How to Verify a Land Title in the Philippines

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By Jeremiah Villagomez · PRC & DHSUD Accredited Real Estate Salesperson · Updated October 4, 2026 · 4 min read

Quick answer: To verify a Philippine land title, get the title number and Registry of Deeds from the seller and request a certified true copy (CTC) from that Registry of Deeds, or online through LRA eSerbisyo. Compare it line by line with the owner's copy: owner, title number, technical description, area, and annotations. Then confirm the tax declaration and tax payments with the assessor and treasurer, check the seller's identity, and have a geodetic engineer confirm the lot on the ground.

Step 1: Get the basic details

Ask the seller for a clear photocopy or photo of the owner's duplicate title (all pages), the latest tax declaration, and the seller's valid IDs. Note the title number (OCT, TCT, or CCT), the Registry of Deeds named on it, and whether it is a manual title or an e-title.

Step 2: Request a certified true copy

Online: LRA eSerbisyo lets you request a CTC for titles in the LRA's computerized system and have it delivered.
In person: any Registry of Deeds with LRA's computerized system can usually issue CTCs for computerized titles. Manual or older titles may need to be requested from the Registry where the title is kept.

Get a fresh CTC, issued within the last few weeks, and request another just before you pay the balance. Annotations can be added at any time.

Step 3: Compare the CTC with the seller's copy

Title number and registered owner's name and civil status
Technical description: lot number, survey plan number, boundaries, bearings and distances
Area in square meters
Every annotation in the Memorandum of Encumbrances, including mortgages, adverse claims, lis pendens, and levies, and whether each one has been cancelled
Any previous title it was derived from (useful for tracing history)

Any mismatch between the owner's copy and the CTC is a stop sign.

Step 4: Check taxes and the tax declaration

At the assessor's office, confirm that the tax declaration is in the owner's name and refers to the same lot and title number.
At the treasurer's office, get a real property tax clearance or certification of payment. Unpaid amilyar stays with the property.

Step 5: Verify the seller

The seller's name and signature match their IDs and the title.
If the owner is married, the spouse consents and signs (conjugal or community property).
If the owner has died, the heirs need an extrajudicial settlement (or court settlement) with estate tax paid before they can sell.
If someone signs for the owner, ask for a notarized SPA (apostilled if executed abroad), and verify it with the owner directly.
For corporations, ask for a board resolution or secretary's certificate authorizing the sale.

Step 6: Check the actual lot

Hire a licensed geodetic engineer to do a relocation survey using the title's technical description. This confirms the lot you are shown is the lot on the title, with the right area and no encroachments. Also check who occupies the property and whether it has road access.

Red flags of a fake or problem title

The seller refuses to give the title number or let you get a CTC
The CTC shows a different owner, area, or annotations
The price is far below market, with pressure to pay quickly
The owner can't be met in person and only "representatives" deal with you
Erasures, mismatched fonts, or a security paper that doesn't look like other titles
A "lost owner's duplicate" story with a recently reissued title. Ask how and when it was reissued.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if a land title is genuine in the Philippines?

Request a certified true copy from the Registry of Deeds or LRA eSerbisyo and compare it with the owner's duplicate. Then confirm the tax declaration with the assessor and have a geodetic engineer verify the lot on the ground.

Can I verify a land title online?

Yes. LRA eSerbisyo lets you request certified true copies of computerized titles online. Older manual titles may require a visit to the Registry of Deeds where they are kept.

Can I rely only on the owner's duplicate title?

No. The owner's copy can be outdated or tampered with. The Registry of Deeds' record is what counts, so always get a fresh certified true copy.

If the title looks clean, is the property automatically safe to buy?

No. You still need to check the seller's authority and marital status, the tax payments, the actual boundaries, occupants, and road access.

Official sources and further reading

Reviewed for accuracy on October 4, 2026. Rates, fees, thresholds, and agency procedures change. Confirm transaction-specific details with the issuing agency, your lender, or a lawyer before you pay or sign.

Jeremiah Villagomez, PRC-accredited real estate salesperson in San Pablo City, Laguna

About the author: Jeremiah Villagomez is a PRC-accredited and DHSUD-accredited Real Estate Salesperson based in San Pablo City, Laguna. He helps first-time buyers, OFWs, and relocating families buy house and lot homes with Pag-IBIG, bank, or cash financing. More about Jeremiah · Call 0976 302 6551

Have a specific situation? Call or text 0976 302 6551 and I will run the numbers for your exact unit, budget, and financing route for free.