Guidance

Notice 25: Permitted applications using the Digital Registration Service (effective 17 January 2023)

Updated 16 November 2023

Applies to England and Wales

Notice given under Schedule 2 to the Land Registration Rules 2003

Interpretation

1.In this Notice:

(a) expressions used have, unless the contrary intention appears, the meaning which they bear in the Land Registration Rules 2003 (SI 2003/1417), as amended from time to time,

(b) “Permitted application(s)” means an application:

(i) of the type listed in the “select application type screen”, and which

(ii) comprises any transaction listed in the drop-down menu within the ‘Select transactions’ screen, in the Digital Registration Service, and

(iii) subject to any limitations as to the number of titles that may be included in any application as set out from time to time on the home screen within the Digital Registration Service.

(c) “Digital Registration Service” is the service that enables permitted applications to HM Land Registry to be made electronically by means of the portal using the digital application form, with such electronic documents and scanned copies of deeds and documents attached as are required to support the application(s).

(d) “development scheme” or “scheme title” means a registration arrangement made with the registrar to incorporate several parcels of land into a single registered title as they are acquired, as described in HM Land Registry’s Practice Guide 72 – Development Schemes,

(e) “digital application form” means the relevant fields that must be completed when making permitted application(s) within the Digital Registration Service.

(f) “portal” means the secure website platform used to access HM Land Registry’s Business e-services,

(g) “the Rules” means the Land Registration Rules 2003,

2.Reference to a form other than the digital application form means the form of that description prescribed by Schedule 1 to the Rules or designated by a direction of the registrar made under section 100(4) of the Land Registration Act 2002.

Currency of notice

3.This Notice is made under rule 14 of, and Schedule 2 to, the Rules and shall be current for the purposes of Schedule 2 on and after 20:00 hours on 17 January 2023. It replaces on that date Notice 25 – Permitted applications using the Digital Registration Service dated 25 November 2022.

The delivery of applications electronically

4.Arrangements have been made for a public beta to enable permitted applications to be made using the digital application form through the Digital Registration Service.

5.The digital application form within the Digital Registration Service replaces the form AP1 where it would otherwise be required, and its use is subject to the provisions of paragraphs 6 to 24.

6.The use of the digital application form does not obviate the need to provide other forms in support of the permitted application(s) made when prompted to do so, and where their use is prescribed by the Rules or designated by a direction of the registrar made under section 100(4) of the Land Registration Act 2002.

When permitted applications may be delivered

7.Subject to the availability of the service, applications may be delivered between 0630 hours and 2300 hours every day.

Who may deliver permitted applications

8.Applications may be delivered only by a firm which already uses HM Land Registry’s electronic Document Registration Service and which has been approved and given access by HM Land Registry to use the public beta referred to in paragraph 4.

Applications for which the Digital Registration Service can be used

9.(i) All applications that fall within the definition of permitted application(s) in this notice

(ii) An application of the types described in 9(i) above, in which one or more of the parties is acting by an attorney under an appropriate power.

Applications for which the Digital Registration Service cannot be used

10.The Digital Registration Service cannot yet be used for any application that does not fall within the definition of permitted application(s) in this notice, in particular it cannot be used:

(a) to register any application, apart from those referred to in paragraph 9(i), where, if the application were made in paper form, confirmation and evidence of identity would be required in panels 12 to 14 inclusive of form AP1, but, for these purposes, disregarding the exceptions set out in paragraph 4(1) of Direction 2 made by the registrar on 29 April 2020

(b) for first registration,

(c) that relates to an individual register of title that is not held in electronic form,

(d) that relates to a development scheme or scheme title.

11.If an application is made using the digital application form that is not a permitted application, the registrar may treat it as an application made using the electronic Document Registration Service through portal, pursuant to Notice 20 given by the registrar under Schedule 2 to the Rules, or as an application made in paper form using form AP1, or an appropriate application form listed in Schedule 1 to the Rules.

General conditions and limitations

12.If a permitted application affects more than one title number, the applicant must quote all the title numbers affected by the application.

13.If a title number affected by a permitted application is not quoted as required in paragraph 12:

(a) the application in respect of the unquoted title number will not be received for the purpose of rule 15 of the Land Registration Rules 2003 unless:

(i) an application against that title number is opened manually by HM Land Registry, and until that manually opened application is entered in the day list; or

(ii) until a further application is properly made in respect of the unquoted title number in accordance with paragraph 12;

(b) HM Land Registry may treat the application as a written request to register any disposition as to the quoted title number(s) only for the purposes of rule 56(1) of the Land Registration Rules 2003; and

(c) the relevant title number shall be treated as having been omitted from panel 2 of form AP1 for the purposes of rule 72C(3) of the Land Registration Rules 2003.

14.If more than one permitted application is delivered together, the applicant must list the applications in priority order when prompted on the “Select transactions screen”.

15.The applicant must provide such particulars as are requested during the course of completing the digital application form.

16.When the applicant completes the box ‘Transaction – Select from list’ within the “Select transactions” screen the applicant must select from the drop-down list the text which satisfactorily identifies the application being made.

17.Any requisitions arising from any permitted application made using the digital application form will be delivered to the applicant electronically, and all replies to requisitions and further documents must be lodged through the Reply to Requisition service in HM Land Registry’s portal.

18.Any acknowledgment, certificate, vectorised plan or other result of an application will be issued by the registrar electronically. If for any reason the registrar considers that it cannot be conveniently issued in electronic form, he may issue it in paper form.

Limitations on format of documents that will be accepted as attachments

19.Electronic attachments to permitted applications, including scanned plans, must:

(a) be either in Tagged Image File/Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), Portable Document Format (PDF), Graphical Interchange File Format (GIF) or a file complying with Joint Photographic Expert Group standards (JPEG).

(b) not exceed 20 megabytes in size for each single TIFF, PDF, GIF or JPEG document.

20.When a plan is included in the application it must be scanned:

(a) in no more than two parts, at a maximum size (per part) of A3, but where the plan is scanned in more than one part, a third scanned image must also be lodged with the application showing the full extent of the plan on one page,

(b) in full colour,

(c) at a resolution not less than 200dpi and not more than 600dpi.

21.If evidence of compliance with Stamp Duty Land Tax or Land Transaction Tax legislation is required in respect of an application, an SDLT submission receipt in PDF, TIFF, GIF or JPEG may be attached to the application in the case of SDLT. Otherwise a scanned copy of an SDLT5 certificate or a Land Transaction Tax certificate should be attached.

General particulars and documents to be provided

22.As part of their application the applicant must attach electronic versions or scanned copies of such forms and documents as will be required by the registrar to enable the registrar to complete the permitted application(s) applied for.

23.Subject to paragraph 20 (if applicable) each form and document attached as part of an application must be scanned as a separate document or attached separately and be supported by one of the following certificates:

• I/We certify this attachment is a true copy of the original document.
• I/We certify this attachment is a true copy of a document which is certified by a conveyancer to be a true copy of the original.
• This attachment is an uncertified copy.

24.Each electronic attachment, including scanned attachments, must be clearly legible and of sufficient quality to be reproduced as an official copy by the registrar.

Nicola Muir
Acting Deputy Director of Central Legal Services
13 January 2023