Quick answer
A title search is an official copy of the land register for a property. It shows the registered owners, the lot and plan description, and every registered interest or notation, including mortgages, caveats, easements and covenants. Ordering one before you apply for a second mortgage lets you spot problems early, such as an old caveat or an owner you'd forgotten, while there's still time to fix them.
Key points
- A title search shows owners, mortgages, caveats and other notations on the register.
- Each state and territory has its own land registry; ARNECC lists them all.
- Queensland, Victoria and WA let you order searches online through official channels.
- Check names, mortgages and caveats against what you expect before a lender does.
Most owners never look at their own title after they buy. Then they apply for a loan, the lender orders a search, and something on it stops the file for a few days: a caveat from years ago, a mortgage that was paid off but never discharged, or an owner’s name spelt differently from their driver licence. None of these are unusual, and almost all are fixable. They’re just much easier to fix before a lender is waiting on them.
A title search takes minutes to order. This guide explains what it shows, how to get one wherever your property is, and how to read it with a lender’s eyes.
What is a title search, exactly?
Almost all land in Australia is registered under the Torrens system, where each state or territory keeps an official register of who owns each parcel of land and what interests affect it. A title search is a copy of that register entry for one parcel at a point in time. Depending on the state, it may be called a title search, a copy of title, a register search statement or a certificate of title search.
It isn’t a valuation, a building inspection or a sales history. It answers a narrower but more important question for any lender: who owns this land, and who else has a registered or claimed interest in it?
What will you see on it?
Layouts differ between states, but the content is broadly the same.
| Section | What it tells you | Why a lender cares |
|---|---|---|
| Title reference | Volume/folio, or lot and plan number | Identifies exactly which land is being mortgaged |
| Land description | Lot, plan, parish or county, sometimes area | Confirms the property matches the address |
| Registered owners | Names, and how the land is held | Every owner must sign the mortgage |
| Mortgages | Each registered mortgage and the lender | Shows your first mortgage, and any others |
| Caveats | Anyone claiming an unregistered interest | Can stop new dealings until dealt with |
| Easements and covenants | Rights of way, drainage, building restrictions | Can affect use and value |
| Other notations | Leases, priority notices, statutory charges | Anything else that affects dealing with the land |
If your property is a unit or strata lot, the search will also refer to the scheme or community plan.
How do you order a title search in your state?
Every state and territory runs its own land registry. ARNECC, the national council coordinating electronic conveyancing, keeps a list of each one, which is the quickest way to find the right registry if you’re unsure. Here’s how the three we’ve checked directly work.
Queensland. Titles Queensland sells title searches online through its Online Title and Image Searches (OTIS) system, by phone or by post. Professionals often order through approved distributors, and your conveyancer or lawyer can get one for you in minutes.
Victoria. LANDATA, Victoria’s online land title and property information service operated by SERV, lets you order a copy of title, also called a register search statement. You can search by address or by volume and folio number.
Western Australia. Landgate offers certificate of title orders online, along with related products such as a current ownership name search.
Other states and territories. NSW Land Registry Services, Land Services SA, the Tasmanian land titles office, Access Canberra in the ACT and the Northern Territory’s land titles office each provide searches through their own channels or authorised providers. If you’d rather not navigate a registry site, a conveyancer, lawyer or information broker can order a search quickly.
Fees are set by each registry or provider and change periodically, so check the current amount when you order.
How do you read it like a lender?
Work through it in this order.
1. Is it the right land? Compare the lot and plan or volume and folio with your rates notice. Owners with two properties, or a property on several lots, occasionally send the wrong one.
2. Do the owners match? Every registered owner will need to sign any mortgage. Check each name against the ID you’ll use. A maiden name, a missing middle name or a company name that has since changed will need explaining. If you and a partner own the property, note whether you hold it as joint tenants or tenants in common; our guide on co-owned property as security explains why it matters.
3. How many mortgages are there? You’d expect one: your first lender. If there’s a second you’d forgotten about, or an old one from a lender you paid out years ago, it needs attention. A mortgage that was repaid but never discharged is still on the register until a discharge is lodged.
4. Are there caveats? A caveat is a notice claiming an interest in the land. Titles Queensland explains that caveats are often lodged when parties are in dispute and that, in most cases, they last between 14 days and three months unless extended. An old or unexpected caveat is one of the most common reasons property-secured loans stall. Find out who lodged it and why.
5. Anything else? Easements and covenants are normal and rarely a problem, but a lender and valuer will note anything that limits how the property can be used. Priority notices, leases and statutory charges should all be understood before you apply.
Found something odd? That’s exactly the right time to talk to a specialist, before a lender’s search finds it for you.
What are the five findings that most often delay a loan?
An undischarged old mortgage. You paid out a loan when you refinanced, but the discharge was never registered. Fix: contact the old lender for a discharge of mortgage. It’s routine, but it takes time.
An unexpected caveat. Sometimes from a builder, a former partner, a family member or a past lender. Fix: find out who lodged it and on what basis. It may need to be withdrawn, paid out or formally dealt with before a new mortgage can proceed.
An owner nobody mentioned. A former spouse still on title after a separation, or a parent added years ago. Fix: every registered owner must sign, so they need to be part of the conversation now.
Name mismatches. Title in a maiden name, a trust’s old trustee, a company’s former name. Fix: gather the documents that connect the names, such as a marriage certificate, deed of appointment or ASIC change-of-name record.
The wrong entity. The property is owned by a company or trust, not you personally. Fix: that’s not a problem, but it changes who signs and what documents are needed. See property held in a trust or company.
How does this connect to a second mortgage?
A second mortgage is registered on the title behind your first mortgage. Everything on the search affects whether that can happen smoothly: the owners must sign, the first lender’s mortgage terms may require consent, and any caveat must be understood because it can prevent new registrations. Our pages on second mortgage priority and registration and first mortgagee consent explain those mechanics.
For urgent files, a clean title is one of the biggest speed factors. If a lender can search, see exactly what it expects and move on, a same-day or next-day settlement becomes realistic. For property-secured loans from $20,000 to $250,000, same-day funding is possible when everything lines up. See what sets the speed.
When should you order the search?
Ideally before you enquire about any property-secured loan, and definitely before you promise a supplier, the ATO or a vendor a date. A search is a snapshot, so if weeks pass before you borrow, the lender will order a fresh one anyway. The point of yours is simply to know what’s there.
It’s also worth ordering one:
- after a refinance, to confirm the old mortgage has been discharged;
- after paying out any loan secured on the property;
- after a separation or change of trustee, to check the register reflects it;
- if you’re planning to sell, so the conveyancer isn’t surprised.
Illustrative example: a search that saved a week
A business owner planning a $150,000 second mortgage orders a title search on her home the evening before enquiring. It shows her first mortgage and an old caveat lodged by a builder during a renovation dispute that was settled three years earlier. She contacts the builder’s lawyer the next morning, who confirms it should have been withdrawn and arranges it. By the time the lender searches, the title is clean. Without her search, the caveat would have surfaced mid-settlement. The scenario is illustrative.
What should you do next?
Order the search, check it against the five points above, and gather the documents that explain anything unexpected. Then run your numbers through our equity and LVR calculator to see what the property could support. Our documents checklist lists everything else a lender will ask for.
Title looks clean? Let’s see what it can support
A tidy title is one of the best head starts a property-secured loan can have. If yours is ready, or if you’ve found something on it you’d like explained, the next step is a short enquiry: about 60 seconds, and there’s no credit check when you first enquire.
We don’t forward your details to a lineup of lenders. One specialist looks at your property and your purpose and calls you back to talk through what’s possible, including anything the search turned up. Please list every owner and every loan on the title accurately; it’s the fastest way to a structure that settles without surprises.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a title search cost?
Fees are set by each state's registry or its approved providers and change from time to time. They're modest compared with the cost of a delayed loan. Check the current fee on your state's registry site or with your conveyancer.
Can anyone order a title search?
Generally, yes. Title searches are available to the public through each state's registry or its authorised providers. You don't have to be the owner.
What's the difference between a title search and a property report?
A title search is the official register entry for the land. Property reports from private providers may add sales history, estimates and maps, but they are not the register itself.
Will the lender do its own title search?
Yes, always. Doing your own first simply means nothing on it surprises you or slows the file.
What if the title shows a mortgage I've already paid off?
The discharge may never have been registered. Contact the old lender for a discharge; it needs to be lodged so the mortgage is removed from the title.