Quick answer
A title search is an official extract from a state or territory land register showing who owns a property and what's registered against it, such as mortgages, caveats, easements and covenants. Anyone can order one for a small fee. Business lenders run a title search before approving any property-secured loan, and again just before settlement, to confirm the borrower owns the land and see what debts already rank ahead.
Key points
- An official snapshot of the land register for one parcel of land
- Shows registered owners, the land description and registered interests like mortgages and caveats
- Public: anyone can order one, typically for well under $50
- Lenders search at assessment and again right before settlement
Before any lender advances money against property, someone on its team pulls the title. A title search is that document: an official extract from the land register showing who owns a particular parcel of land and what’s recorded against it. It’s the starting point for every property-secured business loan in Australia.
What’s on a title search?
Each state and territory runs its own register under the Torrens title system, so formats differ slightly from one registry to the next. Expect these parts:
| Section | What it tells a lender |
|---|---|
| Title reference | The identifier (lot/plan or volume/folio) pinning down exactly which land it is |
| Registered owner | Who legally owns it, and whether it’s held by an individual, company or trustee |
| Land description | The parcel itself, with a reference to the survey plan |
| Registered interests | Mortgages, caveats, leases, easements, covenants, writs and similar entries |
In Victoria the result is called a register search statement. Queensland calls it a current title search. NSW issues a title search from its Torrens register. The names differ; the purpose is identical.
Why lenders care so much
A title search answers three questions a credit team must settle before approving anything.
Does the borrower actually own it? The name on the title must line up with the borrower or the guarantor. Where a trustee or a company is on the title, expect requests for the deed or company extracts so the correct people sign.
What already ranks ahead? An existing bank mortgage means any new lender will sit in second place. How lenders handle that ranking is covered under second mortgage business loans. Every registered encumbrance reduces the equity available.
Is anything unusual recorded? A caveat from a previous dispute, a writ from a court judgment, or a priority notice for a pending sale can stop a loan in its tracks until it’s resolved.
Lenders order the search when they first assess a deal, then repeat it on the morning of settlement. The second search catches anything lodged in between.
What a title search won’t tell you
The search is limited to what’s on the register. Missing from it:
- Council rates, water charges or land tax owing
- Zoning, overlays or planning approvals
- Unregistered agreements, like an informal family loan secured by a handshake
- Whether the buildings are in good repair or the boundaries match the fences
A valuation and the usual conveyancing certificates fill those gaps.
An example from a real-world style deal
The owner of a Toowoomba earthmoving business applies for a $150k loan secured over a rental property in their own name. The lender’s title search shows the expected bank mortgage, plus something unexpected: a caveat lodged three years earlier by a builder over a disputed renovation invoice that was later settled.
Nobody had withdrawn it. The loan can’t settle with that caveat in place, so the owner’s conveyancer contacts the builder, who signs a withdrawal. It takes eight business days. The lesson: if you’re planning to borrow against property, order your own title search first. It costs less than a café lunch and can save a week.
Owners using property to fund a business can send us a short enquiry and we’ll check what the title supports.
Related terms
- Torrens title: the registration system the search draws on.
- Certificate of title: the older paper record, now replaced by electronic titles in most states.
- Encumbrance and caveat: two of the most common things a search turns up.
- Our guide to borrowing against property for your business walks through the whole process.
Got property and a funding need?
If the title is clean, or close to it, property equity can often fund a business faster and more cheaply than unsecured options. Send us the basics. Filling in the form is roughly a sixty-second job, and your credit file stays untouched when you do. Your enquiry isn’t broadcast to dozens of funders: a specialist on our team works through it personally and gives you a ring. Be precise about the property and what’s owing on it, so the first option we raise is a realistic one.
Frequently asked questions
What does a title search show?
The registered owner or owners, the lot and plan description, and registered interests and notifications on the title, such as mortgages, caveats, easements, covenants, leases and writs. It reflects the register at the moment the search is produced.
How much does a title search cost?
It depends on the state and the provider. As an example, NSW Land Registry Services lists a basic title search at $18.70 including GST in its 2026–27 fee schedule. Information brokers add their own charge on top of the registry fee.
Can I search the title of a property I don't own?
Yes. Australian land registers are public, so anyone can search a title by paying the fee. You need the address or the lot and plan (or volume and folio) reference.
Will a title search show council rates or land tax owing?
No. Rates, water charges, land tax and planning matters sit with councils, utilities and revenue offices, not on the title. Conveyancers order separate certificates for those.
Why did my lender search the title again before settlement?
Because something could have been registered or lodged since the first search, such as a new caveat or a second mortgage. A final search confirms nothing has changed before the lender pays out funds.