On 11 October 2021, the Real Property Amendment (Certificates of Title) Act 2021 commenced, which abolished the Certificates of Title (CTs) and the control of the right to deal (CoRD) framework. All existing CTs have been cancelled and CTs will no longer be issued. Existing CTs will not need to be produced, and CoRD holder consent will not be required, for a dealing or plan to be registered. All existing Guidelines subject to this change are currently being reviewed and will be updated to reflect these changes. For further information regarding the abolition of CTs, please see https://www.registrargeneral.nsw.gov.au/property-and-conveyancing/eConveyancing/abolition-of-certificates-of-title

Deeds

The Automated Deeds Indexing System (ADIS) was implemented on 2 November 1992 and allowed automated indexing and searching of all Old System registrations with the exception of Causes, Writs and Orders. All registration copies of deeds were microfilmed from that date until March 1998 when the scanning and storing of the Documents began in the Document and Integrated Imaging System (DIIMS).

Causes, Writs and Orders are searched internally in the Integrated Titling System (ITS) in the Deeds suite of searches. Copies of Causes, Writs and Orders searches are available from Property Information Delivery Service, Level 30, 175 Liverpool Street, Sydney, from NSW Land Registry Services (NSW LRS) website online searches and through approved Information Brokers.

The Old System Vendors and Purchasers Index are now searched through Deed Name Search. This inquiry relates to information registered from November 1992 onwards. Manual indexes are available to search for records registered prior to that date. Copies of documents registered prior to ADIS are available for purchase over the counter from Level 30, 175 Liverpool Street, Sydney.

Copies of documents registered in ADIS, the series Book 4000 to Book 4191 are on microfilm and available for purchase over the counter from Property Information Delivery Services, Level 30, 175 Liverpool Street, Sydney. Copies of all documents registered in ADIS from Book 4192 are available for purchase from DIIMS, either over the counter from Property Information Delivery Services, Level 30, 175 Liverpool Street, Sydney or from NSW LRS approved information brokers.

All copies require a fee to be paid. After searching the paper records, an Old System search is continued to the present date, using ITS.

Security Interest in Goods Act 2005 (SIGA)

On 1 March 2006 the Security Interest in Goods Act 2005 commenced. It was designed to simplify and modernise the registration procedures of goods mortgages such as, Bills of Sale, Stock Mortgages, Crop and Wool Liens and introduced mortgages for aquaculture, fish and non-agricultural chattels classified as Agricultural Mortgages (Business).

From 1 March 2006 searching of security instruments has been through the Deeds suite of searches utilising the Deed Name Search and ticking the box for Security Interests (SIGA) available through public computer terminals at NSW LRS, Level 30, 175 Liverpool Street.

From 3 October 2006 the Deeds Index searches became accessible online through NSW LRS's approved information brokers. Searches are also available over the counter at Level 30, 175 Liverpool Street, but SIGA searches are no longer accessible through public computer terminals.

From 3 October 2006 standard search fees have applied for SIGA searches ordered over the counter. The search fee applies whether a Search Result or No Record Result is returned. Searchers should note that the information provided in the Index, details interests registered after 2 November 1992. Interests created prior to that date must be searched in the manual Vendors Index, Level 30, 175 Liverpool Street.

Commonwealth Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR)

The Security Interest in Goods Act was repealed with the commencement of the Commonwealth Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) which commenced Monday 30 January 2012. 

The PPSR replaces existing State registers including NSW LRS’s Security Interests in Goods Register (SIGR), where bills of sale and agricultural goods mortgages relating to crops, stock, wool and aquaculture fish were previously registered.

SIGR continues to be available for search online, and images of SIGR deeds are available through NSW LRS's approved information brokers.