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Public registers
The Department of Lands maintains current and historic title records in a number of public registers.
The largest register is the Torrens Title register, introduced in 1863 to provide NSW with the most secure and efficient system of land ownership. Torrens titles are protected by State Government Guarantee and contain information in relation to current ownership and encumbrances on the land such as mortgages, leases and easements
The General Register of Deeds was the first land registry in NSW established on 16 November 1825 under the Registration of Deeds Act 1825. It contains common law (old system) deeds for land transactions and incorporates the register of Causes Writs and Orders, Bills of Sale, Register of Resumptions, Powers of Attorney and all other miscellaneous deeds registered in the Department of Lands.
Since March 2006 access is electronic for all items entered in the General Register of Deeds since November 1992. Access is via the Lands webpage under Online searches (for paid searches and free index searches) or Public Terminals at Lands Queens Square office (for free index searches).
Paid searches may also be obtained through Lands Information Brokers at https://lpi-online.lpi.nsw.gov.au/lpsearch/brokers.html
The Department of Lands also maintains a Water Access Licence Register on behalf of the Department of Water and Energy. This register commenced on 1 July 2004 under the Water Management Act 2000. It is a computerised system designed to provide an up to date and accurate record of every water access licence in NSW.
Information held in all of these registers can be accessed by the public through various channels. For more information see Land Titles.
Don't be a victim of identity fraud
The Privacy Statement has details on Lands' statutory responsibilities, to make specified information available from the public registers.
