prai.ie Land Registration Ireland : Property Registration Authority

Organization : Property Registration Authority
Type of Facility : Land Registration
Country: Ireland

Website : http://www.prai.ie/land-registry-services/

Land Registration:

By international comparison, Ireland has a very extensive and well developed system of land registration. Since the foundation of the Land Registry in 1892, there has been a gradual, ongoing and continuous programme of movement away from the older and limited system of recording deeds (in the Registry of Deeds), to the more modern, flexible and comprehensive ‘title registration’ system provided through the Land Registry.

Related : Property Registration Authority Ground Rents Purchase Scheme Ireland : www.statusin.org/9418.html

93% of the total land mass of the State and almost 90% of the legal titles in Ireland are now registered in the Land Registry. As the map below illustrates, almost all legal titles in several counties are now registered.

Such of the progress in recent years has been facilitated by the successful roll-out of a major programme of state of the art Information Technology, the most notable of which have been:
** Integrated Title Registration Information System – ITRIS – (1999-2002)
** Digital Mapping Project (2005-2010) and
** Conversion of the entire register and associated indices from paper into a fully digitised format (2006-2009)

As a result of these projects there are now 2.14 million titles, representing almost 2.8 million individual parcels of land, registered in the Irish Land Registry and an extensive programme is underway to advance the registration of the remaining titles. In fact, compulsory registration now applies to all counties.

Compulsory Registration:
Registration in the Land Registry is compulsory in the following cases:
** Land bought under the Land Purchase Acts
** Land acquired after 1st January 1967 by a statutory authority
** Certain transactions* in relation to property located in the counties and cities

Land Registry Services:
The Register:
The Irish Land Register is one of the most advanced land registers in Europe. The Register is fully computerised and all registered land parcels are digitised. The Register consists of textual and spatial information (folios and maps). The registered land in each county is divided into folios, one for each individual ownership or title. Each folio is numbered sequentially within the county division.

Applications for registration:
Applications are prepared on behalf of the customer by qualified legal practitioners and submitted to the PRA for registration.

In making decisions on applications, staff apply a wide range of legislation, take account of court decisions and adhere to principles of natural and constitutional justice. The legal impact of the documents and related maps lodged are then recorded on the folios and title plans of the Register.

The type of application lodged ranges from applications for first registration, transfers of part of a folio, charges (mortgages), burdens (e.g. right of way) etc.

The Land Registry Practice Directions and Legal Office Notices on this site provide guidance on the principles and procedures followed in making decisions on applications. However, this does not constitute legal advice and it is always recommended that you consult a qualified legal practitioner. Note that the Land Registry/Property Registration Authority is not an advisory body and cannot give advice on individual cases.

Applications for the purchase of the freehold under the Ground Rents Purchase Scheme:
This is a scheme under which owners of leasehold property can purchase their ground rent and enlarge their interest into a freehold.

The Ground Rents Purchase Scheme explanatory leaflet, Application Forms and other relevant information are published on this site under Ground Rent Services.

Certified Copy Folio/Title Plan:
The folios and maps of the Register constitute a public record and any person may apply to inspect or obtain a copy folio/title plan, on payment of the appropriate fee.

If you know the relevant folio number you can apply for a copy on landdirect.ie or by downloading and completing the Application Form for Copy Folio (fee €40) or Application Form for Copy Folio/Title Plan showing appurtenant rights of way and/or other “special features”, if any, relating to the lands (fee €40) and sending the completed form together with a cheque/postal order for the appropriate fee to:

Customer Service Unit
Property Registration Authority
Chancery Street
Dublin 7

If you don’t know the relevant folio number you can apply for a mapping search or names index search to be carried out.

Certified Copy Instruments:
When an application for registration (a “Dealing”) is completed, the legal effect of the documents lodged is registered on the folio. A purchaser for value can rely on the folio as evidence of title without having to read the title deeds. The title documents are subsequently filed in the Land Registry in a file known as an “Instrument”.

There are some circumstances in which an inspection of an Instrument may be applied for. However, not everyone is entitled to inspect an Instrument. The Instrument can only be inspected by the registered owner of the property, his/her personal representative and any person authorised by such persons, by an order of the court or under Rule 159 of the Land Registration Rules 2012.

Before completing an Application Form for Copy Instrument* under Rule 159 please read the guidelines attached to the form .You must specify why you consider yourself to be entitled to inspect and/or obtain a copy of the Instrument (or part of an Instrument).

Any person who is entitled to inspect an Instrument may obtain a copy of the Instrument, on payment of the appropriate fee.

The completed application form along with appropriate identification and a cheque/postal order for the relevant fee (€40 per Instrument) should be lodged to:
Customer Service Unit
Property Registration Authority
Chancery Street
Dublin 7

* See Legal Office Notice 5/2010 – Personal Applications for Copy Instruments must be accompanied by a Personal Applicant’s Identification Form.

Please note: Instruments are stored off-site and will not be available on the day of request.

Search facilities:
Online search:
Many of our services are available through our online service – landdirect.ie. To avail of the full range of services you must open a Business Account with a minimum pre-payment of €125 made payable to the Property Registration Authority.

If you are not a Business Account Holder, you can search the Land Registry map online, free of charge. You may also view folios and order certified copy folios with maps on payment of the prescribed fee.

You may still avail of our services by post or by calling to one of our public offices between 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday (excluding Public Holidays). The locations of our offices are published on this site under Contact Us.

Map search:
Carrying out a mapping search will reveal if the property is registered in the Land Registry and will identify the relevant folio number.

To apply for an official mapping search (fee €40):
Outline the relevant plot in red on an Ordnance Survey Ireland map and send with your completed application in Form 89 with a cheque/postal order for the relevant fee to;
Customer Service Unit
Property Registration Authority
Chancery Street
Dublin 7

or:
Attend at our public office and point out the relevant plot on the maps provided. Once the folio number has been identified you may then apply for a certified Copy Folio or Copy Folio/Title Plan.

Search by registered owner:
To apply for a name search (fee €5):
You must know the name and address of the current registered owner. (Otherwise you must apply for a mapping search as above.)

Send your completed application in Form 88 together with a cheque/postal order for the relevant fee to:
Customer Service Unit
Property Registration Authority
Chancery Street
Dublin 7

If the result of a search indicates that the property is not registered in the Land Registry it may have been dealt with in the Registry of Deeds. Please see the Registry of Deeds section on this site for information on the records maintained there and how to search them.