Free title search
Free title search in South Australia: SAPPA, SAILIS and what costs money
A South Australian title isn't free: a Register Search costs A$36.75 on SAILIS. Two government tools are free, though. SAPPA finds a property's title reference, plan and parcel and shows its zoning, and SAILIS lists a Check Search at no charge.
See the exact lot and title before you pay. No title, no charge.
South Australia title search
A$99
Includes the A$36.75 registry fee and GST
Title + Full ReportA$129
- The official Register Search (Certificate of Title) from Land Services SA
- A one-page plain-English summary
- Owner names and the address printed for notices
- Usually within minutes, any day of the week
- Exact lot and title confirmed before you pay
Is there a free title search in SA?
No. Land Services SA charges for every Register Search (South Australia's name for a title search), owners included. The owners' names and address, mortgages, encumbrances and caveats are only on the title.
SAPPA: free title references and zoning
The South Australian Property and Planning Atlas (SAPPA) is the State Government's free property map. You can search by address, by plan and parcel, or by title, and it shows certificate of title references, plan and parcel numbers and valuation numbers, along with zones and overlays under the Planning and Design Code. It replaced the old Property Location Browser.
That's enough to find the right title before you buy it, or to check the planning rules before you build. It isn't a copy of the title.
SAILIS Check Search: free, but not a title
Land Services SA's price list shows a Check Search at no charge. It lists any unregistered dealings on a title and dealings completed in the last 90 days, which is handy for seeing whether something is under way. It doesn't give you the title itself, and guests get a narrower range of SAILIS products than account holders.
What's the cheapest way to get an SA title?
Use SAILIS as a guest and buy a Register Search for A$36.75, or Register Search Plus for A$45.50 if you also want the plan image and every registered instrument. Land Services SA's own certificate of title page points the public to Register Search Plus. These fees are GST-exempt.
- 1Find the CT volume and folio in SAPPA.
- 2Open SAILIS and continue as a guest.
- 3Choose Register Search, or Register Search Plus, and pay.
- 4Read it with our guide on how to read an SA title.
When is paying more worth it in SA?
Our SA title search is A$99. For that you start from an address, see the title reference before you pay, and get a one-page plain-English summary with the title. The Title + Full Report (A$129) explains every entry, including priority notices and encumbrances, and flags questions for your conveyancer. If you just need the document and know which one, SAILIS is cheaper.
Selling? The Section 7 searches aren't free either
Sellers in SA give buyers a Form 1 vendor's statement, which draws on government and council searches. Land Services SA's Property Interest Report for state agency interests costs A$378, and council searches add more (Burnside, for example, charges A$73.25 for a full search). A conveyancer normally orders these as part of the sale.
Common questions
Is SAPPA free to use?
Yes. It's free and shows the title reference, plan and parcel and the zoning for a property.
Does the Check Search show the owner?
It's a status check of dealings on the title, not a copy of the title. For the owners' names, you need a Register Search.
Can I buy an SA title without an account?
Yes. Anyone can use SAILIS as a guest user.
Can I search by owner name in SA?
Land Services SA sells a 'Title for Owner Name' search for A$9.75 through SAILIS. It isn't free, and we don't offer name searches.
Do owners get a free copy of their certificate of title?
No. Owners pay the same fee as anyone else.
Register Search or Register Search Plus: which should I buy?
If you only need ownership and what's registered, the Register Search. If you also need the plan and copies of the documents behind the title, Register Search Plus is better value than buying them one by one.