What a title deed is
The title deed is the document registered in the Deeds Office that records who owns a property. Deeds Office records show the registered owner, the property description and its extent, the conditions that apply to the property, any interdicts, and the purchase price.
If the property is bonded, the bank usually keeps the original deed until the bond is cancelled, which is why many owners have never seen theirs.
What you need before you start
The Deeds Office searches by property description, not street address: the erf number and township, or the farm name and number. For a sectional title unit you need the section number and the name of the scheme.
You also need the owner's full names and ID number, or for a company or trust, its name and registration number. The erf number is on your municipal rates bill and on the offer to purchase. Our guide on how to find an erf number explains other ways.
Option 1: at a Deeds Office
Go to any Deeds Office. An official at the information desk helps you complete the prescribed form, and you pay the fee at the cashier. Deeds Offices do not give out information in response to a letter or a phone call. The Deeds Office helpline is 0800 007 095.
Option 2: online through DeedsWeb
Deeds Office information can also be searched online through DeedsWeb, the Deeds Office's electronic system at deeds.gov.za.
Option 3: order it from Landlodz
For R399 we retrieve a copy of the registered title deed from Deeds Office records and email it to you as a PDF, usually within 1–3 working days of proof of payment. You only need the owner's details, the province and the municipality. The erf number helps but is not required. Add the SG diagram and you pay R600 for both.
If the original deed is lost
A copy from Deeds Office records is enough for most purposes, including planning applications and checking the conditions on a property. Replacing a lost or destroyed original is a different process: a conveyancer applies to the Deeds Office for a certified copy under Regulation 68 of the regulations under the Deeds Registries Act, 1937.
Read the conditions
Title deeds often carry restrictive conditions, such as a limit of one dwelling per erf or a ban on business use, that can stop a project even when the zoning allows it. A condition like that can be removed by application.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a copy of the title deed for a property I don't own?+
Yes. Deeds Office records are public, so a deeds search can be done by anyone. What we cannot order is a document that needs the registered owner's authority, such as a municipal zoning certificate.
Do I need the erf number?+
At the Deeds Office, yes: records are searched by erf number and township, not street address. To order from Landlodz it helps but is not required, because we can match the property from the owner's details, province and municipality.
How long does it take to get a copy from Landlodz?+
Usually 1–3 working days from receipt of proof of payment. The copy is emailed to you as a PDF.
Is a title deed the same as a zoning certificate?+
No. The title deed records who owns the property and the conditions registered against it. A zoning certificate is the municipality's confirmation of the property's zoning.
Order a title deed copy