National Land Agency Systematic Land Registration
Systematic Land Registration
The National Land Agency has implemented Systematic Land Registration in order to increase the levels of land registration in Jamaica. The mandate of the Adjudication Services Division of the Agency is to assist landowners who have been in open, undisturbed and undisputed possession of their land for twelve years or more, to claim ownership of such land via the Systematic Land Registration Process.
What is Systematic Land Registration?
Systematic Land Registration is the methodical and orderly registration of parcels of land in a designated area known as the Systematic Adjudication Area.
Did you know that approximately 40% of land in Jamaica remains unregistered? Due to this, the National Land Agency has implemented a Systematic Land Registration programme to increase the number of registered land titles. Discover all the details of this programme and learn how you can benefit from it!
What are the Benefits?
The Government will advance the entire cost for the legal and surveying fees. Persons will, however, be required to repay the costs after the Certificate of Title is issued. A Registrar’s caveat will be lodged against the Certificate of Title to protect the Government’s interest in the aforementioned fees.
Service “brought to land owners’ doorsteps”.
The registration of a substantial amount of land in a short period.
- The Government will advance the entire cost for the legal and surveying fees. Persons will, however, be required to repay the costs after the Certificate of Title is issued. A Registrar's caveat will be lodged against the Certificate of Title to protect the Government's interest in the aforementioned fees.
- Service "brought to land owners' doorsteps".
- The registration of a substantial amount of land in a short period.
Who can Apply?
Any person who has acquired land by:
- Inheritance
- Purchase
- Gift
- Possession of the land for twelve (12) years or more
What is Required?
- Tax Registration Number (TRN)
- Certificate of Payment of Property Taxes, if any
- Valid National Photograph Identification
- Documentary proof of ownership- eg. Receipts, Indentures, Agreements for Sale.
- Two (2) neighbours who can confirm that the Applicant has been in open, undisturbed and undisputed possession of the land for twelve (12) years or more.
The Systematic Land Registration Proces
1
House to house visits by the legal team from the Adjudication Services Division (ASD) in order to interview landowners calming an interest in land.
2
Interviewing neighbours and community members.
3
Surveying of land parcels by Surveyors from Geoland Title Limited in order to prepare a map of all parcels in the Systematic Adjudication Areas (Cadastral Map).
4
Processing of Applications by the ASD Team.
5
Display of an Adjudication Record (a document listing the names of all the persons claiming an interest in parcels of land within the Systematic Adjudication Areas).
6
Issuance of Adjudication Certificates (proof of ownership from Adjudication process).
7
Lodgement at the Titles Office.
8
A Certificate of Title will be issued in the name of the landowner.
What are the benefits of a Certificate of Title?
- Facilitates ease of transferring land to family members. Registration is notice to the world of your ownership of land.
- Registered land provides the potential for community tourism and short-term rentals.
- It increases the potential for loans from financial institutions or individuals.
- It is simple and easy to understand.
- Disputes regarding ownership rights are more easily resolved.
- It guards against fraudulent dealings with land.
Objections to the Adjudication Record
- The Objector must complete an Objection to the Adjudication Record and must submit same to the Senior Director, Adjudication Services within thirty (30) days of the display of the Adjudication Record.
- The Senior Director will make a determination on the Objection(s) or refer the Objection(s) to an Adjudication Committee for determination.
- The Adjudication Committee will make a determination as to ownership and issue an Adjudication Certificate accordingly.
- Lodgement of the Adjudication Certificate at the Titles Office.
- Issuance of Certificate of Title.
Frequently Asked Questions
Systematic Land Registration Programme
Once an area has been declared a Systematic Adjudication Area, it will be published in the Gleaner and Observer newspapers, in newspapers circulating across the diaspora, in the Gazette and posted on the National Land Agency’s (NLA) website: www.nla.gov.jm.
Persons can also email their queries to asknla@nla.gov.jm, speak to a Customer Service Officer via Web Chat on the aforementioned website or call 876-750-LAND (5263), 876-946-LAND (5263) or 876-922-8535-7.
The cost is dependent on the unimproved value of the land on the Property Tax Roll (See ‘The Registration of Titles Cadastral Mapping and Tenure Clarification (Special Provisions) (Fees) (Amendment) Order, 2019’.) Applications in the Systematic Adjudication Areas will be issued an invoice with a breakdown of the fees payable.
No, the Government will advance the entire cost for the legal and survey fees. Persons will however, be required to repay the costs after the Ceriticate of Title is issued. A Registrar’s Caveat will be lodged against the Certificate of Title to protect the Government’s interest in the aforementioned fees.
Yes, a child can be included in the Application; however, the date of birth of the child will be required. This will facilitate the Registrar lodging a Caveat to protect the child’s interest in the land.
The process may take up to six (6) months from the time the area is declared.
Yes, there is no limit to the size of the parcel.
No, there is no limit.
Yes, if the landowner does not have documentary proof of ownership then twelve (12) years open, undisturbed and undisputed possession of the land will suffice. Two (2) neighbours or community members will also have to confirm that the landowner has been in possession for the stipulated period.
Yes, anyone who owns in a Systematic Adjudication Area can participate in the process.
Persons will be informed via notices in newspapers locally across the diaspora. Declared Systematic Adjudication Areas may also be viewed on our website at www.nla.gov.jm or you can contact us at 876-750-5263 or 876-946-5263, or by WhatsApp at 876-418-5089 or via email asknla@nla.gov.jm.
The landowner may continue his or her Application with LAMD, Geoland Title Limited or an Attorney-at-Law.
The survey diagram will be accepted as a supporting document to your application and be placed on your file.
An Adjudication Record will be prepared with the names and particulars of all persons claiming and interest in the land Cadastral Map of the Systematic Adjudication Area. These records will be displaced in the Systematic Adjudication Area for thirty (30) days for persons to review. The Adjudication Record will also be posted on our website at www.nla.gov.jm.
The survey is the responsibility of the NLA in partnership with Geoland Title Limited, who will assign a Commissioned Land Surveyor for each Systematic Adjudication Area.
When an area is to be surveyed, notices will be sent to landowners approximately then (10) days before the proposed day of surveying. In addition, the NLA will engage town criers to make public announcements in the area.
The land will be surveyed based on the instructions of the landowner as to where their boundaries are located and legal considerations related to land ownership.
No. A Cadastral map will be prepared and a diagram of the land will be attached to each title.
The Cadastral map will be posted by NLA in each community for the landowners to comment, approve or make an objection.
The officers of the NLA will visit with each landowner to continue land tilting work.
Yes. No changed will be made to your file.
Adjudication Committee
An Adjudication Committee is comprised of persons with specialized skills and knowledge who deliberate on the rights and interest of any person in relation to land within an area declared under The Registration of Titles, Cadastral Mapping and Tenure Clarification (Special Provisions) Act, 2005 (hereinafter referred to as the SPA). Members of the Committee are appointed by the Minister responsible for land.
By virtue of Section 2 of The Registration of Titles, Cadastral Mapping and Tenure Clarification (Special Provisions) (Adjudication Committees) Regulations, an Adjudication Committee shall consist of not less than four and not more than five members as follows:
- an Attorney-at-Law with at least ten years of experience in the practice of civil law;
- a Commissioned Land Surveyor of at least ten years of experience in land surveying;
- a nominee of the Minister responsible for land;
- a Justice of the Peace residing in the community in which the land is situate or in a neighbouring community; and
- such other person from the community in which the land is situate or in a neighbouring community.
By virtue of Section 4(1) of the aforementioned Regulations, the appointment of every Committee is to be evidenced in writing and must state the period of appointment of each member and cannot exceed three years. By virtue of Section 4(2) of the aforementioned Regulations, every member of the Committee is eligible for reappointment, however, a member cannot be appointed for more than two consecutive terms.
Adjudication Committees are currently established in every parish and the majority of Adjudication Committees are formed along established Electoral Office of Jamaica boundary lines. There are no legal impediments preventing any Committee from hearing a matter that falls outside of its boundary jurisdiction.
The role of the Adjudication Committee is to adjudicate land tenure issues arising from Ad Hoc registration and the Systematic Land Registration process and issue an Adjudication Certificate as conclusive proof of ownership where ownership is determined.
The matters referred under Ad Hoc Registration are the Land Administration and Management Division (LAMD) Applications or Applications certified by the LAMD in which Applicants are unable to satisfy the strict requirements of the Registration of Titles Act (RTA), particularly as regards the requirement for the submission of deeds, documents or other evidence that the Applicant relies in support of his claim to ownership of the land.
The matters referred under Systematic Land Registration are objections to the Adjudication Record arising from the adjudication of rights and interests in declared Systematic Adjudication Areas.
Any person dissatisfied with the decision of the Adjudication Committee may proceed to Court.
All Applicants, supporting declarants or other persons with interest in specified land under the operation of The Registration of Titles Cadastral Mapping and Tenure Clarification (Special Provisions) Act, 2005, who have been contacted by the Adjudication Services Division of the National Land Agency are required to appear at the mentioned place and time to give an explanation and produce any document concerning such land.
Effective February 21, 2022, all Adjudication Committee Hearings have been cancelled until further notice.
Resources
- Declared Systematic Adjudication Areas April 2022
- Notices (April 2021 – November 2021)
- Notices (2022 – Present)
- Adjudication Records (April 2021 – November 2021)
- Adjudication Records (2022 – Present)
- SYSAD-4-Amendment to the Adjudication Record Application Form
- SYSAD-5-Objection to Adjudication Record Application Form
Gallery
NLA Land Titling Ceremony February 23, 2022
ASD Field Visits (St Elizabeth)
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT
National Land Agency
- 8 Ardenne Road, Kingston 10
- (876) 750-5263, or (876) 946-5263
- 876-418-5089
- www.nla.gov.jm
- asknla@nla.gov.jm
- Live Web Chat (www.nla.gov.jm)
