As of 11 October 2021, New South Wales abolished paper CTs and the CoRD Consent (Control of Right to Deal). All CTs since that date do not have any legal effect and can be destroyed.
On 28 April 2020, the Australian Capital Territory introduced ACTLIS (Australian Capital Territory Land Information System) whereby the Land Title Office no longer issues paper CTs and all current paper CTs can be destroyed.
Queensland abolished CTs on 1 October 2019. Paper CTs no longer have any legal effect and can be used for historical memorabilia purposes.
As of 1 July 2016, South Australia no longer issues or requires CTs, instead conferring that information onto the Land Services SA Registry electronically. A search of the registry will provide the CT, representing the Registered Proprietor.
Each jurisdiction which has either moved the CT to the registry or removed it all together now relies upon the registry as the one source of truth for property ownership, realigning itself with the Torrens Title system of land registration.
As Australia continues to progress to a National Electronic Conveyancing System (NECS), we can expect to see further changes to non-electronic jurisdictions, to bring them into line with a national standard. For firms not operating on a digital system, but are open to the efficiency benefits that electronic conveyancing offers, SettleIT can help. SettleIT handles all the administrative processes involved in settlements and lodgments, allowing your firm to make the transition seamlessly or upscale in the amount, and type of conveyancing services your firm offers. Specifically, now as key elements of the conveyancing process are becoming electronic rapidly, such as CT’s, it is optimal timing to reach out to specialists in the industry for advice, guidance, and assistance.