For the purpose of this information, "lease" means Crown lease.

The term "unit" includes townhouses, shops, offices, dual occupancies and multi-storey residential apartments. The process of unit titling enables a leased parcel of land to be divided into individual units. Each of those units can be separately owned. The title over the common property - for example, pathways and open space - is owned by the owners' corporation. The unit owner may also own unit subsidiaries, such as car spaces or storage sheds.

Approvals needed

To subdivide leased land into individual units, you need to lodge a unit title application.  Included in that unit title application is a units plan. The units plan shows the location and boundary of each unit, and the common property. The lease over that land ends upon registration of the units plan. Instead of one lease over the land, individual certificates of title are granted over each unit and the common property.

If you have an existing development that you wish to unit title, you may need some modifications to meet the requirements for separate occupation and use.

If you submit the application for unit title before construction is complete, ensure that the survey you submit as part of your application reflects what is being constructed on the block.

You should let us know if you do not already have a compliance certificate and all relevant Certificates of Occupancy or Use in respect of the units constructed on the land.

To help the processing of your application you should:

• apply for unit title after the construction of the building is substantially complete (survey should reflect what is built);
• contact the Department of Territory and Municipal Services early to ensure that you meet their requirements for driveways and verge works; and
• note that approval of the units plan cannot be given if any part of the building encroaches over the lease boundary.

Get help

You should contact us before you finalise your design, submit your application or begin building if you:

• are developing leased land and intend to unit title that land;
• want to unit title existing buildings on leased land; or
• want to stage development so that completed units can be sold while others are built.