When do I need to produce evidence of identity?

Conveyancers and mortgage lenders must follow certain procedures to minimise the risk of fraud. This includes checking the identity of clients and parties involved in transactions affecting land or property.

Land Registry will also need to check the identity of parties involved in some transactions, usually where a conveyancer is not acting, to make sure that the application is not fraudulent.

Applications requiring evidence of identity

The table below sets out the most common applications that require evidence of identity to be lodged with us, along with whose identity should be confirmed.

Application	Identity to confirm
Transfer of land or property, or transfer of a mortgage (whether or not for money, also includes transfers to appoint or remove a trustee)	Seller (transferor) Buyer (transferee) Any attorney acting for the seller or buyer
Lease (whether or not for money)	Landlord Tenant Any attorney acting for the landlord or tenant
Mortgage of registered land or property Mortgage of unregistered land on compulsory first registration	Lender (chargee) Borrower (chargor) Any attorney acting for the lender or borrower
Discharge of mortgage in paper form DS1 or DS3	Lender
Change of name by deed poll, statutory declaration or statement of truth	Person changing their name

If a conveyancer lodges the application we will accept their confirmation of identify for the parties to the transaction. We will check identity when the true value of the land is more than £6,000.

When sending or bringing an application to us, please make sure you have all the right documents and evidence required for your type of application and everything has been completed correctly.

If you are attending one of our local offices to have your identity verified, you must bring your completed application with you, otherwise we will be unable to verify your identity.