The information provided in this guide is not intended to amount to legal advice. Professional assistance may be required to determine the most appropriate action to protect your legal rights. Please read our Terms of Use on the Land Titles Registration policy and procedure guides web page. Landgate accepts no responsibility where parties print this guide and seek to rely on information that is out of date.
1. Overview
Verification of Identity and authority is required for nominated electronic and paper based land transactions. The requirements for electronic transactions are similar to those that operate in paper and are contained in the Western Australian Participation Rules. For further information on the Verification of Identity Practice for paper based transactions, please refer to:
- VOI-01 Western Australian Registrar and Commissioner of Titles Joint Practice: Verification of Identity and Authority. Paper Based Transactions
- VOI-02 Western Australian Registrar and Commissioner of Titles Joint Practice: Verification of Identity and Authority. Paper Based Transactions - How to Complete a Verification of Identity
- VOI-03 Western Australian Registrar and Commissioner of Titles Joint Practice: Verification of Identity and Authority. Paper Based Transactions - Foreign Countries
Self-represented parties cannot undertake electronic conveyancing transactions.
1.1. Verification of Identity – Inside and Outside Australia – COVID-19 Emergency1
Where face-to-face VOI cannot be completed as a direct result of COVID-19, conveyancers, legal practitioners and mortgagees are to take reasonable steps to verify the identity of the parties for both paper-based and electronic transactions. Conveyancers, legal practitioners and mortgagees are responsible for determining what is reasonable under the circumstances. As usual, evidence of these steps is required to be documented and retained in accordance with normal practice.
It is important that the highest levels of vigilance continue during this difficult time to ensure the security and integrity of property transactions remains uncompromised and the security and integrity of our State’s land titles system is maintained.
1 Updated include section 1.1 Verification of Identity - Inside and Outside Australia - COVID-19 Emergency 06/04/2020
2. Western Australian Participation Rules
For full details of the Verification of Identity requirements for electronic transactions, refer to the WA Participation Rules