Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the Frequently Asked Questions about Deeds and Property Information
You can find out who owns a property in South Africa by performing a Deeds Office search. DEEDSOnline’s Instant Property Search queries the Deeds Office registry in real time and returns the registered owner’s name, ID number (POPIA-masked), purchase price, purchase date, registered bond amount, and full transaction history. Search by Erf and Township, by Sectional Title scheme and unit number, by Farm name and portion, by street address, or by dropping a pin on the interactive map. Results are delivered within seconds for R225.
For most searches you need either the Erf number and Township name, the Sectional Title scheme name and unit number, or the Farm name and portion. Street addresses also work via our interactive map. For person-based searches, you need the individual’s full 13-digit South African ID number.
Search requests on DEEDSOnline require a verified user account and ID number for POPIA compliance. The property owner does not see who searched their property. We do not share search activity with property owners or third parties.
DEEDSOnline’s Property Valuation Report combines municipal valuations, comparable-sale data from the Deeds Office, and statistical modelling to produce a low-to-high market value range. It is an indicative valuation suitable for buyers verifying asking prices, sellers setting realistic listings, and executors valuing estate property. It is not a sworn valuation and cannot be used for bond approval — banks require a registered valuer for that.
If the Title Deed is electronically available at the Deeds Office, DEEDSOnline delivers an informational copy within 1 working day. Documents that need to be retrieved from physical archives typically take 5–10 working days. Certified copies under Section 66 are couriered after retrieval, adding 2–5 working days depending on the destination.
An informational copy of a Title Deed (Section 66) costs R640 through DEEDSOnline. A certified copy of a Title Deed costs R995 and is available from the Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Mpumalanga, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, and Pietermaritzburg Deeds Offices. Pricing is inclusive of Deeds Office fees and our retrieval service.
An informational copy of a Title Deed is marked FOR INFORMATION ONLY and is suitable for building plan applications, reviewing property restrictions, and personal records. A certified copy is officially certified by the Deeds Office under Section 66 of the Deeds Registries Act and is required for estate winding-up, divorce proceedings, court matters, and any legal application requiring proof of ownership. Neither copy can be used to transfer property — that requires the original Title Deed and a conveyancing attorney.
Yes. When you have a bond on your property, the bank holds the original Title Deed as security. You can order an informational copy from DEEDSOnline that includes all the same details for personal records, building plans, or general reference. The original remains with the bank until the bond is settled.
A Marriage Contract or Antenuptial Contract (ANC) is a legal document signed before marriage that sets out the matrimonial property regime — typically out of community of property with or without accrual. It is registered at the Deeds Office where it was signed. You may need a copy for divorce proceedings, estate planning, loan applications, or proof of marital property regime when buying property jointly.
No. A conveyancer is only required to transfer property or replace a lost original Title Deed under Section 68 of the Deeds Registries Act. For an informational or certified copy of an existing Title Deed, you can order directly through DEEDSOnline without involving a conveyancer.
DEEDSOnline is a private property information service operated by RealData Dynamics (Pty) Ltd. We hold live API connections to the South African Deeds Office and Surveyor General’s office, which allows us to retrieve official records in real time. We are not the Deeds Office itself — the official government platform is DeedsWEB. DEEDSOnline acts as a public-facing layer over Deeds Office data, with AI-enhanced reporting and instant access without subscription.
A standard Title Deed lists ownership, purchase details, and registered conditions in raw legal language. The AI Detailed Property Report scans all current title deeds, endorsements, and conditions registered against a property and produces a plain-English analysis including ownership chain and any gaps, mineral rights status, registered servitudes and rights of way, restrictive covenants, conditions of title, and red flags that could affect a purchase decision.
Accessing Deeds Office records involves prescribed government fees, secure retrieval, archival access for older documents, and DEEDSOnline’s service overhead. Our fees combine the Deeds Office’s prescribed fees with our retrieval and delivery service into a single transparent price.
DEEDSOnline covers all 11 South African Deeds Registries: Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Vryburg, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, King William’s Town (Qonce), and Mthatha (formerly Umtata).
DEEDSOnline offers two transfer-tracking services. The once-off Status of Transfer search gives you a single current snapshot for R225. The Automated Tracking service emails you daily Monday-to-Friday status updates for up to 2 weeks or until the transfer is registered, for R750. Tracking begins once the transfer is lodged at the Deeds Office.