Quick Answer
For a development application in Queensland, order a current title search, the registered survey plan, and copies of any easement or lease instruments before you lodge. These documents reveal encumbrances, building covenants, lease restrictions and body corporate by-laws that affect what you can build. Allow at least two weeks for searches and review before your DA submission.
Why Your DA Depends on the Title
A development application rests on what the title actually permits. Easements, restrictions, covenants and lease conditions can block or reshape your proposed build, and council planners will check them. Ordering the right property title documents early lets you design around constraints, adjust your application, or walk away before you spend on architects, planners and application fees.
Key Documents and What They Tell You
For any Queensland DA, these are the core title documents to order:
| Document | What It Answers | When to Order |
|---|---|---|
| Current title search | Who owns the land; what easements, restrictions and covenants are registered | Before any DA work begins |
| Registered survey plan | Boundary positions, lot dimensions, easement corridors, building set-back areas | Before site planning and DA lodgement |
| Easement instrument | Exact terms: who can use the easement, maintenance obligations, building-over conditions | When the title shows an easement affecting your build area |
| State lease document | Lease term, permitted use, rent review dates, development conditions | If the title is a state lease |
| Body corporate records | By-laws, common property boundaries, exclusive use allocations | If the lot is in a community titles scheme |
| Registered dealing | Details of any registered covenant, mortgage or agreement | When the title shows a dealing number affecting development |
Queensland DA Title Search Checklist
Work through this checklist before you lodge a development application in Queensland:
- Order a current title search to confirm ownership and identify every registered encumbrance, restriction and caveat.
- Check for easements — drainage, access, power, sewerage — and order the easement instruments to read the terms.
- Order the registered survey plan to confirm lot boundaries, dimensions and any encumbrance corridors.
- If the land is leasehold, order the state lease document to check permitted use, term and development conditions.
- If the property is in a community titles scheme, order body corporate records to check by-laws that restrict building works.
- Review the title for covenants — building materials, set-backs, height limits — that may conflict with your proposed development.
- For coastal or flood-prone sites, note any tidal boundary references on the survey plan and any easements related to stormwater or overland flow.
Queensland-Specific Risks to Check
Easements
Queensland titles often carry drainage, sewerage and power easements that run through the middle of a lot. A survey plan shows the corridor; the instrument tells you whether you can build over it. Building over a sewer easement without consent can delay or void a DA.
Survey Plans
Registered survey plans show boundary alignments and encumbrance corridors. On older subdivisions, the plan may differ from the fence line. Order the plan before you commit to a building footprint.
Body Corporate
If your site is within a community titles scheme, body corporate by-laws can restrict building height, materials, fencing and even paint colours. Order the by-laws before finalising your DA plans.
Leasehold Land
Parts of Queensland — particularly coastal and rural land — are held under state lease. Lease terms dictate permitted use and development. You cannot lodge a DA that conflicts with the lease conditions without first varying the lease, which requires separate approval from the lease authority.
Coastal and Flood-Prone Property
Coastal titles may reference tidal boundaries on the survey plan. Flood-affected titles may carry easements for overland flow or stormwater. Both affect where you can build, minimum floor levels, and whether additional council conditions will apply to your DA.
Timing Your Searches
Order your title search and survey plan at least two weeks before your DA submission. Most search results return within one business day, but reviewing easement instruments, lease documents or body corporate records can take longer. If the title shows an easement or covenant you were not expecting, allow time to reassess your plans or negotiate with the benefiting party.
Ordering Through TitleFinder
TitleFinder provides current Queensland title searches and state lease searches for $74.50 AUD each. Order online and receive results by email. When the title reveals easements, covenants or lease conditions that need further investigation, you can order the relevant survey plan or dealing through the same platform.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a solicitor for advice specific to your transaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a Queensland title search take through TitleFinder?
Most current title searches return within one business day. Survey plans and copies of registered dealings may take an additional day.
Can I lodge a DA without checking the title for easements?
You can, but it is a poor strategy. Council planners will check the title, and any easement or covenant that conflicts with your proposal will be flagged as a condition or a reason for refusal. Checking first lets you design around constraints.
What if the property is leasehold — does that change my DA process?
Yes. On leasehold land, the lease conditions set permitted use, building restrictions and sometimes rent review dates. Your DA must be consistent with the lease. If it is not, you will need a lease variation first, which requires separate approval from the lease authority.
Order the right TitleFinder document
Use this guide as a reference, then order the actual record that answers your question:
- Current Title / State Lease — $74.50
- Image of Survey Plan (SP/RP) — $85.90
- Image of Dealing Instrument — $91.80
If you are unsure, start with the current title search, then add the plan or instrument if the title points to one.
Need the title search? Use the TitleFinder product links above to order the current title, plan, instrument or state-specific property record you actually need.
