What the Land Title and Survey Authority Does in British Columbia

If you own or are buying property in British Columbia, you will hear about the LTSA. People often ask whether it is a government ministry, whether it can fix a mistake on their title, or whether it can tell them what a charge means.

This article explains what the Land Title and Survey Authority runs, the services you can use, and the limits of what it will do for you.

This article covers the law of British Columbia.

What the LTSA is

The LTSA is a statutory corporation formed in 2005 that operates BC's land title and survey systems under the Land Title and Survey Authority Act and an Operating Agreement with the Province. It is self-funded through regulated service fees.

Its three main services are land title registration, land survey standards and approvals (including approving legal survey plans), and Crown grants. It also administers the Land Owner Transparency Registry.

Searching a title and ordering certificates

The LTSA says the best way to search for a title is with the nine-digit PID, and a civic address cannot be used. If you do not have the PID, you can find it in ParcelMap BC, in BC Assessment's Assessment Search, or on a property tax notice.

To see the contents of a title you must order a copy, and a fee applies. A single-user LTSA Explorer account (myLTSA) suits people who order only a few records a year, and registry agents and other professionals can order electronically and help interpret the title.

A State of Title Certificate is a copy of the title certified correct at the time of issuance by the land title office. The LTSA lists uses such as confirming that a change to the registered title has been recorded, supporting a court application, and personal records. It can be requested through an Explorer account or by mailed request form, with payment by cheque, bank draft or money order, and cash is not accepted.

Cancelled and historical titles are not available through Explorer accounts and must be obtained through a registry agent or legal professional.

What a title does and does not show

• It shows the registered owner or owners in fee simple, the legal description, the PID, and the charges, liens and interests registered against the property.
• It does not show a phone number or past owners, and it reflects the register at a specific point in time.
• An indefeasible title in force and uncancelled is conclusive evidence of the registered owner's title, subject to listed exceptions such as existing grant conditions, highways, and fraud in which the registered owner participated.
• Registering a charge is not a determination by the registrar that it is enforceable.

Errors, corrections and the Land Owner Transparency Registry

The registrar may cancel or correct an instrument or endorsement issued in error, or one containing a misdescription, but only so far as practicable and without prejudicing rights acquired in good faith and for value. The registrar acts only on the material in the records and cannot decide contested rights, which can only be decided by an action in court.

A misspelled owner name is corrected through a legal professional using the Amendment to Title Owner Name application, and a statutory declaration and the owners' consents may be needed. A genuine change of name goes through a Form 17 with Change of Name selected.

The Land Owner Transparency Registry shows primary identification information for reporting bodies that are registered owners, and anyone can search it free of charge through myLTSA Explorer. It does not show date of birth, social insurance number or home address. Some corporations, trusts and partnerships are excluded from reporting, so whether it applies to you depends on your ownership structure.

What the LTSA will not do, and what to do next

The LTSA does not process title searches by phone or email, does not answer questions about title contents, and does not research records on a customer's behalf. State of Title Certificate requests also are not processed by telephone or email.

• Find your PID from a tax notice or ParcelMap BC.
• Order the title through myLTSA or a registry agent.
• Ask a lawyer or notary to explain any charge you do not understand.
• If you think there is an error, ask a legal professional before any application is made.
• If you own through a corporation, trust or partnership, ask whether transparency reporting applies.

Frequently asked questions