How to find out who owns a property

Every registered owner of land in South Africa is recorded at the Deeds Office, and the register is open to search. The search is paid and works best with the property's legal description: its erf number and township.

Step 1: get the erf number and township

A deeds search by street address often fails, because the register describes land by erf and township, not by street. Look the address up first, free:

Free: erf number, township, last registered sale and imagery. No owner names.

Step 2: run a deeds search

• DeedsWeb (deeds.gov.za), the Deeds Office's own online service. Register, then search by erf and township, or by person or company. Each search carries a prescribed fee.
• At the Deeds Office for the province the property is in. Bring the erf number and township, or the owner's name or ID number.
• Commercial deeds search services resell the same register with extra reports, for a higher fee.

The result shows the registered owner, the title deed number, the purchase price and date, and any bonds registered over the property. A copy of the title deed can be ordered from the same search.

Why ErfCheck doesn't show owner names

ErfCheck is built for looking at properties, not people. It shows the erf, township, last sale and municipal value, and it never collects or shows owner names, ID numbers or contact details. If you need the owner, the Deeds Office is the right place, and ErfCheck gives you the description it needs.

Questions

Is property ownership public record in South Africa?

Yes. The Deeds Registries Act makes the land register searchable by anyone who pays the search fee; you do not need the owner's permission.

Can I find a property owner for free?

Not from an official source: every Deeds Office search carries a prescribed fee. The erf number and township you need for the search can be looked up free on ErfCheck.

Will the municipality tell me who owns a property?

Generally not. Municipalities hold owner details for billing and do not release them on request.

Can I search the Deeds Office by name?

Yes. A person or company search returns the properties registered to that name or ID number, for a fee.