Your Certificate of Title is an important document, therefore please ensure that you take all reasonable steps to keep it safe. Before making a Lost Title Application please ensure that you have done all searches to locate the Title and once you are satisfied that it is lost or destroyed you should then make the application.

If you own registered land and have lost your Certificate of Title the only substitute that can be obtained is a new Certificate of Title.

To apply for a Lost Title you must either be: 

1. The owner(s) of the land;
2. The lender exercising power of sale under a mortgage;
3. Someone acting in place of the deceased owner under probate or letters of administration;
4. Someone who has the authority to represent a company or other corporate body;

If you are an applicant acting in place of a deceased owners as on the title, you must lodge proof of your authority to apply, for example, probate or letters of administration. If you are applying for and on behalf of a corporate body you must state that you have the authority to do so and provide proof that the company is still in existence. This will normally be a current Certificate from the Office of the Registrar of Companies.

If the Title is owned by more than one person, all the owners must make the application or you must lodge evidence why this is not so, for example, evidence of death by way of an application to note death if you are registered as joint tenants or an application to register the personal representatives.

The Application

In order to obtain the new Title, the applicant needs to forward to the Registrar of Titles a Statutory Declaration setting out the complete details of the loss or destruction.

Basic Information Required 

1. The application should identify the land by reference to the description of the land as set out on the Title. If you do not have this description you may conduct a search at the Titles Office for your Title.
2. The True and actual value of the land, including all improvements.
3. If the Title was being held by anyone other than the registered proprietor, then a Declaration from such an individual is required as to why and that it is no longer in their possession.
4. The deposit of the Title as security for a loan or lien should be expressed negatively except where it is so being held.
5. In all cases it should be proven where it was last kept, and by whom and the time that it was last seen. It should also state what searches and enquiries have been made to locate the Title.
6. If your Title has been stolen or destroyed by Fire, additional proof is required such as a Fire Report or Police Report.
7. The Registrar will also require an undertaking by the applicant to deliver up the missing Title if it ever comes into his/her possession custody or control. 

If you wish to deal with your land e.g. Transferring or Mortgaging your property then you can at the time of making your application lodge the necessary documents to effect the dealings. You will be required to lodge an application to dispense with the production of your Title.

When the application is accepted by the Registrar of Titles you will be directed to advertise in a Newspaper. The name of the newspaper and time required will be included in the Advertisement.

The relevant sheets of the newspaper with the date thereon should be forwarded to the office. Final Fees for the new Title and Plan (if applicable) should also be enclosed. If your missing title is located before the new Title is issued, please inform the office immediately and the application will be discontinued, if it has been located after the new Title has been issued, deliver the old Title to the Registrar for cancellation.

If order to safeguard against fraud we might request verification of the identity of the applicant. It is also advisable that the Justice of the Peace witnessing the signature of the applicant should expressly state what form of identification was presented by the person signing the document as well as the number of the identification if any.

WARNING : Any person who makes a false claim and fraudulently applies for a Title is committing a criminal offence and will be prosecuted.

This brochure sets out basic requirements that need to be met in order for us to issue you a new Title. However, we might still need to ask that you furnish us with further evidence of the loss or destruction. We recommend that you seek the services of an attorney-at-law who will assist in preparing the application on your behalf.