Every property in BC is registered with the Land Title and Survey Authority (LTSA). The title shows who owns it, and every mortgage, lien, covenant and right of way registered against it. Anyone can search it, for about $11. Lawyers and notaries always check the title before completion. But looking yourself before you write an offer, or before you remove subjects, can surface a lawsuit, an unpaid contractor or a covenant that rules out your plans.
How to search a title in BC
- Find the PID or the legal descriptionFree
The parcel identifier (PID) is a nine-digit number, such as 012-345-678. It's on the property tax notice, the BC Assessment record and most listings. For a strata unit, make sure you have the unit's own PID, not the building's.
- Open a myLTSA Explorer accountFor occasional users
LTSA's online service for the public. Pay by credit card per search. Professionals use a different account type.
- Order a title searchAbout $11 plus a service charge
The LTSA fee for a title search is $11.06 as of April 1, 2026, plus LTSA's electronic service charge and GST. The result shows registered owners, the legal description, and every charge, lien and notation.
- Order the documents behind the chargesAbout $18 each
The title search lists each charge by number. Ordering the actual document or plan costs $17.78 each. That's the only way to see what a covenant or right of way actually says.
Free options are limited. BC Assessment's search is free and shows the assessed value, the PID and the lot size, but not ownership or charges. Some LTSA front counters offer searches in person, by appointment.
Who owns a company or trust behind a property? The Land Owner Transparency Registry shows the individuals who control a company, trust or partnership that owns BC land. Searching it has been free since April 2024.
Reading a title search
- Registered owner: the name, or names, on title and how they hold it: jointly, or as tenants in common with shares. Make sure the people selling are the people on title. If they aren't, ask why: an estate, a power of attorney, or a company.
- Legal description: the lot, block, district lot and plan. For a strata unit, the strata lot and strata plan numbers.
- Charges, liens and interests: mortgages, liens, covenants, easements and rights of way, each with a registration number and date.
- Legal notations: notes such as permits, hazard notices or references to other documents. They aren't charges, but can matter a lot.
- Pending applications: documents lodged but not yet registered, such as a transfer or a new mortgage in progress.
Use the decoder above to sort each item into what's routine and what needs attention.
Charges that matter most
- Certificate of pending litigation. Someone claims an interest in the property through a lawsuit, often a separation or an ownership dispute. It can stop a sale. Don't remove subjects until your lawyer confirms it will be cancelled.
- Builders lien. An unpaid contractor or supplier. It must be discharged or secured before completion.
- Section 219 and restrictive covenants. These stay with the land forever unless removed. Some are harmless, like tree protection or flood construction levels. Others can prohibit a suite, cap building height, require the home to be rented, or limit how the land can be subdivided.
- Statutory rights of way and easements. Usually fine, but check the plan. A right of way across the backyard can rule out a laneway house. See the laneway calculator and the multiplex calculator.
- Several judgments or liens. Each is cleared on completion, but several together can signal a seller under pressure. That affects negotiation and the risk of the deal collapsing.
When to search
- Before writing an offer on anything unusual: an estate sale, a court-ordered sale, a property owned by a company, or a lot you plan to redevelop.
- During the subject period, alongside the inspection and, for strata, the documents review. A "subject to satisfactory title search" condition protects you.
- After you own: LTSA's free BC Property Connect service lets owners follow updates to their own property. A paid Parcel Activity Notifier sends alerts when something is lodged against a title. It's useful protection against title fraud.
Title fraud and title insurance
BC's land title system is guaranteed by the Province, and a purchaser who relies on the register in good faith is strongly protected. Fraud does happen, usually through forged mortgages or identity theft.
Title insurance, which most lenders require on a purchase, covers certain title problems, fraud, and some issues a survey would have found. It's typically a few hundred dollars and is arranged by your lawyer or notary. It isn't a substitute for reading the title.
Mistakes we see
Removing subjects without seeing the title on an estate, court-ordered or company-owned sale.
Reading the title search but not the covenant itself. The summary line says what kind of charge it is, not what it restricts.
Searching the building instead of the unit on a strata property.
Assuming everything on title gets cleared on completion. Financial charges do; covenants, easements and rights of way stay.
Buying a lot for a suite, laneway house or multiplex without checking for covenants and rights of way that rule it out.
Questions people ask us
How do I do a land title search in BC?
Get the property's PID from the tax notice, BC Assessment or the listing, open a myLTSA Explorer account with the Land Title and Survey Authority, and order a title search. It shows the registered owners and every charge, lien and notation on the title.
How much does a BC title search cost?
$11.06 as of April 1, 2026, plus LTSA's electronic service charge and GST. Copies of the documents behind each charge cost $17.78 each.
Can I search land title in BC for free?
Not the title itself. BC Assessment's free search shows the assessed value, PID and lot size but not owners or charges. Searching the Land Owner Transparency Registry, which shows the people behind a company or trust that owns land, has been free since April 2024.
What is a PID number?
The parcel identifier, a nine-digit number that uniquely identifies a parcel of land in BC. It's on the property tax notice and the BC Assessment record, and it's what you use to search the title.
What is a certificate of pending litigation?
A notice on title that someone has started a court action claiming an interest in the property. It can prevent a sale from completing. Buyers shouldn't remove subjects until their lawyer confirms how and when it will be cancelled.
What is a Section 219 covenant?
A covenant registered in favour of a municipality or the Province that restricts how land can be used, such as building height, flood construction levels, tree protection or rental requirements. It stays with the land when it's sold.
Do charges on title get removed when I buy?
Financial charges such as the seller's mortgage, liens and judgments are paid out and discharged on completion. Covenants, easements and rights of way stay with the property.
778-918-5990
Found something odd on a title?
Dan can pull the title and the documents behind any charge, explain what matters for your plans, and bring in a lawyer when a charge could affect the deal.
