Role of the deeds office

In South Africa, ownership of land can only be transferred from one person to another by means of a deed of transfer executed by the Registrar of Deeds There is no other way the law provides to register a property transfer. The essential role of the Deeds Office is to provide members of the public with secure titles to land. They maintain an up to date public register of land and a system of registration providing secure title to land and land rights.

The document that provides evidence of ownership is called a ‘title deed’, and an owner’s title gives them rights to the land and improvements thereon.

All land transactions must also be accompanied by diagrams or plans drawn up by a land surveyor which have been approved by the Surveyor General. These diagrams and plans provide accurate descriptions of land portions and any servitudes or restrictions that affect the land in question.

The usual time taken for deeds to be examined and recorded in the deeds office is 10 to 14 working days.