A current Record of Title tells you who owns a property today and what's registered against it right now. Sometimes that's not enough — you need to see what happened before: who owned the land decades ago, what restrictions existed in the past, or how the title changed over time. That's what a historical title search is for.
This guide explains when you need a historical title search in New Zealand, what it reveals, and how to order and interpret one.
Order Your Historical Title
A Historical Title ($42.90 NZD) provides a full copy of a superseded title version, including ownership, encumbrances, and easement details as they were registered at that point in time.
What Is a Historical Title Search?
A historical title search retrieves previous versions of a property title — records superseded, cancelled, or replaced as the title changed over time. In New Zealand's land registration system, every change to a title creates a new version, and the old version is archived rather than deleted.
Pre-Computer Titles (Before 2002)
The original paper-based Certificates of Title, often called "COTs." Before computerisation, titles were physical documents held in district land registries, and often contain more detail than their digital replacements — hand-drawn plans, detailed easement descriptions, and original covenant wording.
Computer-Generated Historical Titles (Post-2002)
When New Zealand moved to a computerised land registration system, some titles were replaced with new versions. The superseded computer-generated versions are still available and can show ownership changes, mortgage discharges, and variations to easements or covenants over time.
When You Need a Historical Title Search
Boundary Disputes
If you and a neighbour disagree about where the boundary lies, a historical title can show the original boundary descriptions and easement locations as first registered — often more detailed than the abbreviated version on a current title.
Investigating Old Easements and Covenants
Current titles often summarise an easement with a brief reference like "Right of way over Lot 3 DP 12345." A historical title, or the instrument it references, may contain the full original wording — including terms and conditions the current title doesn't show.
Tracing Ownership History
If you need to establish who owned a property at a specific point in time — for legal proceedings, an insurance claim, or a trust matter — a historical title provides documented proof.
Due Diligence on Older or Complex Properties
Properties that have changed hands many times, been subdivided, or carry complex ownership (trusts, companies) can have tangled title histories. Reviewing the historical record helps you understand how the current title was formed and whether any issue was carried forward.
Subdivision and Development Planning
Before subdividing or developing land, historical titles can reveal original subdivision conditions, covenants from previous developments that may still be active, easements created for a purpose that no longer exists, and consent notices from earlier subdivision consents.
What a Historical Title Search Shows
- Owner information — the registered owner(s) at the time the title was current, and the date of registration.
- Legal description — the formal land description, including allotment and deposited plan number, often more detailed than on current titles.
- Encumbrances register — everything registered against the title at that time, each with a reference number you can use to order the full Instrument ($39.90).
- Easement and covenant text — older titles often carry the full original wording rather than just a reference number.
- Survey diagram — some older titles include a hand-drawn or printed diagram of the boundaries and any easement areas.
- Transfer history — previous transfers, including dates, giving a picture of the property over time.
How to Order a Historical Title Search
- Identify the property — you'll need the current title reference number or the legal description (e.g., Lot 5 DP 45678). If you don't have either, start with a Record of Title ($42.90) for the current version, which will show both.
- Order the historical title — a Historical Title ($42.90), providing the title reference or legal description.
- Review the results — check for easements or covenants that don't appear on the current title, ownership details that differ from what you expected, referenced instruments worth ordering separately, and boundary descriptions that differ from the current title.
- Follow up with supporting documents — order any referenced Instruments ($39.90) for the full legal text of easement agreements, covenants, or mortgage documents.
For properties with complex histories, the Pre-Purchase Diligence Package ($189.90) bundles historical titles with current records, survey plans, and instruments.
Historical Title Reference Formats
New Zealand title references come in different formats depending on when the title was created:
| Format | Era | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| District/Number | Pre-2002 | WN43B/742 | Paper-based, stored in district registries |
| Number-only | Post-2002 | 123456 | Computer-generated, digital-first |
| CT Number | Very old | CT 12/234 | Certificate of Title from early land registration |
If you only have the current title reference, a historical search can usually trace the record back to the earlier format.
What Historical Titles Don't Show
- Unregistered interests — some rights, such as certain very old easements, may never have made it onto any title.
- Council records — building consents, resource consents, and rates information sit with council, not on the title.
- Changes after the title was superseded — a historical title is a snapshot at that point in time; it won't show anything registered after it was replaced.
- Verbal agreements — arrangements between owners that were never formally registered won't appear on any title, historical or current.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back can a historical title search go?
New Zealand's land registration system dates back to the 1840s in some districts. Availability depends on the district registry, but most titles from the 20th century onward are retrievable, and earlier titles can often be traced too.
Do I need a historical title if I already have the current title?
It depends. If you're simply confirming ownership and current registered interests, the current title is enough. If you're investigating easement terms, covenant wording, boundary descriptions, or ownership history, a historical title provides detail the current title has often abbreviated or omitted.
Can I order multiple historical titles for the same property?
Yes. If a property has been through several title versions — after subdivisions or transfers, for example — you can order each version. Each historical title points to the one before it, letting you trace a chain of ownership back through time.
Ready to order your historical title?
Get the official documents you need — fast, reliable, direct from LINZ:
- Historical Title — $42.90 NZD — a full copy of a superseded title version