Guidance

Notice 17: HM Land Registry Business Gateway Information services (effective 20 December 2022)

Updated 16 November 2023

Applies to England and Wales

Notice given by the registrar under Schedule 2 to the Land Registration Rules 2003

1. Interpretation

The following definitions and rules of interpretation apply in this notice.

1.1 Definitions

API:	Application processing interface.
Application Enquiry Schema:	the API introduced on 22 September 2019 that allows customers using Business Gateway to use service P listed in column 1 of Schedule 1 to this Notice.
Business Gateway:	HMLR’s machine to machine interface linking an applicant to HMLR.
Day List Information Schema:	the API that allows customers using Business Gateway to use service G listed in column 1 of Schedule 1 to this Notice.
Dealing:	an application to register a transfer or mortgage of the whole estate, or for any other change to the register which is not: (a) a Dispositionary First Lease; (b) a First Registration; or (c) a Transfer of Part.
Discharge Activity Schema:	the API introduced on 3 November 2019 that allows customers using Business Gateway to use service Q listed in column 1 of Schedule 1 to this Notice.
Dispositionary First Lease	an application for registration of a lease of all or part of the estate in the registered title to which section 27(2)(b) of the LRA 2002 applies.
First Registration	an application for first registration of an estate which has been allotted the title number.
HMLR	HM Land Registry.
LRA 2002	the Land Registration Act 2002,
LRR 2003	the Land Registration Rules 2003.
OS1 Schema:	the API that allows customers using Business Gateway to use service K listed in column 1 of Schedule 1 to this Notice.
OS1 with Data Schema	the API that allows customers using Business Gateway to use service S listed in column 1 of Schedule 1 to this Notice.
Portal:	the secure website platform used to access HMLR’s Business e-services.
Transfer of Part:	an application for registration of a transfer of part of the estate in the registered title.

1.2 Unless the context otherwise requires, expressions used in this notice have the meaning which they bear in the LRR 2003.

1.3 Reference to a rule by number is to the rule so numbered in the LRR 2003.

1.4 A person includes a natural person, corporate or unincorporated body (whether or not having separate legal personality).

1.5 Unless expressly provided otherwise in this notice, a reference to legislation or a legislative provision is a reference to it as amended, extended or re-enacted from time to time.

1.6 Unless expressly provided otherwise in this notice, a reference to legislation or a legislative provision shall include all subordinate legislation made from time to time under that legislation or legislative provision.

2. Currency of notice

2.1 This Notice shall be current for the purposes of Schedule 2 to the LRR 2003 on and after 0630 hours on 20 December 2022. It replaces Notice 17 of 3 December 2021: HM Land Registry Business Gateway Information services.

2.2 The registrar is satisfied that adequate arrangements have been made or will be in place for dealing with the applications and other matters specified in this Notice electronically.

3. Services available through Business Gateway

3.1 Column 1 of Schedule 1 lists the services available through Business Gateway.

3.2 Column 2 of Schedule 1 lists against the relevant service any limitations on use or requirements specific to that service.

3.3 All the services are subject to the provisions of paragraphs 4 to 9.

4. When the services are available

4.1 Applications may only be made between 0630 hours and 2300 hours every day.

4.2 The service may not be available for up to 15 hours each month due to essential maintenance, improvement and testing work. The registrar will endeavour to undertake such work at times on a Sunday or when it will have minimal impact on applicants.

5. Who may deliver applications

Applications may only be delivered by a person who:

5.1 has been approved by HMLR to use the Portal and Business Gateway;

5.2 has accepted HMLR’s Conditions of Use: the Portal and Business Gateway and complies with those conditions; and

5.3 has entered into an agreement allowing payment of fees by direct debit as authorised under article 13(3)(a) of the Land Registration Fee Order 2021.

6. Particulars to be provided

Each applicant must provide on request:

6.1 such of the particulars set out in paragraph 7 as are required for an application of the type applied for; and

6.2 any particulars specified in relation to such application in column 2 of Schedule 1.

7. General particulars for applications

The particulars referred to in paragraph 6.1 are:

7.1 the title number of the registered estate, the caution title number, or, where the application allows, the HMLR reference;

7.2 when requested, the address of the property;

7.3 the nature of the application;

7.4 the name of the person or persons on whose behalf the application is being made;

7.5 the surname or, if not an individual, the full name of the registered proprietor, or one of the registered proprietors, of the estate;

7.6 a customer reference;

7.7 the name, address and reference of the person or firm to whom any copy, certificate or result in paper form is to be despatched if it is not issued by electronic means.

8. General limitations for applications

Where a plan in electronic form accompanies an application, it must:

8.1 be to scale;

8.2 allow the land to be identified in relation to the Ordnance Survey map;

8.3 indicate the floor levels, where appropriate;

8.4 not exceed 20 megabytes in size;

8.5 be in one of the following formats:

(a) Graphics Interchange Format;

(b) Joint Photographic Experts Group Format;

(c) Portable Document Format; or

(d) Tagged Image File Format.

9. General limitations for issue of certificates or results

9.1 Where a certificate or other result of an application or search is issued by electronic means under rule 132(2):

(a) no paper copy of that certificate or result will be issued;

(b) it will be issued by being made available to the applicant for download on the day of completion of the application and:

(i) for six months thereafter, in the case of applications to update the land register or for Local Land Charge Searches; and

(ii) for three months thereafter for all other applications; and

(c) except where otherwise specified in column 2 of Schedule 1, it will be issued in the form of a PDF file.

9.2 Subject to paragraphs 9.3 to 9.5, the certificate or other result will be issued in electronic form.

9.3 The certificate or other result will be issued in paper format if:

(a) it is a historic edition of a registered title issued under rule 144,

(b) it exceeds twenty megabytes in size, or

(c) it exceeds A3 size.

9.4 Where an individual register or title plan, or caution register or caution plan is not kept in electronic form, or for any other reason the registrar considers that an official copy of it cannot conveniently be issued in electronic form, he may issue an official copy in paper form.

9.5 Where a document is not kept in electronic form, or for any other reason the registrar considers that an official copy of it cannot conveniently be issued in electronic form, he may issue an official copy of that document in paper form.

Nicola Muir
Deputy Director, Central Legal Services
Dated: 19 December 2022

Schedule 1

Information Services available

COLUMN 1 Service	COLUMN 2 Specific limitations or requirements
A. Applications to inspect and make copies of the registers and documents under section 66(1) of the LRA 2002	1. Applications may not be made in respect of a registered title to a profit a prendre in gross or a franchise. 2. Where inspection of a document is sought, the nature and the date of that document and the title number (if any) under which the document is stated in the register to be filed must be provided.
B. Applications for official copies of a registered title or an individual caution register or caution plan made under rule 134	1. Applications may not be made in respect of a registered title to a profit a prendre in gross or a franchise. 2. The relevant title, or caution title, number must be provided.
C. Issuing official copies of a registered title or an individual caution register or caution plan
D. Applications for official copies of documents referred to in the register of title and kept by the registrar under rule 135	There must be specified: the title number of the individual register; the administrative area(s) in which the estate registered under that title number is situated; the title number (if any) under which the document is stated in the register to be filed; and in every case the nature and the date of the document to be copied.
E. Issuing official copies of documents referred to in the register of title and kept by the registrar
F. Applications for certificate of inspection of the title plan under rule 134	Applications may only be made where there is an approved estate plan in respect of the registered title.
G. Applications for day list information under rule 141(2)	1. The service is available only using the Day List Information Schema. 2. The applicant must apply using the title number of the relevant registered title. 3. The day list information (if any) in respect of the relevant registered title will be issued to the applicant electronically. 4. The day list information will be provided as set out in Schedule 2.
H. Applications for an official search of the index map under rule 145	Applications may only be made in respect of property identified by: (a) its postal address or a plan in electronic form which accompanies the application, and (b) the administrative area in which it is located.
I. Issuing of official certificate of search of the index map under rule 132(2)
J. Applications for an official search of the index of relating franchises and manors under rule 146	The information required in panel 1 of Form SIF in Schedule 1 to the Rules must be provided.
K. Applications for an official search with priority of the whole of the estate in a registered title or the whole of the estate in a pending First Registration application under rule 147	1. The service is available only using the OS1 Schema. 2. There must be provided: (a) the name of the proprietor or applicant for First Registration; (b) in the case of an official search relating to a registered title a search from date within the meaning of rule 131; and (c) whether it is to protect a purchase, a lease or a charge. 3. The entry of the name(s) of the person(s) on whose behalf the application is made is limited to 100 characters. Where: (a) the name of the person on whose behalf the application is made exceeds 100 characters, appropriate abbreviations must be made; and/or (b) the names of the persons on whose behalf the application is made exceed 100 characters, so many of the names together with the words “and others” as will together not exceed 100 characters must be entered.
L. Applications for an official search with priority of part of the estate in a registered title or part of the estate in a pending First Registration application under rule 147	1. Applications may only be made if: (a) there is a relevant approved estate plan and the applicant provides the relevant plot number on, and the date of approval of, the approved estate plan and no plan accompanies the application, or (b) a plan in electronic form accompanies the application. 2. There must be provided: (a) the name of the proprietor or applicant for First Registration; (b) in the case of an official search relating to a registered title a search from date within the meaning of rule 131; and (c) whether it is to protect a purchase, a lease or a charge. 3. As limitation 2 for Service K (Official Search of whole with priority).
M. Issuing official certificates of search with priority of part of the estate in a registered title or part of the estate in a pending First Registration application under rule 149(2)(b)
N. Issuing official certificates of search with priority of the whole of the estate in a registered title or the whole of the estate in a pending First Registration application under rule 149(2)(b)	1. An official certificate of search will be issued under rule 149(2)(b) in electronic form by Business Gateway where: (2) in the case of an official search relating to a registered title, the result of search states that: a. there are no pending applications which fall within paragraph G of Part 3 of Schedule 6 to the LRR 2003; and b. there are no official searches of part of the estate in the registered title which fall within paragraph H of Part 3 of Schedule 6 to the LRR 2003; 3. in the case of an official search relating to a pending application for First Registration, all the details required to issue a certificate have been entered on the day list and the result of search states that: a. there are no pending applications which fall within paragraph H of Part 4 of Schedule 6 to the LRR 2003; and b. there are no official searches of part of the estate in the pending First Registration application which fall within paragraph I of Part 4 of Schedule 6 to the LRR 2003; 4. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, in the case of an official search relating to a registered title, where the result of search reveals any adverse entry falling within paragraph F of Part 3 of Schedule 6 to the LRR 2003, an official search certificate will only be issued by Business Gateway where the individual register of title in respect of which the search is made is kept in electronic form and the title is not in respect of a profit a prendre in gross, or a franchise.
O. Issuing official certificates of search with priority of the whole of the estate in a registered title or the whole of the estate in a pending First Registration application under rule 149(4)	An official certificate of search falling within rule 149(4) will only be issued in electronic form by Business Gateway where: (a) in the case of an official search relating to a registered title, the result of search states that there are no adverse entries, no pending applications and no official searches which fall within paragraphs F, G or H of Part 3 of Schedule 6 to the LRR 2003, (b) in the case of an official search relating to a pending application for First Registration: (i) all the details required to issue a certificate have been entered on the day list, and (ii) the result of search states that there are no pending applications and no official searches which fall within paragraphs H or I of Part 4 of Schedule 6 to the LRR 2003.
P. Application enquiry including day list information under rule 141(2)	1. The service is available only using the Application Enquiry Schema. 2. The applicant may apply using either the title number of the relevant registered title, or using the HMLR reference for an application made in respect of that title number. 3. The day list information (if any) in respect of the relevant registered title will be issued to the applicant electronically. 4.The day list information will be provided as set out in Schedule 3.
Q. Applications for discharge information under rule 142(1)(a).	1. The service is available only using the Discharge Enquiry Schema. 2. If only a title number is supplied by the applicant, the service will reveal the number of discharge applications of the whole of the land in the title completed by HMLR in the 30 calendar days immediately preceding the application, if any. 3. If a title number and the date of a charge are supplied by the applicant, the service will reveal the information as in paragraph 1 above. If the charge date supplied matches that of any charge discharged in those 30 days, the following information will be returned for each matching charge: (a) The charge proprietor’s name(s); (b) The date of the discharge. 4. If a title number and the date of a charge are supplied by the applicant, the service will reveal the information as in paragraph 1 above, and if the charge date supplied does not match that of a charge discharged in those 30 days, no further information will be returned. 5. The service will not reveal discharges of a charge of part of a title, or discharges of part of a charge of the whole of a title, or the discharge of equitable charges. 6. The service will not reveal pending applications to discharge any charge of a title.
R. Request for information about the Official Copies documents available to order. For any documents referred to in a title register, the service will provide users with details of the documents that HMLR holds copies of, as well as an indication of whether that document will be available for immediate download or may require manual investigation. The service will also provide information about availability for immediate download of that title’s register and plan, as well as indicate if the title is currently subject to a pending application.
S. Applications for an official search with priority of the whole of the estate in a registered title or the whole of the estate in a pending first registration application under rule 147.	1. The service is available only using the OS1 with Data Schema. 2. There must be provided: (a) the name of the proprietor or applicant for First Registration: (b) in the case of an official search relating to a registered title a search from date within the meaning of rule 131; and (c) whether it is to protect a purchase, a lease or a charge. 3. The entry of the name(s) of the person(s) on whose behalf the application is made is limited to 100 characters. Where: (a) the name of the person on whose behalf the application is made exceeds 100 characters, appropriate abbreviations must be made; and/or (b) the names of the persons on whose behalf the application is made exceed 100 characters, so many of the names together with the words “and others” as will together not exceed 100 characters must be entered. 4. The certificate will be provided encoded as a PDF file. HMLR will also provide encoded text structured as JSON and containing the information set out at https://landregistry.github.io/bgtechdoc /services/official_search_of_whole_rest/ which may change from time to time.

Schedule 2

Day List Information provided - Business Gateway application using Day List Information Schema

1. General

The title number in respect of which the application for day list information was made.

2. Information as to pending applications

2.1 Where there is an entry on the day list in respect of a pending application, the entry will indicate whether, at the time the entry was made, the application was:

(a) a First Registration;

(b) a Transfer of Part;

(c) a Dispositionary First Lease;

(d) a Dealing.

2.2 Where two or more applications were delivered together, only one entry will be made. For example, the following applications are often delivered at the same time: to discharge a registered charge, to register a transfer and to register a legal charge. These will be covered by a single entry, a Dealing.

2.3 Where there is an entry on the day list in respect of a pending application, the following will be provided:

(a) The date and time the entry was made on the day list;

(b) If recorded on the day list, the name, address and reference of the person who lodged the application; and

(c) If recorded on the day list, and entry is in respect of a Transfer of Part or Dispositionary First Lease, a short description of the estate said by the applicant to be affected by the application.

3. Information as to official searches

Where there is an entry on the day list in respect of an application for an official search with priority, the following will be provided:

3.1 Whether the application is:

(a) for a search of the whole of the estate in the registered title (or an estate which is the subject of a pending application for First Registration under the allotted title number), or

(b) for a search of part of the estate in the registered title (or an estate which is the subject of a pending application for First Registration under the allotted title number);

3.2 Whether the reason given by the applicant for making the application was that he intended to purchase, take a lease or take a registered charge;

3.3 The date and time the entry was made on the day list;

3.4 The reference allocated by the registrar to the official certificate of search;

3.5 The name of the applicant;

3.6 If recorded on the day list, the name, address and reference of the person who lodged the application; and

3.7 If recorded on the day list, and the search is of part of the estate in the registered title or allotted title number, a short description of the estate said by the applicant to be affected by the search.

Schedule 3

Day List Information provided - Business Gateway application using Application Enquiry Schema

1. General

The title number in respect of which the application for day list information was made.

2. Information as to pending applications

2.1 Where there is an entry on the day list in respect of a pending application, the entry will indicate whether, at the time the entry was made, the application was:

(a) a First Registration;

(b) a Transfer of Part;

(c) a Dispositionary First Lease; or

(d) a Dealing.

2.2 Where two or more applications were delivered together, only one entry will be made. For example, the following applications are often delivered at the same time: to discharge a registered charge, to register a transfer and to register a legal charge. These will be covered by a single entry, a Dealing.

2.3 Where there is an entry on the day list in respect of a pending application, the following will be provided:

(a) The date and time the entry was made on the day list;

(b) If recorded on the day list, the name, address and reference of the person who lodged the application;

(c) If recorded on the day list, and entry is in respect of a Transfer of Part or Dispositionary First Lease:

(i) a short description of the estate said by the applicant to be affected by the application;

(ii) the new title number allocated to the estate; and

(iii) the parent title numbers out of which the new estate was granted.

(d) How the application was received.

(e) The progress of the application for information only, but HMLR cannot guarantee the accuracy of the progress revealed.

3. Information as to official searches

Where there is an entry on the day list in respect of an application for an official search with priority, the following will be provided:

3.1 Whether the application is:

(a) for a search of the whole of the estate in the registered title (or an estate which is the subject of a pending application for First Registration under the allotted title number); or

(b) for a search of part of the estate in the registered title (or an estate which is the subject of a pending application for First Registration under the allotted title number);

3.2 Whether the reason given by the applicant for making the application was that he intended to purchase, take a lease or take a registered charge;

3.3 The date and time the entry was made on the day list;

3.4 The reference allocated by the registrar to the official certificate of search;

3.5 The name of the applicant;

3.6 If recorded on the day list, the name, address and reference of the person who lodged the application;

3.7 If recorded on the day list, and the search is of part of the estate in the registered title or allotted title number, a short description of the estate said by the applicant to be affected by the search.

(h) How the application was received.

4. Information as to completed applications

When a day list enquiry is made using the HMLR reference for an application for registration, the date of completion or cancellation of the application to which the HMLR reference relates, if that completion or cancellation occurred within the last 30 calendar days. For the avoidance of doubt, if the HMLR reference relates to an official search with priority, the search will not be revealed if it is no longer on the day list.