Paper titles are physical paper or digital documents stored in a land titles office that officially record information about a property, including ownership and interests of other parties. In contrast, duplicate titles are copies of the original title, either created simultaneously with the original or later, reflecting the same information as the original.
Given the fact that duplicate titles, which are in the owners’ possession, cannot be kept up-to-date by land titles, the duplicate title will not always stay identical to the original title. The reason for this lies in the fact that land titles will accept for registration a number of documents, including caveats, judgments and builders’ liens without requiring the production or presentation of the duplicate title. As a result these instruments will be shown on the original title and not on the duplicate title. Accordingly, a duplicate title can only be trusted to be current as of the date on which it was created.
It is very important to be aware that duplicate titles are valuable documents, documents that must be kept in a safe place. To begin with, land titles will not allow a transfer or a mortgage to be registered in land title unless either we have the duplicate title in our files or it is submitted by the client with the transfer or the mortgage. Given the manner in which land titles treats duplicate titles, certain lending institutions will lend monies to clients, holding only the duplicate title as security.
In response to the many and often considerable complications arising from the loss or destruction of duplicate titles, land titles no longer issues duplicate titles.