The Land Registry was formed in May 1993 to take up land registration and owners’ corporation registration functions from the Land Office on the disestablishment of the Registrar-General’s Department. In August 1993, it became one of the first trading fund departments. The trading fund provides the Land Registry with financial flexibility to invest in office automation and information technology projects to improve services to meet changing needs and the rising aspirations of customers.

Since its establishment, the Land Registry has introduced many service improvements as it transformed itself into a user-friendly information technology department focused on customer service and communication. The Direct Access Services (DAS), a fully automated land search facility enabling subscribers to conduct searches of land records through computer terminals at their own offices commenced in 1995. Successful completion of the project also involved the conversion of around one million paper New Territories land registers into computerized land registers to allow the application of DAS throughout the territory.

Following the implementation of DAS, another automation project commenced in 1996 where all registered land documents were scanned and recorded on optical disks as electronic images. The Document Imaging System (DIS) automates the manual process of storage, retrieval, reproduction of land documents offering customers with fast and convenient land search services. This exercise involved the conversion of 144 million land documents into electronic images.

The service improvement projects also allow the introduction of Cross District Search service in Central Search Office in Queensway in 1999 so that customers can conduct land searches on properties located anywhere in Hong Kong. Before implementation of Cross District Search, customers had to visit the individual New Territories District Land Registry to conduct land searches on properties located in that particular district.

To further enhance our search services, the Colour Imaging of Plans (CIP) project commenced in 2002 to store colour plans in electronic images. Approximately 3.5 million plans attached to registered documents were converted into electronic colour images and stored securely on CD-ROMs for filing and retrieval in November 2002, providing high quality colour plans to customers. Under the same system, all Block Government Leases were also converted into colour images and the project was completed in February 2003, enhancing the preservation and storage of these historical documents.

To improve the operations and services of the Land Registry even further, a Strategic Change Plan was formulated in 1997. This set out the vision for the Land Registry to change to a fully computerized and integrated land registration and search system offering convenient, speedy and cost-effective services. The main components developments to achieve this vision were the introduction of central registration, a one-stop search service without geographical restrictions, and guaranteed land title. The Integrated Registration Information System (IRIS) enabling central registration and integrated services was launched on 12 February 2005. It replaced the fragmented systems (i.e. Land Registration System, Direct Access Services and Document Imaging System). It also replaced the district-based land registration mode adopted since 1905 by a Central Registration System. With the introduction of IRIS, search of land records can be conducted over the internet for 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

The introduction of central registration marked the completion of a process to create a unified land registration service. It was an essential precondition to the efficient introduction of title registration. The present land registration system in Hong Kong is a deeds registration system governed by the Land Registration Ordinance. Under the system, instruments affecting real properties are lodged with the Land Registry for registration. It has been in operation since 1844. Hong Kong is one of the few advanced common law jurisdictions that still operates a deeds registration system for recording interests in land and property rather than a system of registration of title. To improve the efficiency and security with which property could be dealt with so as to better serve the public and professionals engaged in property related business, the Land Titles Ordinance was enacted on 7 July 2004. It will pave the way for the introduction of a new registration system which will provide certainty to ownership and interests in land, and as a result bring substantive benefits to the community. The title register itself is proof of title, rendering it unnecessary to review historical title deeds to establish title as at present. This will simplify conveyancing procedures. Commencement of this legislation was made conditional on the completion of an extensive review. This review has determined that further legislation is needed before the new title registration system can be brought into effect. Preparation of the additional legislation is now underway.