Top 14 Most Searched Questions About Land Search (Carian Tanah) in Malaysia (FAQ)
In simple terms, a land search is an official record that confirms who owns a piece of land and what legal rights and restrictions are attached to it.
A land search (carian tanah) is a document containing key information about a specific piece of land obtained through the Land Office (Pejabat Tanah). It reveals the registered owner, land status (freehold or leasehold), land size, restrictions in interest, encumbrances such as bank charges or caveats, and other endorsements. Under the National Land Code 1965 (Sections 384 and 385), any person can apply to conduct either a private or official land search.
There are three types of land search in Malaysia:
| Type | Description | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Private Land Search (Carian Persendirian) | A black and white printout from the Land Office without official stamp | Personal reference, preliminary checks |
| Official Land Search (Carian Rasmi) | A printout with the Land Registrar's official stamp and signature | Government submissions, legal proceedings, inheritance claims |
| CTC Title (Salinan Sah Hakmilik) | A certified true copy of the original title | Replacement for original title in official transactions |
The key distinction: carian rasmi carries the official seal (cop pengesahan) from the Land Administrator, making it valid for formal purposes like inheritance claims or court proceedings, while carian persendirian does not.
Any individual, agency, company, or body with a vested interest can conduct a land search. Property owners, prospective buyers, lawyers, banks, and even real estate agents commonly perform land searches. While it is not compulsory to hire a lawyer, it is highly recommended for complex transactions. You can do it yourself at the Land Office counter or engage a law firm or a land search service provider to handle it on your behalf.
There are 2 main methods:
- Visit the Land Office counter — Bring the full title details (title type, title number, lot number, mukim/bandar/pekan, district, state) and pay the disbursement fee at the counter.
- Use a third-party provider — Services like EasyLaw allow you to submit land search requests online covering all states (including Sabah and Sarawak) and receive results via email within 1–3 working days, without needing to visit the Land Office in person.
The Land Office requires the following details to process a land search:
- Jenis Hakmilik (Title Type)
- Nombor Hakmilik (Title Number)
- Nombor Lot (Lot Number)
- Mukim / Bandar / Pekan
- Daerah (District)
- Negeri (State)
For strata titles, additional information such as the building name, floor, and parcel number may be required. These details can be found on the original title deed, the quit rent bill, or a Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA).
No. Land searches cannot be conducted using just the owner's name and IC number. The Land Office requires the full title information as listed above. If you do not have the title details, some providers like EasyLaw offer a separate service called "Extraction of Title Information" (Mendapatkan Maklumat Lengkap Geran) to help retrieve the full title details.
The Land Office does not accept property addresses alone for land searches. You need the complete title deed information. However, you can try:
- Contacting the developer or building management for title details.
- Using a title information extraction service offered by some land search providers, which can retrieve full title details from partial information.
A land search result (Catatan Carian Tanah) contains several key sections:
| Section (Malay) | Section (English) | What It Tells You |
|---|---|---|
| Keluasan | Land Area | Size in square metres |
| Taraf Pegangan | Land Status | Freehold (selama-lamanya) or Leasehold (pajakan) |
| Tarikh Luput Pajakan | Lease Expiry Date | When the lease expires (leasehold only) |
| Kawasan Rizab Melayu | Malay Reserve Land | Whether the land is Malay reserved |
| Sekatan Kepentingan | Restriction in Interest | Any restrictions on dealings |
| Pemilikan dan Alamat | Ownership & Address | Registered owner's name, IC, and address |
| Tanggungan dan Endorsan | Encumbrances | Bank charges, caveats, and other endorsements |
| Cukai Petak | Quit Rent | Annual quit rent amount |
| Pindahmilik Tanah | Land Transfer | Transfer history |
| Gadaian | Charge | Mortgage/loan information |
Note that older titles may still show old IC numbers or incomplete owner addresses.
A land search reveals:
- Land tenure status (freehold or leasehold) and lease expiry date
- Whether the land is Malay reserve
- Restrictions in interest (e.g., state authority consent required for transfer)
- Total land area
- Current registered owner(s) with name, IC number, and address
- All encumbrances including bank charges, caveats, and liens
- Transfer history and pending presentations not yet registered
- Annual quit rent rate
These three title types serve different stages and types of property ownership:
| Feature | Master Title (Hakmilik Induk) | Individual Title (Hakmilik Individu) | Strata Title (Hakmilik Strata) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issued to | Developer / original landowner | Individual landed property owners | Individual unit owners in multi-storey buildings |
| Property type | Entire land parcel (undivided) | Terrace, semi-D, bungalow, individual land | Apartment, condo, flat, serviced suite, townhouse |
| Shows unit-specific info? | No | Yes | Yes (including parcel and floor) |
| Land ownership | Developer owns the land | Owner owns land + building | Owner owns unit only; land is common property |
| Maintenance | N/A | Individual responsibility | Shared via Management Corporation (MC) |
When buying property under a master title, the buyer only has beneficial ownership until individual or strata titles are issued. Under the Strata Titles Act 1985 (as amended in 2013), developers must apply for strata titles upon vacant possession.
This is one of the most searched property questions in Malaysia:
| Criteria | Freehold | Leasehold |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership duration | Perpetual / forever | Fixed term (typically 99 years) |
| Land ownership | Fully owned by the individual | Owned by the state government |
| Transfer process | Simpler, ~4 months | Requires state consent, 6+ months |
| Price | Generally 20% more expensive | Generally cheaper |
| Financing | Easier to obtain, up to 90% margin | May be harder if lease < 50 years remaining |
| Renewal | Not applicable | Must apply and pay premium before lease expires |
| Government acquisition | Can still be acquired for public purposes (with compensation) | Same — acquisition is not limited to leasehold |
A common misconception is that the government can "take back" leasehold land at any time. In reality, government land acquisition applies equally to both freehold and leasehold under the Land Acquisition Act, with compensation paid to the owner.
A land search protects buyers from several risks:
- Verifying the seller — Confirms the person selling is indeed the registered owner as stated in the SPA.
- Checking encumbrances — Reveals whether the property has existing bank charges or caveats that could block the transaction.
- Identifying restrictions — Shows if the land is Malay reserve, has restrictions in interest, or requires state consent for transfer.
- Confirming land size and status — Ensures the land area and tenure match what was promised.
For auction (lelong) properties, a land search is especially critical as the buyer typically cannot inspect the property or meet the owner beforehand.
For pusaka (inheritance) matters, an official land search (carian rasmi) is mandatory. Two certified copies of the official search are typically required when submitting an inheritance application (permohonan pusaka). The application can be made through:
- The Small Estate Distribution Unit under JKPTG for estates valued under RM2 million.
- The High Court for larger estates or those involving a will.
- Amanah Raya Berhad for cases without a will.
The MyeTApp system now allows online inheritance applications, but the official land search documents must still be obtained from the Land Office or via an authorised online provider.
A caveat (kaveat) is a legal mechanism registered on a land title to protect a person's interest in the property. There are several types:
| Type | Filed By | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Caveat (Kaveat Persendirian) | Any individual claiming an interest | 6 years (renewable) | Protects buyer's interest during purchase; prevents owner from selling to others |
| Registrar's Caveat (Kaveat Pendaftar) | Land Registrar | No expiry | Government/administrative protection; prevents suspicious transactions |
| Administrator's Caveat (Kaveat Pentadbir) | Land Administrator | Varies | Protects public interest |
Once a caveat is registered, the land cannot be transferred, charged, or dealt with until the caveat is removed. Filing a baseless caveat can result in the filer being liable for compensation to the landowner for any losses suffered.
To check whether there is any existing caveat on a property, you can perform an online land search through an authorised provider covering all states in Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak.