Australia’s digital transformation

By PEXA - April 12, 2017

States across the country have released detailed plans to phase-out paper and welcome electronic property transactions into their businesses.

These accelerated steps have seen online transfer transactions increase by 25% since the last record in December 2016, while refinance transactions reached an all-time high of over 200,000 completed online – a superb indication of the industry’s embrace of electronic conveyancing.

For your reference, below are the current transformational dates outlined by state.

Western Australia

The first stage of Western Australia’s transition happened on 1 August 2016 where all Authorised Deposit-Taking Institutions (ADIs) and their representatives now lodge standalone mortgages (subject to the NCCC) and discharge of mortgages electronically.

This year, the following dates and corresponding transformations will be implemented to reach 100% online transactions.

1 December 2017
  • All commercial standalone mortgages will need to be lodged electronically by ADIs
  • Refinance transactions in WA must be lodged electronically (ADIs and non-ADIs inclusive)
1 May 2018
  • All transfer transactions, caveats, withdrawal of caveats and all combinations will need to be lodged electronically in WA

 

New South Wales

On 1 March 2017, all ADIs and their representatives transitioned online and now lodge all standalone mortgages (subject to the NCCC) and discharge of mortgages electronically via PEXA. ADIs will receive an e-Title following registration of an electronic transaction.

Over the coming years, the following dates and corresponding transformations will be implemented.
 

1 August 2017
  • ADIs will receive e-Titles when a paper transaction is lodged
  • ADIs must lodge commercial standalone mortgages online
  • All refinances must be lodged online where both mortgagees are ADIs
1 July 2018
  • All standalone caveats must be lodged online
  • All standalone transfers must be lodged online (all transfers where there are no mortgagees involved and no other registry dealing involved)
  • All standalone mortgages and discharge of mortgages must be lodged online  
  • All refinances must be lodged online

The above dealing(s) are not required to be lodged electronically if lodged with another dealing affecting the same folio(s) of the Register.

  • The remainder of paper Certificates of Title held by non-ADIs will begin being replaced
By October 2018
  • All the remaining paper Certificate of Titles held by ADIs will be replaced with e-Titles resulting in a bulk cancellation of paper titles
1 July 2019
  • All transfers, mortgages and discharges of mortgage must be lodged electronically. Therefore, whether there is one or more of these transactions affecting the same folio(s) of Register, all of them must be lodged electronically.
  • All remaining paper Certificates of Title will be cancelled

 

South Australia

After only nine months of e-Conveyancing, South Australia’s Land Titles Office released the following plans to begin its transition online.

3 April 2017
  • All standalone discharge of mortgages must be lodged online
  • All standalone National Credit Code Mortgages must be lodged online when the mortgagee is an Authorised Deposit-taking Institution (ADI)
Targeted for the end of 2017
  • All remaining standalone mortgage dealings must be lodged online
  • All standalone refinance transactions must be lodged online

 

You can read the South Australian Land Titles Office full announcement here, including circumstances of exemption.

 

Victoria

Since 1 August 2016, all ADIs and their representatives began lodging standalone mortgages (subject to the NCCC) and discharge of mortgages electronically via PEXA.

At the end of the year in October 2016, banks replaced paper certificate of titles with electronic certificate of titles.

See below for confirmed transformations over the coming years, or view Land Use Victoria’s  customer information bulletin here.

1 August 2017
  • ADIs must lodge commercial standalone mortgages online
  • All refinances must be lodged online where both mortgagees are ADIs
1 December 2017
  • Standalone caveats and withdrawals of caveat to be lodged electronically
  • Non-ADI standalone discharges of mortgage, standalone mortgages and refinance transactions are to be lodged electronically
1 March 2018
  • All survivorship applications, transmission applications and standalone transfers must be lodged electronically
1 October 2018
  • All combinations of transactions available in PEXA to be lodged electronically e.g. a case comprising a withdrawal of caveat, discharge of mortgage, transfer and mortgage
1 August 2019
  • All transactions to be lodged electronically

 

 

*Eligible land registry documents are defined as the documents that support transactions that can be completed using the existing Electronic Lodgement Network where all the participants are or can become subscribers.

Last updated: 20/10/2022
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