In the field of civil justice, pending procedures and proceedings initiated before the end of the transition period will continue under EU law. The e-Justice Portal, on the basis of a mutual agreement with the UK, will maintain the relevant information related to the United Kingdom until the end of 2024.

Land registers in EU countries

England and Wales

This section provides you with an introduction to the land register of England and Wales.

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England and Wales

What does the land register of England and Wales offer?

We register the ownership of land and property in England and Wales. Our vision is ‘Your land and property rights: guaranteed and protected.’

Our values are:

  • we give assurance
  • we have integrity
  • we drive innovation
  • we are professional

Land Registry provides the vital function of giving assurance and confidence to the property market, with the Register underpinning property ownership worth over £4 trillion across England and Wales including over £1 trillion of mortgages. Land Registry has over 150 years’ experience of maintaining the Register and has evolved to become increasingly efficient, with 99% of our information and 73% of our registration services being submitted online. We are on a transformational journey to create a fully digitised Register building a contemporary digital platform for land and property to support the Register and provide a modern, efficient service for customers.

Is access to the land register of England and Wales free of charge?

A statutory fee is payable for each service. There is no sign up fee for online access and most online services cost less than services by post.

How to search the land register of England and Wales

Online access:

Business e-Services allow business users to submit applications to register land and property, or to request a search of the index map online. Business e-services users can also use our free MapSearch to instantly:

  • check if land and property in England or Wales is registered
  • get title numbers
  • find out if tenure is freehold or leasehold

Business e-service customers must fulfil conditions of use, register as a user and have a variable direct debit account with a UK bank or building society. Login to business e-services.

Find a Property service is designed for members of the public and also used by small businesses. They can search by address to find the land or property owner, how far its general boundaries extend and whether it’s at risk of flooding. They must register as users and pay by credit or debit card. Login to Find a Property.

Copies of registers and title plans obtained through Business e-Services are ‘official copies’ and so are admissible as evidence in a court of law. MapSearch does not provide indemnity provisions for information supplied.

Copies of registers and title plans obtained through the Find a Property service are not official copies.

Postal access:

You can apply for official copies of the register and title plan by post using forms OC1 (for the register) and OC2 (for documents). These forms are available free of charge by post or online from Land Registry. Official copies are admissible as evidence in a court of law.

If you are unable to find property information online, you can also send a ‘search of the index map’ (form SIM) by post to discover if the land is registered, and if so to obtain a title number. A fee set by the current Land Registry Fee Order is payable.

The Land Charge registers can be searched by post, or online through business e-services using Form K15 or (to search for bankruptcy entries only) K16

Last update: 13/09/2016

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