Disclaimer (Block 1): This article is for educational purposes only and is intended to assist CEA-registered property agents in understanding regulatory frameworks. It does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. LEVR's calculations are indicative only. Always verify rates and eligibility with your bank, HDB, CPF Board, or a licensed financial advisor before advising clients.
What Are Legal Requisitions?
After a buyer exercises the Option to Purchase (OTP) for a private property in Singapore, the buyer's solicitor conducts a set of official searches — called requisitions — with various government authorities. These searches verify the legal status of the property and identify any matters that could affect the buyer's title or use of the property.
Requisitions are a standard part of every private property conveyancing transaction. They are conducted by the buyer's solicitor, typically in the weeks following OTP exercise and before the completion date. The results inform the completion checklist and, if issues are found, may trigger further legal steps.
Key Requisition Searches Conducted
Singapore Land Authority (SLA) — Title Search
The title search with SLA confirms the registered proprietor(s) of the property, the nature of the title (freehold or leasehold, and if leasehold, the remaining tenure), and any encumbrances registered against the title — including mortgages, caveats, and charges. This is the foundational search in any property transaction.
If there are registered caveats against the property (lodged by third parties claiming an interest), the seller's solicitor must arrange for the caveat to be removed before completion. A registered mortgage must be discharged at completion using the sale proceeds.
Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) — Planning Search
The URA planning search reveals the zoning of the property under the URA Master Plan and any approved or pending planning applications affecting the property. For residential properties, this confirms the property is zoned for residential use and whether there are any outstanding planning conditions or approved development proposals for the immediate vicinity that may affect the property's environment.
This search also reveals whether any road widening schemes, road line plans, or planned infrastructure works are registered against the property — matters that could affect the property's usable area or access.
Land Transport Authority (LTA) — Road Line Plan
The LTA road line plan search specifically checks whether any part of the property falls within a proposed road line — meaning the government intends to acquire part of the land for road widening or new road construction. For landed properties in particular, a road line registered against part of the land can materially affect the property's development potential and value. The buyer's solicitor checks this and, if an issue is found, advises the buyer before completion.
Public Utilities Board (PUB) — Sewerage and Drainage Search
The PUB search checks whether the property is connected to the public sewerage system, whether there are any sewerage or drainage infrastructure lines running through or adjacent to the property that may impose restrictions on construction or renovation, and whether there are any outstanding sewerage compliance matters. For landed properties with renovation plans, the PUB search results are particularly relevant.
Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) — Company Search
Where the seller is a company (rather than an individual), the buyer's solicitor conducts an ACRA search to confirm the company's status (active, in receivership, in liquidation), its directors, and whether the company has any registered charges or encumbrances that could affect the property transaction. A seller company that is insolvent or in liquidation raises serious title concerns.
Insolvency and Public Trustee's Office (IPTO) — Bankruptcy Search
Where the seller is an individual, a bankruptcy search is conducted to confirm the seller is not an undischarged bankrupt. An undischarged bankrupt cannot sell property without the Official Assignee's consent. If a seller's bankruptcy is discovered during the conveyancing process, the transaction cannot proceed without Official Assignee involvement.
The Requisition Timeline and Its Impact on Completion
Requisition searches take time to obtain. The typical timeline:
- Most authority searches are processed within a few business days to two weeks, depending on the authority and current processing volumes
- The buyer's solicitor typically submits all requisitions shortly after OTP exercise, so results are available well before the completion date
- If an issue is found in a search result — for example, a caveat that must be removed — the seller's solicitor must address it before completion. Resolving title issues can take additional time and, in some cases, may delay the completion date.
Agents should be aware that if completion is approaching and the seller's solicitor has not yet resolved a title issue identified in a requisition search, this can trigger a legitimate request for a completion extension from the buyer's side. This is not a default by the buyer — it is a contractual right where the seller cannot deliver good title.
Requisitions and HDB Resale Transactions
HDB resale transactions follow a different process — HDB itself manages the eligibility checking, mortgage redemption, and title transfer administratively. The formal private property requisition process does not apply in the same way to HDB resale. Instead, HDB conducts its own administrative checks as part of the resale application process. Buyers purchasing HDB resale flats do not separately instruct solicitors to conduct the range of private property requisition searches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happens if a caveat is registered against the property by a third party?
A: A caveat is a legal notice lodged by a person claiming an interest in the property (for example, a previous buyer who paid a deposit, a beneficiary under a trust, or a creditor). If a caveat is found in the SLA title search, the seller's solicitor must obtain a withdrawal of caveat from the caveator before completion — otherwise the buyer cannot obtain clean title. If the caveat cannot be removed, the transaction may not be able to proceed. Resolving caveat issues can delay completion.
Q: Does a road line plan affect the purchase price?
A: Potentially, yes. If the LTA road line plan shows that part of the property's land is subject to a proposed road line, the effective usable area of the land is reduced. This can affect the property's value — particularly for landed properties. Whether the road line is known at the time of the OTP (i.e., whether it was disclosed by the seller or discoverable from the URA Master Plan) affects whether the buyer has any contractual remedy. In practice, road lines are often identified in the requisition searches rather than before the OTP, making it important for solicitors to be engaged promptly after OTP exercise.
Q: Can a buyer withdraw from a transaction if a requisition search reveals an undisclosed problem?
A: This depends on the nature of the problem and the terms of the SPA. In principle, if the seller cannot deliver good title (clean title free of encumbrances) at completion, the buyer has a right to refuse to complete and recover their deposit. Whether a specific requisition finding gives the buyer a right to withdraw before completion depends on legal analysis specific to that situation. The buyer must seek legal advice from their solicitor immediately on receiving a concerning search result — not after the completion date has passed.
Q: Are requisition search costs included in the solicitor's conveyancing fee?
A: It depends on the fee arrangement with the solicitor. Many law firms quote a conveyancing fee that is inclusive of all standard requisition disbursements. Other firms charge for disbursements (the actual search fees paid to the authorities) separately. The total disbursement cost for standard requisition searches is typically a few hundred dollars. Buyers should confirm with their solicitor what is included in the quoted fee.
Disclaimer (Block 3): LEVR's calculator outputs are estimates based on inputs provided and current regulatory parameters as known at time of publication. They are not a guarantee of borrowing capacity, stamp duty liability, or CPF eligibility. Regulatory thresholds and rates may change. Always verify with IRAS, your bank, or a licensed financial advisor before making financial decisions.