lodging a Transfer of Land (or an Application for a New Folio where the relative interests are unchanged).

Question 24

VIC — My mortgage still shows on the title after I paid it off — what now?

Accepted Answer

Contact your lender to arrange a discharge of mortgage, which must be lodged with the land registry to update the title. The lender controls the title until the mortgage is discharged — that's between you and the lender — and once it's done you can order a current title to confirm it's clear.

Question 25

VIC — A co-owner has died — how is the title updated?

Accepted Answer

If a joint owner died, the survivor lodges an Application by Surviving Proprietor. If a sole owner or tenant in common died, the executor/administrator lodges an Application by Legal Personal Representative. These are legal processes — a lawyer or conveyancer can prepare them, and we can supply the current title and plan they'll need.

Question 26

VIC — How does a title affect what I can build (covenants, easements, Section 173)?

Accepted Answer

Your title can carry restrictions that limit development independently of the planning scheme — restrictive covenants, easements (e.g. drainage or services you generally can't build over), and Section 173 agreements registered against the land. Always read the title and plan before designing or buying; these are a common reason an otherwise-permissible project can't proceed as planned.

Question 27

QLD — What is a QLD title search and what will I get?

Accepted Answer

A Queensland title search returns the current title: the registered owner(s), the lot on plan description, and registered dealings such as mortgages, easements, covenants and caveats.

Question 28

QLD — Do I have to own the property to order a title?

Accepted Answer

No. The register is public — anyone can order a title for any property by paying the fee. Ownership is not required.

Question 29

QLD — How do I do a QLD title search, and how fast is it?

Accepted Answer

Enter the property's address, lot/plan, or title reference, choose the documents, pay, and we deliver by email/download. In Queensland there is no charge for the Title Details Search precursor when you order by address or lot/plan. QLD title searches are automated and usually delivered instantly; manual jobs allow about one business day.

Question 30

QLD — Are you the government?

Accepted Answer

No. We source from the official Queensland Titles Office but operate independently, with no government affiliation or endorsement.

Question 31

QLD — Can I get a paper Certificate of Title in Queensland?

Accepted Answer

In Queensland the freehold land register is the authoritative record, and a paper Certificate of Title isn't needed to deal with the land. Where one was previously issued it must be produced for further dealings. The current title search is the authoritative current record of ownership.

Question 32

QLD — Does a title search show the boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Not in detail. The title describes the land and references the plan; for boundaries and dimensions you order the registered survey plan / plan of subdivision. We can supply both the title and the plan.

Question 33

QLD — What do "subject to dealing", "superseded" and "cancelled" mean?

Accepted Answer

"Subject to dealing" means a transaction is being processed and will soon affect the title. "Superseded" or "cancelled" means the title has been replaced by a new one (e.g. after subdivision or amalgamation) and the old reference is obsolete.

Question 34

QLD — Joint tenants vs tenants in common in Queensland?

Accepted Answer

Joint tenants are co-owners with equal rights; on death, ownership passes automatically to the survivor(s) and is recorded by a Request to Record Death. Tenants in common hold distinct shares that pass under the deceased's will/estate, handled by a Transmission Application.

Question 35

QLD — How do I add my spouse to the title?

Accepted Answer

Adding someone is legally a transfer of a share in the land, done on a Form 1 Transfer lodged with the Queensland Titles Office — usually prepared and lodged by a solicitor or conveyancer (most dealings are now electronic via PEXA). We're a search service, not a conveyancer, so we don't issue the government transfer forms or lodge the dealing; what we can supply is the current title search and plan you or your conveyancer will need.

Question 36

QLD — Is there a 'fee exemption form' for transferring to a spouse?

Accepted Answer

The exemption people usually mean is the transfer duty concession/exemption for transferring the home to a spouse — that's a Queensland Revenue Office matter under the Duties Act 2001, separate from the title transfer. A conveyancer confirms eligibility and completes it; we don't assess or supply duty forms.

Question 37

QLD — My mortgage still shows after I paid it off — what do I do?

Accepted Answer

Contact your lender to lodge a release of mortgage to clear it. The release being lodged is what clears the title; that arrangement is between you and the lender. Once released, order a current title to confirm it's clear.

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