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Voluntary registration walkthrough

Introduction

This guide will help land and property owners move their titles from the sasine register to the land register.

You must be the last-named recorded owner of the property noted in the Sasine Register in order to voluntarily register it.

If you are not the last-named recorded owner and your title proceeds on certificates of confirmation or docket transfers or, generally, any midcouple or link in title that does not have the effect of completing title then registration of a notice of title is required.

Read more about the benefits and background of voluntary registration.

For detailed guidance on submitting a voluntary registration, read voluntary registration-specific criteria.

Using a solicitor

We recommend using a solicitor to help you apply for voluntary registration, because the process requires a certain level of legal knowledge. However, there is no legal requirement to do so.

You can search for a solicitor using the Law Society of Scotland website.

In compiling the land register we rely on the information provided by applicants in support of their application. The Land Registration etc (Scotland) Act 2012 places a duty on those making an application for registration to ensure the register is accurate.

Land owners who intend to apply without legal support must submit, along with their application:

  • all relevant deeds
  • any unrecorded links in title
  • additional evidence of any legal and plans searches or investigations carried out on their behalf

If you're not a legally qualified person, you must complete our identification form when you apply to register land or property on our registers. This helps us protect against fraud.

We can answer general questions about the voluntary registration process, forms and fees, but cannot provide legal advice. Email us at customer.services@ros.gov.uk.

The following step-by-step guide explains each part of the process in detail. Some steps may not be applicable to your circumstances, but you can still use each step to make sure everything is covered.