Direct answer:The public can order a land register through the Land Registry’s official IRIS service using property or lot information. Casual users do not always need a subscription. A search is initial due diligence, not a solicitor’s legal opinion on title.
Search and retain the right documents
- Choose the official casual-user or subscriber service.
- Identify the address, lot, building, floor and unit.
- Select a current or historical land register; order registered document images where necessary.
- Keep the search date, receipt and complete files, and ask your solicitor to interpret ownership, charges and document references.
Check the official fee schedule when ordering; different registers and document copies have different charges.
What should be checked?
- Property identity: the searched unit must match the unit being offered.
- Owner: compare seller names or company details and all relevant co-owners.
- Registered documents: record mortgages, court orders and other entries for professional interpretation.
- Timing: pending documents may not yet appear in a current register. Your solicitor may need updated searches before signing and completion.
The register alone cannot establish the condition of the building, unauthorised works, management-fee arrears, the actual tenancy or every unregistered interest. Review the sale documents, deed of mutual covenant, management records and inspection findings too.
Common mistakes
Avoid searching the wrong unit, checking only the owner’s name, treating registration as a government title guarantee, or relying on an early search without updating it. Ask a Hong Kong practising solicitor to interpret unfamiliar legal documents.
Land-search and due-diligence checklist (Chinese) · Legal referral enquiry
Sources and method
- Land Registry: IRIS ordering FAQ
- Land Registry: subscribers and casual users
- Land Registry: services and fees
The guide uses Land Registry service information. It replaces the outdated translated narrative and unsupported personal examples. General information only, not a legal opinion.
IRIS land search: official entry and document checks
IRIS is the Land Registry’s Integrated Registration Information System. Open the official IRIS land-search service, identify the property by address or lot, then select the register or document image required. Casual users can order through the official payment process without always becoming subscribers.
- Check the lot, floor, unit and address, especially similarly named buildings.
- Choose a current or historical register for your purpose; use memorial numbers to obtain relevant registered documents.
- Keep the search date, complete result and payment record, then ask your solicitor to interpret ownership, charges and unclear entries.
A search is registration data at a point in time. It cannot by itself rule out unauthorised works, accidents, leaks or unregistered arrangements. See the due-diligence checklist (Chinese).
This section checked: 2026-10-05