Interest in land under the Common Law system is passed by the act of the parties, that is, when a deed is signed, sealed and delivered. Therefore the Registration of Deeds is not mandatory. However it is advisable to register deeds for 2 main reasons:

• To Secure Priority
  Where there are conflicting or competing interests in the same property, priority will be given to that deed which is registered first.
  
  
• Admissibility as Evidence
  Section 4 of the Registration of Deeds Act provides, inter alia, that a registrable deed which is not registered shall not be admissible as evidence in any Court of Law.

Conveyance of Common Law land registered under the Registration of Deeds Act is complicated and labour intensive. In order to be sure that the owner has a good title to the land, an investigation has to be made into the chain of title, i.e. all the deeds affecting the land for the past 15 years have to be inspected. This is the minimum statutory requirement, provided a "good root of title" can be found from which to commence the investigation.

In order to simplify the titling process, the Land Titles Act was introduced in 1960. Under the Land Titles System, a Land Titles Register is maintained and Registration of Instruments is mandatory under the Land Titles Act as title does not pass without registration. To be registrable, all documents must be lodged in the prescribed form.

In order to bring land under the new Land Titles System, the Land Registry has been converting Titles from the Common Law to the New Land Titles System. This Titles Conversion project was completed on 31st December 2002.

Once a piece of land has been converted from the Common Law system to the new Land Titles system, a title will be issued for the land. This is only one of the instance where title is issued. The Land Registry is also responsible for issuing Certificates of Title for land sold by the State and new landed developments, as well as Subsidiary Strata Certificates of Title for new condominiums, flats, flatted factories and office buildings.

1. Registration of Deeds


The Registry of Deeds administers the Registration of Deeds Act and the rules made under it. The Register of Deeds is a record of deeds lodged against land held under the old Common Law system of land registration. Presently there are hardly any deeds lodged at the Registry of Deeds.

Under the Registration of Deeds Act, legal interest in land passes when a deed is signed, sealed and delivered by the owner of a property. Under the Act, it is not compulsory for owners of land to register the deeds at the Registry of Deeds. As such, a minimum 15-year title search is necessary to ascertain the ownership of a property that is held under the Registration of Deeds Act. This can be difficult and time consuming.

However, most deeds are registered in the Registry of deeds as it offers priority to a claimant under a deed as against other claimants to the land. Further, failure to register a deed under the Registry of Deeds means that it cannot be produced as evidence in a court of law.

There are no prescribed forms for deeds. The form a deed takes varies according to individual circumstances. However, there are three formal requirements for all deeds. It must be signed, sealed and delivered.



·	Search Hours
	Monday to Friday	8.30am to 5.30pm
	Saturday	8.30am to 1.00pm
·	Lodgement Hours
	Monday to Friday	8.30am to 12 noon
·	Fees Chargeable
·	Delivery of Deeds
	Deeds are finally registered within 7 days from lodgement. They are then imaged and are ready for collection by solicitors' representatives within 1 1/2 months from lodgement. Solicitors' representative can collect finalised deeds from the Registry from:
Monday to Friday		8.30am to 5.30pm




2. Registration of Instruments


The Land Titles Act was introduced in 1960. Under this system, a Land Titles Register is maintained. The land register for each parcel of land has a description of the land, the nature of the estate, i.e. freehold or leasehold, the proprietor of the estate, particulars of other interests affecting the land, for example, mortgages, charges and restrictive covenants. Conveyancing transactions are very much simplified under this system as generally 15 year title searches are not required to be made.

Under this system, registration is mandatory to effect the transfer of an estate or interest in land. To be registrable, all documents must be lodged in the prescribed form at the counter of the Registry together with a lodgement form.

Both documents relating to private properties as well as HDB properties are to be lodged at:


8 Shenton Way #26-01 Temasek Tower Singapore 068811


Upon lodgement, the documents are given a priority number and the date and time of lodgement are shown on the lodgement form.

Caveats lodged are notified within 24 hours if in order.

Instruments lodged are provisionally accepted without preliminary checking. Particulars of the lodgement are reflected on the land register.

If an instrument is not in order for registration, the Registry will inform the solicitors of the grounds of objection within 3 working days from the date of lodgement of the instrument. Depending on the nature of the objection, the solicitors may be requested to:


• amend the instrument
  
  
• forward the requisite supporting documents or duplicate documents; or
  
  
• withdraw the instrument from registration.



Please click here for Common Objections for Instruments and here for Common Objections for Caveats.

Generally, instruments that are in order are registered within 2 weeks of lodgement.

After the instruments are registered, solicitors are required to send their authorised representatives to collect the title and other documents.



·	Search Hours
	Monday to Friday	8.30am to 5.30pm
	Saturday	8.30am to 1.00pm
·	Lodgement Hours
	Monday to Friday	8.30am to 12 noon
·	Fees Chargeable
·	Practice Circulars
·	Prescribed Forms
·	Common Objections For Instruments
·	Common Objections for Caveats



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• Issue of Certificates of Title for Land Sold by the State
  Whenever the State issues a State title for a leasehold estate of at least 10 years, the Registrar of Titles will issue a Certificate of Title for that piece of land pursuant to section 8 of the Land Titles Act. No application on the part of the owner is required.
  
  
• Issue of New Certificates of Title
  New Certificates of Title are issued when land is subdivided or amalgamated. This enables the developer to transfer the legal titles relating to landed properties.
  
  

• The Registration of Deeds Act; or
  
  
• The Land Titles Act
  

1. What is restricted residential property under the Residential Property Act


Foreign persons (including natural persons, foreign companies and societies) are restricted from purchasing:


• Vacant land
  
  
• landed residential property, such as bungalows, terrace houses, semi-detached houses; and
  
  
• Residential property in a building of less than 6 levels.
  
  
Approval will have to be obtained from the Minister for Law to purchase any of the above.


2. What is non-restricted residential property under the Residential Property Act


Foreigners are not restricted from acquiring:

• A flat in a development approved as condomimium development under the Planning Act;
  
  
• A flat in a building of 6 levels or more including the ground level and any level below the ground level including HUDC Phase I, Phase II flats and privatised HUDC Phase III and IV flats;
  
  
• A leasehold estate in restricted residential property (refer to A) for a term not exceeding 7 years including any further term which may be granted by way of an option for renewal;
  
  
Note:

The properties below are not under the purview of the Residential Property Act. Intended purchasers of these properties are required to enquire directly with the Housing And Development Board regarding their eligibility


• A HDB flat purchased directly from HDB;
  
  
• A resale HDB flat where HDB has consented to the sale;
  
  
• HDB Shophouse; and
  
  
• an Executive Condominium purchased under the Executive Condominium Housing Scheme Act, 1996
  

Note:

1. A foreign person is not allowed to acquire all the flats in a building of 6 levels or more or in an approved condominium.
   
   
2. Foreign person as defined in the Residential Property Act includes:
   
   1. person who is not a Singapore citizen
   2. a foreign company; and
   3. a foreign society




·	Prescribed Form
·	Frequently Asked Questions



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