A Record of Title is the official record of who owns a property in New Zealand. What it contains, and why it used to be called a Certificate of Title.
A Record of Title is the official register entry held by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) showing who owns a parcel of land and what interests are registered against it.
This was called a Certificate of Title (CT) until the Land Transfer Act 2017 took effect. Older documents, glossaries and even some professionals still use the old term. They mean the same thing.
It is the definitive answer to who owns the property and what is registered against it. A title search during due diligence confirms the vendor is legally entitled to sell, and reveals restrictions that don't appear in the listing — a right of way, a building line restriction, a covenant limiting what you can build.
The title doesn't show everything. Unconsented building work, weathertightness issues, and council records don't appear on it. That's what a LIM report and a builder's report are for.
A caveat or lien must generally be dealt with before settlement, and finding one late is a common cause of settlement delays.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026 · ---
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