Part of Land titles

Land titles – Overview

Find information about how land titles work and commonly used forms.

We are open

To contact us by phone, call 780-427-2742 (to call toll-free from anywhere in Alberta, dial 310-0000 first).

General questions or inquires can be emailed to:

For inquiries regarding documents or packages that have been submitted to our office, include the Document Registration Request or Registration Request number in the subject line of your email. All emails will be responded to in the order that they are received.

Visit us in person at:

John E. Brownlee Building (Land Titles Office North)
Mezzanine Level
10365 97 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 5C5

Land Titles Office South
710 4th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta  T2P 0K3

Documents accepted at our front counters will be placed in the queue and processed according to the date received; documents are not registered at the counter.

You can expect a 10 to 12 business day turnaround time for registration of land title and survey documents.

To find more information about how the Land Titles Office works, see the Land Titles Procedures Manual - Overview page. Commonly used forms, are on Land titles – Overview.

To order copies of title, or create your document registration request form, visit our SPIN2 website.

Overview

The Land Titles Act provides the legislative framework for the department to register land related documents that both create and terminate legal rights in property. The land registration system used in Alberta is based on the Torrens System of land registration and operates under the legislative authority of the Land Titles Act.

Under this system, the Government has custody of all original titles, documents and plans and has the legal responsibility for the validity and security of all registered land title information.

For more information, see An introduction to Alberta land titles.

Types of land ownership

There are 3 common types of land ownership (tenancies) –

  1. Sole owner – Either a person or a registered company is the sole owner of the land.
  2. Tenancy-in-common – There are 2 or more owners, called tenants-in-common. If a tenant-in-common dies, their share in the land goes to their estate, not to the other co-owners.
  3. Joint tenancy – There are 2 or more owners, but each owner has the right of survivorship. If an owner dies, their share in the land goes to the other owners.

You must specify that you want to be a joint tenant on the transfer document. Otherwise you will automatically become a tenant-in-common.

Land titles documents and plans

A person or corporation who has an interest in a piece of land can register a land title or survey plan. For more information, see:

Foreign ownership of land

The Foreign Ownership of Land Administration monitors and controls acquisition of prime agricultural and recreational land by non-Canadians. Most transactions are completed through the Land Titles Office, but applications can be made for an exemption from the regulations through an Order in Council.

For more information, see the Foreign ownership of land page.

Land titles assurance fees

The assurance fees are created by the Land Titles Act for payment of claims by people who have been deprived of their interests in land as a result of mistakes of the Registrar or wrongful acts of third parties and who are prevented by the act from suing to recover those interests.

For more information, see the Land Titles Assurance Fees page.

Pending Registration Queue

The Pending Registration Queue (PRQ) is designed with the option of closing real estate transactions as soon as the registration document(s) have been received at Land Titles, without the need to wait for the registration process to be completed.

In fall 2020, Service Alberta passed amendments to the Land Titles Act to formalize a ‘pending registration queue’ (PRQ) to guarantee priority of a title upon submission.

This allows submitters to complete transactions (or release funds) without waiting for registration, if they choose. Changes to the act, along with accompanying regulations, came into effect on April 1, 2021.

What you need to know

As of April 1, 2021, titles in SPIN2 reflect information on interests pending registration.

This information will not appear on ascii/text (non-PDF) titles. Titles delivered in these formats will continue to only contain registered interests.

More information

Additional information and samples can be found in the Pending Registration Queue Overview.

When required, a Consent to register form must be completed and attached to each document listed on the Document Registration Request (DRR) form.

Information sheets

These information sheets may help with the completion of our common forms:

Land titles and surveys forms

Only use single-sided printing when printing forms.

All forms can be filled out online. However, even though the forms may seem simple to complete, they are legal documents. There are legal consequences when changing title ownership. It is strongly suggested you get legal help when filling them out.

Document Registration Request form

All documents submitted to the Land Titles Office for registration must be accompanied by a printed and completed Document Registration Request (DRR) form from the SPIN2 website. Each DRR has a unique alphanumeric code that allows Land Titles staff and the individual who submitted the document to track its progress through our office.

To create a DRR form, visit the SPIN2 website.

Watch our video for help filling out this form.

PDF form issues

Fillable PDF forms do not open properly on some mobile devices and web browsers. To fill in and save the form:

  1. Save the PDF form to your computer – click or right-click the link and download the form.
  2. Open the PDF form with Adobe Reader. Fill it in and save it.

If you are still having problems opening the form, contact PDF form technical support.

Caveats

Change of address and name

Condominium changes

Consolidation or separation

Creditor’s statement

Dower release

Foreign ownership

Liens - Builder's lien forms

Liens - Prompt payment and construction forms

Mortgage or encumbrance

Name search

Personal property

Postponement of land rights

Revocation of Power of Attorney

Statutory declaration

Surface Rights Board Orders

Surveys

Transfer and transmission of land

Writs

Cost

A list of fees for the most common documents:

Video conferencing affidavits

Supplemental forms

Affidavit of Execution

  • Use when additional affidavits required.
  • Remember to attach the original copy of the affidavit to the original document.

Affidavit of Minors for Estates

  • Use when completing a transfer, mortgage or other instrument executed by an executor, administrator or trustee under a will except an application for transmission or a caveat or a discharge of mortgage.
  • Remember to attach the original copy of the affidavit to the original document.

Affidavit of Officer

  • Use when dealing with acquisitions or dispositions of real property by an incorporated congregation executed by an Officer of the congregation.
  • This must be completed by an Officer other than the Officers signing the acquisition or disposition.
  • Remember to attach the original copy of the affidavit to the original document.

Affidavit Re Value of Land

  • Use when registering Orders that cancel a title or when affidavit is completed in another office.
  • Remember to attach the original copy of the affidavit to the original document.

Affidavit Verifying Corporate Signing Authority

  • Use when an Officer or Director is signing a document on behalf of a Corporation that is not affixing a Corporate Seal.
  • Remember to attach the original copy of the affidavit to the original document.

Attached Schedule

  • Use when information exceeds a document's data entry field. Note, all schedules must be clearly named or identified.
  • Remember to attach the original copy of the schedule to the original document.

Dower Affidavit

  • Use when one person is signing some documents.
  • Remember to attach the original copy of the schedule to the original document.

Condominiums – Expediting registration of new condominiums

Condominium plan forms (SUR-4)

  • Form A – Surveyor's Affidavit to Register a Condominium Plan
  • Form B – Certificate of Engineer / Architect / Surveyor re: Post Tensioned Cables
  • Form C – Application to Amalgamate Condominium Plans
  • Form D – Certificate of The Person Who Prepared The Condominium Amalgamation Plan

Condominium certificate of corporation or developer forms (CDE-1)

  • Form 4 – Special Resolution to Transfer or Lease Common Property
  • Form 5 – Notice of Termination of Condominium Status
  • Form 6 – Special Resolution to Register Interest on Common Property (EASE, UTRW, RESC etc.)
  • Form 9 – Certificate of Developer for Phased Disclosure Statement
  • Form 10 – Certificate of Developer to Amend the Phased Disclosure Statement
  • Form 11 – Certificate of Developer for Phased Condominiums
  • Form 12 – Condominium Corporation Approval for Consolidation of Units

Agriculture Service Board Act (ASB-1)

Survey forms

  • SUR-1-Appendix A – Alberta Township System
  • SUR-1-Form 1 – Surveyor’s Affidavit re: Plan of Survey
  • SUR-3-Form 2 – Surveyor's Certification for Descriptive Plan
  • SUR-2-Form 3 – Consent to register Plan (also Sur-2.2,Sur-3,Sur-4,Sur-6)
  • SUR-2-Form 12A – Consent to register Plan (also Sur-2.2,Sur-3,Sur-4,Sur-6) same as Form 3
  • SUR-2-Form 4 – Subdivision Authority Approval (also Sur-2.2,Sur-3,Sur-4)
  • SUR-5-Form 5 – Certificate of designated officer for Road
  • SUR-5-Form 6 – Public Works Plan Certification
  • SUR-6-Form A – Statutory Declaration for the registration of Dormant Right of Way Plans
  • SURVEY-Form 8 – Certificate Of Municipal Authority (Section 10(1)(B), Condominium Property Act)
  • SUR-10-Form A – Removal of Municipal Reserve Designation
  • SUR-11-Form A – Notification to Registrar of Road Abandonment
  • SUR-12-Form A – Application for Amendment of Legal Description Due to a Change in a Natural Boundary

Contact

Connect with a Land Titles office:

Edmonton location

Phone: 780-427-2742

Office address:
John E. Brownlee Building
10365 97 Street
Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 3W7

Mailing address:
Box 2380
Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 2T3

Calgary location

Phone: 403-297-6511

Office address:
Service Alberta Building
710 4 Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0K3

Mailing address:
Box 7575
Calgary, Alberta  T2P 2R4