The Development Bureau today published in the Government Gazette eight items of subsidiary legislation setting out implementation details for the new property title registration system, due to be launched in the first half of 2027. 

The legislation also aligns certain practices under the existing deeds registration system with the new title registration system, which will apply to new land. 

The bureau has proposed four new items of subsidiary legislation under the Land Titles Ordinance (LTO), and amendments to four existing items of subsidiary legislation under the Land Registration Ordinance, the High Court Ordinance and the District Court Ordinance.

The bureau explained that “new land" refers to land held under a government lease granted on or after the date on which the amended LTO comes into operation. Generally speaking, land granted on or after the date concerned by way of land sale, private treaty grant or land exchange, will be included.

The implementation of the title registration system for new land will provide certainty in land ownership and simplify property transfer procedures. This includes eliminating the need to verify documents to confirm titles during property transactions and the requirement to keep title deeds for many years.

This will benefit the public and the business community, while bringing Hong Kong’s land registration system in line with other jurisdictions, the bureau said.

The eight items of subsidiary legislation will be tabled at the Legislative Council on October 21 for negative vetting.