How to find historical ownership information for NSW properties

Understanding What You Need

If you're trying to find out who owned a NSW property at a specific point in time (e.g., in 1985, 1992, or 2005), this guide will walk you through the process.

Important: A Historical Search alone will not show you ownership names. It only shows a list of registered dealings (such as transfers, mortgages, and discharges) that have affected the current folio (Title). To get actual ownership information, you'll likely need to purchase multiple searches by following the steps below.

Step 1: Purchase a Historical Search for the Property

Start by ordering a Historical Search for the property's current title reference (the Lot/DP reference like 1/DP123456).

What you'll see: A list of all dealings (transfers, mortgages, etc.) with dates and dealing numbers.

What you won't see: The names of property owners.

Step 2: Check if the Historical Search Goes Back Far Enough

Look at the earliest date on your Historical Search results. Does it go back to the year you need?

If YES - the Historical Search covers your target year:

Look for Transfer dealings around your target date

Note the dealing number (e.g., AA123456, AB789012)

Order that dealing as a Dealing image through Landchecker:

Go to Standard Searches → NSW

Select Dealing Search

Enter the dealing number

Add to cart and purchase

The Transfer document will show you the ownership names

If NO - the Historical Search doesn't go back far enough:

You'll need to look at the Prior Title (the previous title reference before the property was converted to the current computer system) in the historical search document. Continue to Step 3.

Step 3: Understanding Prior Titles - Old System vs New System

At the top of your Historical Search, you'll see a "Prior Title" reference. This will be in one of two formats:

Format 1: Volume Folio (e.g., VOL 7636 FOL 174)

This is an Old System title from before computerisation (late 1990s-early 2000s).

Good news: Volume Folios contain all historical ownership, transfer, and mortgage information within the title document itself. You don't need to order separate dealing images.

How to order it:

Go to Standard Searches → NSW

Scroll down and select Cancelled and Manual Titles

Enter the Volume Folio formatted as: 7636-174 (volume-folio with a hyphen)

Add to cart and purchase

Important: You cannot order Volume Folios as a "Title Search" or "Historical Title Search" - these products only work for computerised folios. You must use the Cancelled and Manual Titles product.

Format 2: Lot/DP Reference (e.g., 1/DP38494)

This is a New System computerised folio (less common for prior titles, but possible).

How to order it:

1. Order it as a Historical Search using the Lot/DP (Title) reference

2. Follow the same process as Step 2 to find Transfer dealings

3. Order Transfer documents as Dealing images to get ownership names

Step 4: What if the Prior Title Still Doesn't Go Back Far Enough?

Sometimes you may need to go back multiple prior titles. Each Historical Title (Volume Folio) will reference the title before it. Simply repeat Step 3 using the next prior title reference until you reach the year you need.

Note: There's no guarantee how far back each title covers - some span decades, others just a few years.

Quick Reference Examples

Example 1: Finding ownership from 1985

Current title Historical Search only goes back to 1993
Prior Title is VOL 4359 FOL 123

Order as: Cancelled and Manual Titles → enter 4359-123
Document shows ownership transfers including 1985-86 period ✅

Example 2: Finding a mortgage from 1982

Current title Historical Search only goes back to 1988
Prior Title is VOL 7636 FOL 174

Order as: Cancelled and Manual Titles → enter 7636-174
Document shows mortgage registrations from 1958 onwards, including 1982 ✅

Example 3: Finding ownership from 1971

Current title Historical Search only goes back to 1994
Prior Title is VOL 2148 FOL 178

Order as: Cancelled and Manual Titles → enter 2148-178
Cancelled Title document for VOL 2148 FOL 178 only goes back to 1976
Prior Title is VOL 979 FOL 96

Order as: Cancelled and Manual Titles → enter 979-96
Document shows ownership transfers going back to 1911, including 1971 transfer details ✅

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a single document listing all historical owners for a NSW property?

No, this type of document doesn't exist in NSW. Historical ownership must be pieced together from Historical Searches, Transfer documents, and/or Historical Titles (Volume Folios).

Why can't I search using a Volume Folio reference like I can with Lot/DP

Volume Folios are paper-based records that haven't been fully digitised. They can only be ordered as document requests (Cancelled and Manual Titles), not searched like computerised folios.

I tried to order a Volume Folio as a Title Search and got the current title instead. Why?

The system automatically traces Volume Folios to their current computerised title when you use the Title Search product. To access the actual historical Volume Folio, you must purchase using the Cancelled and Manual Titles product.

How far back can I research?

The Torrens Title system in NSW began in 1863. However, the amount of historical information available varies by property. Some Volume Folios span 50+ years, while others cover shorter periods. You may need to order multiple prior titles to reach very early dates.

Still Need Help?

If you're having trouble determining which documents to order, please contact our support team via the live chat icon located in the bottom right corner of the platform. Alternatively, you can email us at documents@landchecker.com.au. We're here to help guide you through the process.