Land Registry ID Requirements

It has always been incumbent upon conveyancers to take steps to identify clients and to be reasonably satisfied as to the identity of any unrepresented party to the transaction to ensure that they do not become involved in any fraud or other criminal activity and recent legislation such as the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and Terrorism Act 2000 has introduced tighter regulation. Since the introduction of the Land Registration (Amendment) Rules 2008 (which came into force on 10 November 2008) however both conveyancers and non-conveyancers must now either certify to the land registry that they are satisfied as to the identity of any party to the transaction or else produce identification documents.

The identity documents which may be used to identify a party are either one document from the following list:

• Current valid full passport
• Current UK, EU, Channel Islands or Isle of Man photocard driving licence (not provisional)

or alternatively two items from the following list:

• Cheque guarantee card (Mastercard, Visa, American Express or Diners Club) or debit card (Maestro or Delta) issued in the United Kingdom supported by an original postal statement less than 3 months old
• Postal utility bill less than 3 months old
• Council tax statement for the current year
• Council rent book showing the rent paid for the last 3 months
• Postal mortgage statement for the year just ended
• Current firearm or shotgun certificate

The documents must be certified by a conveyancer or the land registry and attached to form ID1 (for an individual) or form ID2 (for a corporate body). The land registry will only certify documents in person and only at the time the application for registration is submitted.

A passport sized photograph signed by a conveyancer or the land registry will also be required.

What Type of Applications Require Identity Documents to be Produced?

Applications involving a transfer, grant or surrender of a lease, adding or removing a charge, the appointment or retirement of trustees or compulsory first registration, where the true value of the land involved (not the value of the transaction) is greater than £5,000. The land registry reserve the right to add to this list at short notice.

Who can Certify a Person's Identity?

Either a land registry employee or else a solicitor, barrister, legal executive, licensed conveyancer, notary public or registered European lawyer. If you intend to have the ID certified by someone else you should first contact the land registry to check that person will be acceptable. You should ideally get confirmation of this in writing.

When is Form ID1/2 Required?

If any party to a transaction is not represented by a conveyancer (and this includes any mortgagee, whether the mortgage is being created or redeemed, and buyer or seller, tenant or landlord and any other party who has a legal interest that will be affected by the transaction)  and the person submitting the application is unable to certify in the applciation that he/she is satisfied as to the identity of that party. Also, if the person submitting the applicaton is not a conveyancer they will need to submit form ID1/2 for themselves.

When Should the Form be Completed?

The form should be completed and certified as early in the transaction as possible, but certainly prior to exchange of contracts. The person who will be submitting the application should make sure he/she has completed forms for each party prior to exchange as the applicaton will be rejected without them.

Completing the Form ID1 (Individual)

Form ID1 can be downloaded here. Section A is for completion by the person being identified and points 1 - 10 are simply personal details. Point 11 asks for the type of application. If the transaction is a sale/purchase then enter "transfer", plus if a mortgage is being paid off enter "discharge" and if a new mortgage is being registered add "charge", if the transaction is the grant of a lease add "lease" etc.

For point 12, the title number can be found in the official copies of the property. The address of the property goes on box 13 and at box 14 the person being identified signs and dates.

Section B is for completion by the person certifying the identity and that person must either be a land registry employee, a solicitor, barrister, licensed conveyancer, legal executive, notary public or registered European lawyer. In the first section he/she must place a cross in the box which applies and section 2 is self-explanatory. 

At section 3 he/she must indicate which documents have been used to identify the person and must sign and date. At section 4 a photograph must be added (do not use glue as the land registry will need to be able to see the reverse) and the back must be certified with the following wording "I can confirm that this photograph is a true likeness of the person who provided the evidence set out in panel 3 above which I have inspected" and the photograph must also be signed and dated.

Completing the Form ID2 (Corporate Body)

Form ID2 can be downloaded here. Section A is for completion by the person being identified who is representing the company and points 1 - 7 are simply personal/company details. Point 8 asks for the type of application. If the transaction is a sale/purchase then enter "transfer", plus if a mortgage is being paid off enter "discharge" and if a new mortgage is being registered add "charge", if the transaction is the grant of a lease add "lease" etc.

For point 9, the title number can be found in the official copies of the property. The address of the property goes on box 10 and at box 11 the person being identified signs and dates.

Section B is for completion by the person certifying the identity and that person must either be a land registry employee, a solicitor, barrister, licensed conveyancer, legal executive, notary public or registered European lawyer. In the first section he/she must place a cross in the box which applies and section 2 is self-explanatory - please note the documents the person giving the certification must inspect in respect of the company. 

At section 3 he/she must indicate which documents have been used to identify the person and must sign and date. At section 4 a photograph must be added (do not use glue as the land registry will need to be able to see the reverse) and the back must be certified with the following wording "I can confirm that this photograph is a true likeness of the person who provided the evidence set out in panel 3 above which I have inspected" and the photograph must also be signed and dated.