Find answers to common questions about our land title search services.
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General Questions
Ordering & Process
Types of Searches
Turnaround Time
A land title search is a detailed examination of property records held by the Ontario Land Registry. It reveals current ownership, registered mortgages, liens, easements, restrictions, and other encumbrances affecting the property. This information is essential for real estate transactions, legal proceedings, and due diligence.
Title searches are commonly needed by: lawyers handling real estate transactions, mortgage lenders, potential property buyers, real estate developers, environmental consultants, municipal planners, and anyone involved in property disputes or estate matters. Essentially, anyone who needs to verify property ownership or identify potential issues with a property title.
To order a search, you need at least one of the following: the property's PIN (Property Identification Number), the complete municipal address (street number, name, and city), or the property owner's full name. You must also select the appropriate Land Registry Office (LRO) for the property's location.
Yes! While we're based in Thunder Bay, we provide title search services for properties throughout Ontario. We have access to all Land Registry Offices in the province and can conduct searches for any registered property in Ontario, from Ottawa to Windsor, Toronto to Kenora.
Our searches provide accurate, official information from the Ontario Land Registry, but they are for informational purposes. While widely used in legal and financial transactions, we recommend that legal advice be obtained from a qualified lawyer regarding the interpretation and legal implications of search results.
Our customer portal is currently available to law firms and corporate clients. If you're a lawyer or business that needs a title search, please reach out through our Contact Us page and our team will set up a portal account for you.
Once you submit a search request through the client portal, you can track its status at any time from your portal dashboard. Our team reviews the request and performs the search using our in-house title search process to ensure speed and accuracy. After a thorough review of the results, we deliver the completed documents and report to you as electronic files through a secure portal message.
Yes! We handle bulk orders for law firms, real estate companies, and financial institutions. For orders of 5 or more properties, please contact us directly to discuss expedited processing options for your portal account.
Contact us immediately if you notice an error. If we haven't started processing your search, we can usually amend the order. If the search is already in progress, we'll do our best to accommodate changes.
Yes, rush service is available for urgent matters. Standard simple searches are typically completed within 24-48 hours*. Rush service can deliver results faster* depending on availability. Same-day service may be available depending on the complexity of the search and time of order. Contact us to discuss your specific timeline needs.
*Based on business hours/days.
A Simple Title Search provides current ownership information and active registered encumbrances (mortgages, liens, easements). A Full Title Search includes everything in a simple search plus historical ownership records, deleted instruments, certified copies of key documents, and a more detailed analysis. Full searches are recommended for complex transactions or when comprehensive documentation is needed.
A 40 Years Search is typically required for title insurance, mortgage financing, or when legal counsel needs to establish a clear chain of ownership going back 40 years. This comprehensive search examines all transfers, mortgages, and other instruments affecting the property during that period to ensure there are no gaps or problems in the title history.
An Environmental Search examines property history to identify potential environmental concerns. This includes researching past and current property uses, previous owners and their activities, and any registered environmental orders or restrictions. It's essential for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, commercial property purchases, and due diligence on industrial or potentially contaminated sites.
Historical Books Searches involve manual examination of physical registry books for properties in the Registry system (as opposed to Land Titles). This is necessary for older properties or those in areas not yet fully converted to electronic registration. It requires our staff to physically visit the Land Registry Office and review handwritten or typed records, which is why these searches take longer and cost more.
The right search depends on your purpose: For general information or preliminary research, choose Simple. For real estate purchases or refinancing, Full or 40 Years is typical. For environmental assessments, select Environmental. If you're unsure, contact us! We can discuss your specific needs and recommend the most appropriate search type. Most lawyers and lenders will also specify which search they require.
Standard turnaround times: Simple Title Search - 1 business hour*. Full Title Search - 1 business day*. 40 Years Search - 3-5 business days*. Historical Books Search - 5-7 business days*. Environmental Search - 5-7 business days*. Rush service is available for faster delivery. Times may vary during peak periods or for complex properties.
*Based on business hours/days.
Same-day service may be available for simple searches if ordered before 10 AM EST and the property is straightforward. This depends on several factors including Land Registry Office accessibility, system availability, and current workload. Contact us directly for urgent requests, and we'll do our best to accommodate your deadline.
Several factors can impact delivery time: System availability at government Land Registry Offices, property complexity (multiple parcels, easements, or complicated title history), whether manual registry book research is required, volume of concurrent orders, statutory holidays and weekends, and accuracy of information provided. We always communicate if delays are anticipated.
Yes! You'll receive an email notification as soon as your search is complete. The email will include your completed search report as a PDF attachment, along with any relevant supporting documents. You can also log into your account on our website to access all your past searches and download reports at any time.
If we anticipate any delays beyond our standard turnaround times, we'll contact you promptly to explain the reason and provide a revised estimated completion date. Common causes include technical issues with government systems, properties requiring extensive historical research, or missing/incorrect property information that needs clarification. We're committed to keeping you informed throughout the process.
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