Hong Kong Land Registry reports surging income, advances title registration
Hong Kong's Land Registry recorded HK$44.37 million in income and HK$7.14 million in profit for 2025-26, driven by document filings and fee adjustments. The office is preparing to implement a title registration system on new land by early 2027 and exploring AI for title conversion.
Hong Kong's Land Registry has reported a sharp rise in income and profit for the 2025-26 financial year, driven by increased document submissions and fee adjustments. According to the registry's annual report released on 28 October, income rose 11.1 per cent to HK$44.37 million, while profit surged 580.8 per cent to HK$7.14 million. The return on fixed assets turned positive at 3.7 per cent, compared with a negative 12.3 per cent the previous year.
Land Registry Director Luk Ka-kin attributed the improvements to a higher volume of documents lodged and fee increases for registration services introduced from July 2025. He said the office continued to strengthen cost control through efficiency measures and workflow simplification.
Major progress has been made in implementing a title registration system on new land. After the Legislative Council passed the Land Titles and Registration (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill in September 2025, the government submitted subsidiary legislation on 21 October. Public and industry education campaigns are being planned, with the target of launching title registration on new land by the first half of 2027.
For converting existing land to the title system, the registry has begun an internal study. Through sampling, it is assessing the scope and types of title issues in 3 million existing land registers to develop a feasible conversion plan. The government briefed the Legislative Council's Development Committee in July on preliminary findings and initial views on conversion. The aim is to formulate a conversion scheme after the new-land regime is in place, drawing on experience gained.
In line with the government's push to use artificial intelligence and digital technology for public services, the registry collaborated with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Digital Policy Office in January to expand an application programming interface for financial institutions to include a property search service. The registry has also launched a proof-of-concept study using AI to examine title chains in the 3 million existing registers, which could facilitate conversion from the current deed system. A new electronic system for lodging registration applications is being developed to support online submissions under the 2027 title registration regime.
The annual report was tabled in the Legislative Council on 28 October and is available on the Land Registry's website.
