In late spring 2020, the Director of Land Titles will implement changes to the Director’s E-filing Directions. The changes will narrow three exemptions to the requirement to electronically file documents.
Registered owners will be required to submit the following types of applications electronically where the application requires a transparency report under section 12 of the Land Owner Transparency Act (LOTA).
- Form A – Freehold Transfer, for a Fee Simple
- Form 17 – Fee Simple, for Transmission to Surviving Joint Tenant(s)
- Form 17 – Fee Simple, for Transmission to Executor or Administrator
LOTA (Bill 23) received Royal assent in May 2019 and will come into force in late Spring 2020 by regulation. The change to the exemptions will assist the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia (LTSA) to support the administration of the Land Owner Transparency Registry (LOTR). More information about LOTR will be made available in the coming weeks.
Registered owners will need to retain the services of a legal professional when filing applications that require a transparency report. Hardcopy land title forms that were executed before the effective date of a requirement to submit a document electronically will continue to be accepted in person or by mail.
Other changes to the E-filing Directions include:
- Amendment to section 3.1.3 – sets out direction under section 168.22(3) of the Land Title Act where the submission of a document constitutes signature by the applicant in circumstances where the applicant is the Ministry of Finance and the document submitted is an agreement to defer taxes or a notice of satisfaction, both submitted under the Land Tax Deferment Act.
- Amendment to section 5.1 Application for Membership – clarifies the requirement for membership in the Authorized Subscriber Register by adding, “An individual must be an employee of the organization, as opposed to a contractor”.
- Amendment to section 6.2.1 Exemptions from Requirement to Submit Electronically – corrected clerical error and added “Form C Release Claim of Builders Lien” as type of document that is exempt.
Contact the Customer Service Centre at 1-877-577-5872 or 604-630-9630 in Greater Vancouver with any questions you may have.