What is a TR1 form?
What the TR1 transfer deed is, when it is used, who signs and witnesses it, and what happens after it is sent to HM Land Registry.
The short answer
A TR1 is HM Land Registry’s form for transferring the whole of a registered property from one owner, or set of owners, to another. Its full name is “Transfer of whole of registered title(s)”. Once signed and witnessed it becomes the legal deed that records the change of ownership.
When a TR1 is used
It is used whenever the whole of a registered title changes hands: a sale, adding a partner to the deeds, removing an ex-partner, or gifting a home to a family member. If only part of a property is being transferred, a different form (TP1) is used instead.
What the form asks for
The TR1 records the title number and property address, the current owners (the transferors), the new owners (the transferees), and any money paid for the transfer — or a statement that it is not for money. Where there will be more than one owner afterwards, it can also record whether they hold the property as joint tenants or as tenants in common.
Signing and witnessing
Everyone transferring the property must sign the TR1 as a deed, and each signature must be witnessed by an independent adult who is not a party to the transfer. HM Land Registry advises against using a family member or partner as the witness. The new owners also sign where the form records how they will hold the property or includes promises they are making.
After it is signed
The signed TR1 is sent to HM Land Registry with an application form (AP1), identity evidence for everyone involved and the registration fee. Once the change is registered, an updated title register is issued showing the new owners. Mistakes in the TR1 — a missing witness, names that don’t match the register, the wrong title number — are a common reason applications are delayed.
Common questions
Can I complete a TR1 form myself?
Yes. The TR1 is a free form available from GOV.UK and you can fill it in yourself. For a simple change with no mortgage and no money changing hands, many people do. Having it prepared and checked before it is submitted reduces the chance of it being sent back.
Who can witness a TR1 form?
An independent adult who is not a party to the transfer. They must be physically present when you sign and then add their own signature, name and address. HM Land Registry advises not using a family member or partner as the witness.
When does a TR1 form need to be completed?
Whenever the whole of a registered property is changing hands — on a sale, when someone is added to or removed from the deeds, or when a home is gifted. It is signed before the application is sent to HM Land Registry, and the change only takes legal effect once it is registered.
Is a TR1 form legally binding?
Once it has been properly signed and witnessed as a deed, it is the legal document that transfers ownership, but the new owners do not become the registered owners until HM Land Registry processes the application. If you have doubts before signing, take independent legal advice.
This guide is general information about England and Wales, not legal or tax advice. We prepare and submit paperwork; mortgaged or complex cases are referred to a regulated solicitor.
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