Registration of instruments affecting properties in New Territories was originally performed by the District Land Offices administered by District Officers. In 1982, the former Registrar General's Department started a phased programme to take over all District Land Offices and assumed responsibility for land registration throughout the New Territories. The take-over of North District Land Office on 23 July 1990 marked the end of the whole take-over programme (Takeover of the Land Registration Services in the New Territories : Tsuen Wan: 1.2.1982; Yuen Long: 4.10.1982; Sha Tin: 5.12.1983; Sai Kung: 12.11.1984; Tuen Mun: 1.10.1985; Island: 17.8.1987; Tai Po: 30.8.1988 and North: 23.7.1990 ). As envisaged in the Land Registry Strategic Change Plan (1998), the district-based land registration mode adopted since 1905 will be replaced by a Central Registration System.
