A caveat is a public notice lodged on a property's land title at SLA, warning the world that a third party (typically a buyer) has an interest in the property. A title search retrieves the full ownership and encumbrance history. Both are standard, mandatory parts of every Singapore conveyance — your lawyer handles them.
When you exercise the Option to Purchase on a Singapore property, one of the first things your conveyancing lawyer does is lodge a caveat on the title at SLA. The caveat publicly establishes your claim and prevents the seller from selling the same property to anyone else. The lawyer also runs a title search — pulling the full SLA record of ownership, mortgages, easements, and any pending caveats — to verify the seller can actually deliver clean title.
The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) operates the central land title registry under the Torrens system, which means the SLA title record is conclusive (as of 2026-05). Any third party can lodge a caveat for a S$70 fee (per SLA schedule); your lawyer typically handles this as part of conveyancing. The Integrated Land Information Service (INLIS) is the public-facing search portal.
What Does It Mean?
Caveat
A caveat is a legal notice lodged with the Singapore Land Authority to protect a buyer's interest in a property. Once lodged, it alerts any third party that the buyer has a claim on the property, preventing the seller from selling to another party.
Title Search
A title search is a legal check conducted through INLIS (Integrated Land Information Service) to verify property ownership, encumbrances, caveats, and any claims against the property before purchase.
Worked Example
After exercising the OTP, your lawyer lodges a caveat to protect your interest. A title search reveals:
- Current registered owner(s)
- Existing mortgages or charges
- Any other caveats lodged
- Tenure type and remaining lease
- Land area and approved use
Title searches cost approximately $30 through INLIS and are essential before any property purchase.
Where to Find This on ShiokNest
- Legal Conveyancing Checklist
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Official Sources
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Standard caveat and title search flow in a conveyance:
- OTP exercised by buyer; buyer\'s lawyer requests buyer\'s identity, OTP, and 1% option fee.
- Buyer\'s lawyer lodges a caveat at SLA on the buyer\'s behalf — typically within 1–2 business days of OTP exercise.
- Title search is conducted via INLIS by the buyer\'s lawyer — checking for: existing mortgages, prior caveats, easements, road reserves, en-bloc resolutions, statutory notices, and the registered owner\'s identity matching the seller named in the S&P.
- Encumbrance review: if any existing mortgage shows, it must be discharged at completion using sale proceeds. If a prior caveat exists, the buyer\'s lawyer verifies it has been withdrawn or addressed.
- Final search before completion: re-run title search 1–3 days before completion to confirm nothing has changed.
Typical cost: title search fees S$70–S$120; caveat lodgement S$70 (per SLA fee schedule). These are included in the standard conveyancing fee quoted by most firms (~S$2,500–S$3,500 inclusive for residential).
- Engage your lawyer before exercising the OTP — early engagement allows time for the title search and any encumbrance issues to surface before you commit.
- Review the title search summary with your lawyer — ask specifically: any existing mortgages? Any prior caveats? Any road reserve or easement affecting the property?
- For new launches, the caveat is on the developer\'s strata title pre-subdivision; once your unit is subdivided into its own title (post-completion), a new individual caveat is lodged for the unit.
- Watch the final search timing — your lawyer must re-search within 72 hours of completion to confirm no new encumbrances have appeared.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I lodge a caveat myself without a lawyer?
Technically yes via INLIS, but conveyancing is complex and incorrect filings can compromise your position. Standard practice is to use a lawyer.
How long does a caveat last?
Until withdrawn (by you) or expired (typically 5 years if not converted to a registered interest). Caveats are conclusive evidence of intent but not of ownership.
What if a prior caveat shows up in the search?
Your lawyer investigates — it may be stale (and withdrawable) or it may indicate an active competing claim that needs resolution before you complete.
Is title insurance available in Singapore?
Available but uncommon. Singapore's Torrens system makes the registered title near-bulletproof, so title insurance is less relied upon than in some Commonwealth jurisdictions.
Does the title search show MCST resolutions?
Major resolutions affecting the property (e.g., en-bloc resolutions) typically show as caveats or statutory notices. Routine MCST minutes do not.