Guidance

Notice 20: Electronic Document Registration Service through Portal (effective 29 May 2020)

Updated 16 November 2023

Applies to England and Wales

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

Interpretation

1.In this Notice:

(a) expressions used have, unless the contrary intention appears, the meaning which they bear in the Land Registration Rules 2003 (SI 2003/1417), as amended from time to time,

(b) “development scheme” or “scheme title” means a registration arrangement made with the registrar to incorporate several parcels of land into a single registered title as they are acquired, as described in HM Land Registry’s Practice Guide 72 – Development Schemes,

(c) “electronic Document Registration Service through portal” means the service provided by the registrar to enable an application for registration to be made electronically by means of the portal, with such electronic documents and scanned copies of the deeds and documents attached as are required to support the application,

(d) “MD reference” means a reference supplied by the registrar to a lender which enables all or part of the wording for the registration of a legal charge to be generated automatically within HM Land Registry’s computer system,

(e) “portal” means the secure website platform used to access HM Land Registry’s Business e-services.

2.Reference to a form means the form of that description prescribed by Schedule 1 to the Land Registration Rules 2003, or designated by a direction of the registrar made under section 100(4) of the Land Registration Act 2002.

3.This notice does not apply to “eAP1 through portal” applications made pursuant to notice 25 “Electronic Document Registration Service through Portal – eAP1 applications” under rule 14 and Schedule 2 of the Land Registration Rules 2003.

Currency of notice

4.This Notice is made under rule 14 of, and Schedule 2 to, the Land Registration Rules 2003 and shall be current for the purposes of Schedule 2 on and after 0630 hours on 29 May 2020. It replaces on that date the Notice of 3 June 2019 in respect of electronic Document Registration Service through Portal.

The delivery of applications electronically

5.Arrangements have been made for an electronic Document Registration Service through portal for the types of applications listed in Schedule 1.

6.The use of the electronic Document Registration Service through portal is subject to the provisions of paragraphs 7 to 22.

When applications may be delivered

7.Applications may be delivered between:

(a) 0630 hours and 2300 hours every day.

(b) 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.

Who may deliver applications

8.Applications may be delivered only by a person or body who:

(a) has been approved by HM Land Registry to use HM Land Registry’s portal, and

(b) has accepted HM Land Registry’s Conditions of Use – the portal and Business Gateway and complies with those conditions, and

(c) has entered into an agreement allowing payment of fees by direct debit as authorised under article 13(2) of the Land Registration Fee Order 2013 (or under any Order which supersedes it).

General limitations

9.Only applications of the types listed in Schedule 1 may be made through the electronic Document Registration Service via portal but the service may not be used in respect of an application:

(a) for first registration,

(b) to register a charge of part only of a registered title,

(c) that includes more than 50 registered titles,

(d) that relates to a title the individual register of which is not held in electronic form,

(e) that relates to a caution against first registration,

(f) that relates to a development scheme or scheme title.

10.If more than one application is delivered together the applicant must quote all the title numbers affected by each application in the “Title numbers” box, and each application/document type in the “Application/document” box, in the Document Registration screen.

11.If a title number affected by an application is not quoted as required in paragraph 10, the application in respect of the unquoted title number will not be received for the purpose of rule 15 of the Land Registration Rules 2003 unless an application against that title number is opened manually by HM Land Registry, and until that manually opened application is entered in the day list, or until a further application is properly made in respect of the unquoted title number in accordance with paragraph 10.

12.Any requisitions arising from the application will be delivered to the applicant electronically, and all replies to requisitions and further documents must be lodged through the Reply to Requisition service in HM Land Registry’s portal.

13.Any acknowledgment, certificate, vectorised plan or other result of an application will be issued by the registrar electronically. If for any reason the registrar considers that it cannot be conveniently issued in electronic form, he may issue it in paper form.

Limitations on format of documents that will be accepted as attachments

14.Electronic attachments to applications, including scanned plans, must:

(a) be either in Tagged Image File/Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), Portable Document Format (PDF), Graphical Interchange File Format (GIF) or a file complying with Joint Photographic Expert Group standards (JPEG).

(b) not exceed 20 megabytes in size for each single TIFF, PDF, GIF or JPEG document.

15.When a plan is included in the application it must be scanned:

(a) in no more than two parts, at a maximum size (per part) of A3, but where the plan is scanned in more than one part, a third scanned image must also be lodged with the application showing the full extent of the plan on one page,

(b) in full colour,

(c) at a resolution not less than 200dpi and not more than 600dpi.

General particulars and documents to be provided

16.When making an application through the electronic Document Registration Service through portal the applicant must:

(a) provide a scanned copy of form AP1 or such other form as would be required by the Land Registration Rules 2003 for an application of that type,

(b) in the case of an application to register a charge, provide the MD reference if there is one,

(c) in the case of an application to register a charge dated on or after 6 April 2013, where the chargor is a company, provide an electronic copy of the certificate of registration issued by Companies House, and a certificate or a conveyancer’s or lender’s written confirmation that the charge lodged for registration is:

(i) identical to the copy charge filed at Companies House

(ii) the charge to which the accompanying certificate of registration relates,

(d) in the case of an application to register an extension of the term of a lease, provide the title number of both the lessor and the lessee, and any additional title numbers that affect the application,

(e) in the case of an application to register a new lease granted from a registered title, the title number of the lessor, and any additional title numbers that affect the application,

(f) in the case of an application to register a transfer of part granted from a registered title, the title number of the transferor, and any additional title numbers that are affected by the application.

17.The applicant must attach to the application electronic versions or scanned copies of such forms and documents (limited to the types listed in Schedules 2 and 3) as will be required by the registrar to enable the registrar to complete the registration applied for (subject to paragraph 15 in the case of a plan).

18.After an application has been made through the electronic Document Registration Service via portal, documents previously omitted may be added to the application only while the application remains pending, and only through the service.

19.Subject to paragraph 20, only the forms listed in Schedule 2 and documents of the types listed in Schedule 3 may be submitted electronically in support of an electronic Document Registration Service application.

20.If evidence of compliance with Stamp Duty Land Tax or Land Transaction Tax legislation is required in respect of an application, an SDLT submission receipt in PDF, TIFF, GIF or JPEG may be attached to the application in the case of SDLT. Otherwise a scanned copy of an SDLT5 certificate or a Land Transaction Tax certificate should be attached.

21.Subject to paragraph 15 if applicable, each document required to support the application must be scanned as a separate document or attached separately and be supported by one of the following certificates:

• I/We certify this attachment is a true copy of the original document.

• I/We certify this attachment is a true copy of a document which is certified by a conveyancer to be a true copy of the original.

• This attachment is an uncertified copy.

22.Each electronic attachment, including scanned attachments, must be clearly legible and of sufficient quality to be reproduced as an official copy by the registrar.

Mike Harlow
General Counsel, Deputy Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Land Registrar
29 May 2020

Schedule 1

Application Types that may be made through the electronic Document Registration Service

Adverse possession of registered land

Agreed notice

Alteration of the register

Appointment of new trustee

Assent of registered title

Assent of charge

Cancellation of caution

Cancellation of home rights notice

Cancellation of joint proprietor restriction (Form A) within one month of entry by default, using the certificate provided in HMLR’s notification letter

Cancellation of noted lease

Cancellation of notice (not unilateral)

Cancellation of restriction

Cancellation of unilateral notice

Change of address

Change of name

Charge

Death of joint proprietor

Death of sole proprietor

Determination of a boundary

Dis-apply or modify a restriction

Discharge of whole or part

Disclaimer of registered estate or registered charge

Easement - registration

Entry of notice of restrictive covenant

Exempt information document

Lease - determination

Lease - extension (term or extent)

Lease granted out of registered land – registration

Note agreed maximum amount of security

Note overriding priority of a statutory charge

Notice of easement

Notice of home rights

Notice of lease

Obligation to make further advances

Postponement of charge

Rectification of the register

Register beneficiary of unilateral notice

Register person to be notified of an application for adverse possession of registered land

Release of covenants – agreed notice

Release of covenants – cancellation

Release of covenants – unilateral notice

Release of easements

Remove designation of exempt information document

Remove unilateral notice

Renew notice of home rights

Rentcharge created out of registered land

Restriction (non-standard)

Restriction (standard)

Severance of joint tenancy

Sub-charge

Surrender of lease

Transfer

Transfer by operation of law

Transfer not for value

Transfer of charge

Transfer subject to a charge

Transfer under a power of sale

Transfer of a portfolio of titles (not exceeding 50 titles)

Transfer of part of land in a registered title

Transfer of part under a power of sale

Unilateral notice

Upgrade title

Variation of covenants – agreed notice

Variation of covenants – unilateral notice

Variation of easements

Variation of easements – agreed notice

Variation of easements – unilateral notice

Variation of lease

Variation of lease – agreed notice

Variation of lease – unilateral notice

Withdrawal of restriction

Withdrawal of caution

Schedule 2

Forms that may be submitted electronically in an electronic Document Registration Service application

ADV1	ID1
ADV2	ID2
AN1	RX1
AP1	RX2
AS1	RX3
AS2	RX4
CCD	SC
CH1	SEV
CH2	TP1
CH3	TP2
CN1	TR1
DB	TR2
DI	TR4
DJP	TR5
DS1	UN1
DS2	UN2
EX1	UN3
EX1A	UN4
EX3	UT1
HR1	WCT
HR2
HR4

Schedule 3

Types of documents that may be submitted electronically in an electronic Document Registration Service application

Abstract

Agreement

Assent

Assignment

Birth Certificate

Charge

Companies House certificate of registration with conveyancer’s or lender’s certificate

Conveyance

Correspondence

Court Order

Death Certificate

Deed

Discharge

Document list

Evidence

HMLR correspondence

Identity evidence

Indenture

JP Cancellation of Default form A restriction

Land Transaction Tax certificate

Lease

License

Marriage Certificate

Notice of disclaimer

Plan

Power of Attorney

Probate

Stamp Duty Land Tax certificate or electronic receipt

Statement of Truth

Statutory Declaration

Sub-charge

Transfer

Witness Statement