Guidance

Quick start guide to the HM Land Registry portal for Business Unit Administrators

Updated 2 October 2025

Applies to England and Wales

1. When to use this guide

This quick start guide has been designed to help you get up and running with the HM Land Registry portal. It explains how to activate your Business Unit Administrator account and create and manage your organisation’s Business unit and Authorised User portal accounts.

What is the HM Land Registry portal?

The HM Land Registry portal is part of HM Land Registry’s Business e-services. Property professionals can use the portal to:

• request information from HM Land Registry’s land register
• lodge applications to change the register online

and

• manage applications online

Within the HM Land Registry Business e-services portal, an organisation (a legal entity) is referred to in the ‘Portal Administrative Services system’ as a Business Unit. Organisations can have one or more Business Unit accounts.

What you need to start

You’ll be issued with:

• a security token – it generates a single-use number sequence, which is required every time you log in to the system to create or update user accounts for your organisation
• administrator log in details – a user ID (username)
• a temporary password, issued to you by email

When you have received the token and log in details, you are ready to log in and create new users within your organisation. They can then begin using the services.

2. Logging in for the first time

Step 1

You will need to open your internet browser and go to www.gov.uk/land-registry.

• First select Business e-services and portal log in
• Select HM Land Registry portal: log in and guides
• Then select log in to the HM Land Registry portal

Step 2

Enter your user ID (username) and the temporary password sent to you by HM Land Registry.

You will need to create a new password. Enter your old or temporary password and the new password that you have created in the appropriate fields following the on-screen rules.

Step 3

Provide answers to the security questions. Your answers should be something you can easily remember, as you will need these if you have to reset your password in the future.

Step 4

Use the security token to generate a number sequence when you are prompted to do so. Press and hold down the button on the security token until the status bar fills the display.

• The token generates and displays an 8 digit unique number. The number is time limited and can only be used once.
• If the button has been pressed ten times, without progressing to Step 5, the security token will be locked and you will need to reset it.

Step 5

Enter the number sequence promptly on the log in screen.

• The token turns off automatically after approximately 60 seconds of inactivity.
• Alternatively press the button again to turn off the token.

Note: If the token is locked a message will be displayed, you must reset the security token by following the on-screen instructions.

We recommend that you watch our short training video on YouTube before using the HM Land Registry portal: First time log in for Business Unit Administrators.

3. How to create users

When you are logged in, select “Services” at the top of the screen, then ‘Administrative services.’

Select ‘Create user’ and complete the fields on screen. To create a new user, you will need to know:

• their name
• email address
• contact details
• what level of access they require
• the payment account number (key number) that the services will be billed to

4. User accounts in the portal

There are different types of accounts in the portal. Here is an overview of each role and its responsibilities.

Business Unit Administrator

Responsible for managing system access for individual users in an organisation. They can create, update, reset and delete accounts. They specify the type of user accounts for their colleagues in the portal and they can see the full list of Authorised User accounts contained in the HM Land Registry Business e-services technical manual. Your administrator account gives you access to Administrative Services only, it does not enable you to lodge applications. If you want to use these services, you will need to create a separate user account for yourself.

Responsible Person

A person within an organisation who is nominated to supervise other users. They have access to reports documenting the activities of other users. There can only be one responsible person within a Business unit. They can be the same person as the Business Unit Administrator. The Responsible Person account is limited to one person. There is no limit on the amount of people assigned to the other accounts.

Deputy Responsible Person

A deputy to the organisation’s Responsible Person. They are nominated to supervise users in addition to the nominated Responsible Person. They have access to reports documenting the activities of users.

Financial Administrator

Authorised by an organisation to access Variable Direct Debit transaction reports for the previous 3 months. This account is automatically assigned to the Responsible Person and Deputy Responsible Person accounts but can also be assigned to other users if required.

Authorised User

This is the term used to describe all other types of accounts in the portal. Users may need different portal log in details for their different accounts. Authorised Users can request information from HM Land Registry and lodge applications to change the register online.

Learn more about managing your portal accounts.

5. Changing an organisation’s details

If you need to change your business details, such as address or payment details, this will need to be done by the designated Business Unit Administrator.

Changing a Business Unit address

A Business Unit Administrator can update their Business Unit address. Learn more in HM Land Registry portal: update a business unit account.

Changing a despatch address

Documents are normally despatched electronically however, if this isn’t possible, they will be sent to the address displayed in the Authorised User’s HM Land Registry portal homepage. It is essential to notify us of any address changes to ensure documents are sent to the correct address. Learn more in alternative despatch address.

Changing a variable Direct Debit account address

The address linked to your organisation’s variable Direct Debit (VDD) account can only be changed by HM Land Registry. Learn how to request an update to the VDD account address.

6. Help and support

The following documents contain useful information about our services and how you use them.

• Conditions of use: the portal and Business Gateway
• HM Land Registry Business e-services technical manual
• Network Access Agreement (applicable to users of Network Services only).

To view our detailed written guidance in relation to administrative services visit HM Land Registry portal: Administrative services. For more guidance on how to use the HM Land Registry portal visit HM Land Registry portal: login and guides.

Visit the HM Land Registry training hub for quick and easy access to guidance and training materials covering a variety of land registration topics.

The training hub contains links to webinars, videos, podcasts, flowcharts and checklists to help you prepare and submit complete and correct applications. It also provides details of any upcoming live events.

7. Get in touch

If you are experiencing difficulties logging in, or would like an alternative format of this guide please call Customer Support on 0300 006 0411 or email customersupport@mail.landregistry.gov.uk

Please ensure you have the following information available when you contact us:

• your user ID (username);
• the operating system you are using, for example Windows 11;
• details or screenshots of any error messages displayed and at what point in the process the error occurred;
• does the issue persist on an alternative device?
• have you cleared your browser cache or tried an alternative browser?
• does a colleague face the same issue? And
• have you consulted your IT support?