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Frequently Asked Questions

Deed and Probate FAQs | Land Registry FAQs | Civil Registry FAQs

Deed and Probate FAQs

QWhere is the Deeds and Probate Registry situated?
AThe Deeds and Probate Registry is situated in the Registries Building, Deemster's Walk, Bucks Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3AR.
QDuring what time is the Deeds and Probate Registry open to the public?
AThe Deeds and Probate Registry is open from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am and 5.00pm, but is closed to the public between 1pm and 2pm each day.
QHow can I contact the Deeds and Probate Registry?
A

You can contact the Deeds and Probate Registry by any of the following methods:

Deeds and Probate Registry
Telephone:+ +44 (0) 1624 685250
Fax:+ +44 (0) 1624 685296
Email Address: deeds@registry.gov.im
QWhat documents are held in the Deeds and Probate Registry?
A

All deeds recorded from 1911, and all Grants of Probate from 1940, to the present day.

All deeds and Grants of Probate recorded prior to 1911 are housed in the Manx Museum.

Grants of Probate from 1912 to 1939 (inclusive) are housed at the Isle of Man Public Record Office.

QAre the documents held in the Deeds and Probate Registry indexed and available for public inspection?
AAll deeds and Grants of Probate that are housed are available to the public to view on payment of the prescribed fee. Access to the information is via name based indexes. Please note that an address based search is not possible.
QWhen viewing deeds, will staff be able to confirm whether my interpretation of the deeds is correct?
ANo, the Registry staff are prohibited from giving legal advice or opinions about the contents of any documents.
QCan I receive a copy of a person's Will?
AProviding the person has died and a probate application, enclosing the Will, has been processed the Registry staff will be able to provide a copy of the Will on payment of the prescribed fee.
QI would like a copy of the deeds to a property but I only know the property's address. Can I get a copy?
AThe Registry staff can not trace information using an address alone as all the information is held on name based indices. You will need to provide the name of a current or previous owner.
QHow do I find out who owns a dwelling / property?
AThe Government Rates Department (Tel: +44 (0) 1624 685661) holds details of the owner(s) / occupier(s) of all properties with a rateable value.
QWhat if the property is derelict and does not have a rateable value or just appears to be an abandoned piece of land?
AEnquiries can be made to the Planning Department at the Department of Local Government and the Environment to see whether any planning applications have been submitted on the said land from which one may obtain a name. Other avenues of inquiry include local knowledge or by establishing a historical owner from the Woods Atlas which is held in the Deeds Registry. For agricultural land one can also make enquiries to the Department of Agriculture as farmers are required to file annual returns.
QWill the deeds relating to my property show exactly where the boundaries lie and who owns them?
ANo, the deeds may contain a description of the extent of land purchased but will not provide conclusive evidence of either where the exact boundaries lie or who owns them.
QI have a dispute with my neighbour over where the boundary lies. Can you tell me who is right?
ANo, the Registry staff are not permitted to give legal advice and are prohibited from giving opinions about the contents of any documents presented to them.
QCan I find out where Public Footpaths / Rights of Way are?
AThe Deeds Registry holds a copy of the Public Footpaths / Rights of Way Definitive maps for customers to view, free of charge, upon request. If further information is required, the Department of Transport holds details of each Public Footpath and Right of Way.
QHow do I go about changing the names on the deeds to my property?
AAs original deeds can not be altered a new deed will have to be registered. Unless you have the necessary legal knowledge to prepare a deed, you will have to contact an advocate.
QMy partner has just died and our property was in joint names on the deeds. Do I need to do anything?
AThe Registry Staff are unable to offer legal advice and would therefore suggest that you seek appropriate advice.
QHow do I go about making an application for probate?
AAll probate enquiries and applications should be addressed to the Administration Division of the General Registry. Although the Deeds and Probate Registry is responsible for the safe-keeping of probates once they have been administered, they do not deal with the actual applications.
QHow do I go about changing my name or my child's name?
AYou should seek appropriate legal advice.

Land Registry FAQs

QWhere is the Land Registry situated ?
AThe Registries Building, Deemster's Walk, Bucks Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3AR.
QDuring what time is the Land Registry open to the public ?
AMonday to Friday between the hours of 9am and 5.00pm, but is closed to the public between 1pm and 2pm each day.
QWhat information is held in the Land Registry ?
AWhen land is registered information about that land is kept in the Title Register. This includes the address and description of the land, ownership details, information relating to appurtenant rights and burdens on the land and any charges affecting the land.
QIs the information held in the Land Registry available for public inspection?
AYes. Access to the information is via the digital index map. Certain brief information is available at no cost. However, further detailed information is only available on payment of a prescribed fee.
QCan I receive a copy of a registration?
AAn office copy of the registered title is available on payment of the prescribed fee.
QHow do I find out who owns a property ?
AOnce a property is registered the details of ownership will be added to the database, it will then be possible to identify the ownership details by the address, Title number, National Grid Co-ordinates, Application number or Property Reference. If the land is unregistered then the search would need to be made in the Deeds and Probate Registry and can only be made by establishing an owner's name, whether current or historical. This can be done by contacting the Government Rates Department (Tel: 685661). The Rates Department holds details of owner(s)/occupier(s) of all properties with a rateable value, and some agricultural land.
QWhat if the property is derelict and does not have a rateable value or just appears to be an abandoned piece of land?
AEnquiries can be made to the Planning Department at the Department of Local Government and the Environment to see whether any planning applications have been submitted on the said land from which one may obtain a name. Other avenues of inquiry include local knowledge or by establishing a historical owner from the Woods Atlas which is held in the Deeds and Probate Registry. For agricultural land one can also make enquiries to the Department of Agriculture as farmers are required to file annual returns.
QWhere can I go to establish my own property's boundaries?
AIf the land is registered the filed plan will show the legal boundaries of the property. The Title Register is not conclusive as to boundaries or extents of the land.
QI have a dispute with my neighbour over where the boundary lies. Can you tell me who is right ?
ANo, the Registry staff are not permitted to give legal advice and are prohibited from giving opinions about the contents of any documents presented to them.
QCan I find out where Public Footpaths / Rights of Way are ?
A
  1. The Deeds and Probate Registry holds a copy of the Public Footpaths / Rights of Way Definitive maps for customers to view, free of charge, upon request. If further information is required, the Department of Transport holds details of each Public Footpath and Right of Way.
QHow long does land/property have to be maintained/occupied before it can be claimed by possession?
A21 years.
QHow do I go about changing the names on the title to my property if registered?
AYou should seek legal advice as to the appropriate application to be made to the Land Registry.
QMy partner has just died and our property was registered in joint names on the title. Do I need to do anything?
AThe Registry Staff are unable to offer legal advice and would therefore suggest that you seek appropriate advice.
QWhat land is owned by the Government?
AA list of Government owned properties and the deed reference relating to the original conveyance has been compiled by the Attorney General's Chambers, a copy of which is held in the Deeds and Probate Registry. Some Government owned property is registered and can be viewed on the digital map.
QWhere does the ownership of rivers end?
AThe deeds pertaining to the land should identify whether the boundary follows the river bank, includes or excludes the river, or whether the boundary is taken to run down the centre of the riverbed.
QAt what point does the public highway become private (pavement to hedge)?
AAny hedge, fence or wall is built wholly on the landowners property (unless otherwise stipulated in the deeds), therefore, usually, the public highway extends up to the roadside face of that hedge, fence or wall.
QWho maintains the alley/lane behind/alongside my property?
AIf the alley, lane or road has been adopted by the Department of Transport or the Local Authority then they will have responsibility for the maintenance of it. If it has not been adopted then the responsibility of maintenance may be referred to in the deeds of the property. The Registry Staff are unable to offer legal advice and would therefore suggest that you seek appropriate advice.

Civil Registry FAQs

QWhat are the registration districts in the Isle of Man?
A

DOUGLAS - Includes the Parishes of Marown, Lonan, Onchan and Braddan and the Town of Douglas.

contact the Douglas office

CASTLETOWN - Includes the Parishes of Santon, Malew, Arbory and Rushen and the Town of Castletown.

contact the office

RAMSEY - Includes the Parishes of Jurby, Andreas, Bride, Lezayre and Maughold and the Town of Ramsey. contact the office

PEEL - Includes the Parishes of Patrick, German, Michael and Ballaugh and the Town of Peel. contact the office

QHow can I get a copy of my birth certificate?
A

Providing you were born on the Isle of Man, you can obtain a copy of your birth certificate, on payment of the prescribed fee (LINK), by either calling into the Douglas Registry Office or by making a request in writing. Please do not send cash through the post. All cheques should be payable to "Isle of Man Government" and crossed "Account Payee Only".

QHow can I register a birth if the parents are not married?
A

A non-marital birth must be registered in one of the following ways:-

  1. On the information of the mother alone. Only the details of the mother can be entered in the register. A line will be drawn through the spaces in the register for the details of the father.
  2. On the joint information of the mother and the father of the child. Both the parents must attend the office together and give the information required by the Registrar. The details of the father will be recorded and the register signed by the father and the mother.
  3. The mother can produce a statutory declaration signed by the father in the presence of a Commissioner for Oaths. The details of the father will be recorded and the register will be signed by the mother and a note of the statutory declaration made.
  4. The father can produce a statutory declaration signed by the mother in the presence of a Commissioner for Oaths. The details of the father will be recorded and the register will be signed by the father and a note of the statutory declaration made.
  5. The courts can issue, to either parent, an Order naming a person as the father of a child. This should be presented to the Registrar to include details of the father in the register. The register will be signed by the informing parent and details of the Court Order made.
  6. On the information of the occupier of the house, or place in which the birth occurred, or by someone who was present at the birth.
  7. A non-marital birth can be registered by the father alone in the capacity of a person in f. above, but his details cannot be added as father of the child.

If the mother and father of a non-marital child marry each other after the birth but before the birth is registered, the registration should be on the joint information of both parents as described in b. above. The mother's surname at the time of the birth and her new married surname will be registered. Steps may then be taken to re-register the birth.

QHow long do I have to register a birth and what details will the Registrar require?
A

The birth must be registered within 42 days from the date of the birth, at the appropriate district

office. However, if they wish, the parents can register a birth by making a declaration at the office nearest to their residence.

The Registrar requires:

  • the date and place of birth,
  • full names and surname of the child,
  • full names and surnames of the parents, including the maiden name and any other surnames of the mother,
  • place of birth of both parents, (Country if not the Isle of Man),
  • the occupations of both parents and the parents' address.
QI am not married to the father of the child, can I register the birth alone?
A

If the parents are not married to each other, both need to attend the office together to sign the register if

they wish the father's details to be entered in the register. There are facilities where either parent can attend alone but he or she must produce a statutory declaration made by the other parent, or either parent can produce a Court Order stating the other person to be mother or father of the child. Parents should bring proof of identity with them. Passports, driving licences or birth certificates for both parents are acceptable as proof.

QThe parents of a child born in the Isle of Man have married since the birth, what should they do?
A

If the mother and father of a non-marital child marry each other, the marriage may legitimise the child in

terms of the Legitimacy Acts provided the birth is re-registered. Both parents must do this and they should consider doing it as soon as possible after their marriage to avoid the difficulty which may prevent re-registration at a later date if one of the parents dies or cannot be traced.

On re-registration, a new entry is made in the register similar in form to a marital birth. Details will be taken from this entry for new birth certificates issued from thereon. Thus, birth certificates issued after re-registration do not reveal that the child's birth was non-marital.

QThe father was not named on the birth entry and is now willing to be named. What can the parents do?
A

A birth may also be re-registered if the father's details have not been entered at the time of registration and

the parents wish it to be added at a later date, even if they have not married. The birth may also be re-registered to add the fathers' details on production of a Court Order. Either parent can apply to the Registrar for the declaration forms and the Chief Registrar or Assistant Chief Registrar will consider the application and authorise the re-registration.

QWhy must a death be registered?
A

The registration of deaths provides three principal functions:

  • it enables evidence of a death to be provided when necessary, for example, for insurance or pension purposes or, for a widow or widower, as evidence of freedom to re-marry;
  • it is part of the system which ensures that certain deaths are properly investigated prior to burial or cremation;
  • it provides statistics on the numbers of deaths by cause, age and sex which are used for medical research, for compiling population estimates and for determining trends in mortality.

A death must normally be registered within five days unless the Coroner is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.

QWho must register the death?
A

One of the following persons has a legal obligation to register the death

  • A relative of the deceased
  • A person present at the death
  • A person arranging the funeral (not the undertaker)
  • In certain circumstances others, such as the administrator of an elderly persons home
QWhat details do I need to provide to the Registrar when registering a death?
A

The details that the Registrar would need are:

  • Full legal name and surname of deceased (plus any other names or details of names changed by deed poll etc.)
  • Maiden name if applicable
  • If the person who has died was a married woman or widow, the full names and occupation of her husband
  • Date and place of birth (country if not Isle of Man)
  • Occupation and usual address
QDo I need to bring any documents with me when registering a death?
A

The informant needs to bring a certificate of cause of death which would be given to them by the doctor or

hospital ward. It is also useful to have either a birth certificate, passport or medical card as this will verify the deceased person's legal name and date of birth.

QHow do I register a still-birth?
A

A certificate of still-birth will be issued to the parent by the doctor or midwife. You should

then contact the Douglas office and an appointment will be made for a Registrar to attend to the registration at your home or a mutually agreed place.

QWe live in the UK - can we get married in the Isle of Man?
A

Yes, if one of the parties getting married takes up residence in the district that the marriage is to take place

in for a full 15 days prior to giving notice of marriage. 3 working days must elapse for the notice to be open to the public (by licence) and then the marriage can take place within 3 months. Once notice has been given you can resume residence in your home town.

The Registration of Births, Deaths & Marriages (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations

QI would like a Church of England wedding ceremony. What do I need to do?
A

You should contact the Church of England Registrar on +44 (0) 1624 661211.

QIf other than a Church of England ceremony, what would I need to do?
A

There are various different requirements depending on individuals circumstances. Please contact the Civil Registry for advice.

Q I live in the Isle of Man but I want to get married abroad. What, if anything, do I need to do?
A

It will depend on where you are marrying, and advice should be sought from the Consul or Authority where

the marriage is to take place. They may require a ‘Certificate of No Impediment' which states that you have not been through any form of marriage on the Isle of Man since:

  • your 16th birthday
  • the date you took up residence in the Isle of Man
  • the date your last marriage ended either in divorce or the death of a late spouse
  • any periods of residence on the Island

Sometimes you can give notice of marriage and the Isle of Man Registrar can issue a certificate for the marriage. This implies that if the marriage were to take place on the Isle of Man there had been no objections. You should check with the authorities of the country where the marriage is to take place if this is acceptable.

QWhere are all the non-conformist churches on the Isle of Man?
A

METHODIST CHURCHES

Agneash, Onchan, Baldrine, Laxey, Pulrose, Promenade, Union Mills, Willaston, Trinity, Abbeylands, Newtown, Castletown, Ballabeg, Colby, Ballagarey, Ballafesson, Port Erin, Howe, Mount Tabor, Kerrowkeil, Bride, Ramsey, Sulby, Barregarrow, Peel, St Johns, Crosby

INDEPENDENT METHODIST

Ramsey

ROMAN CATHOLIC

St Mary's of the Isle, Douglas; St Anthony's, Onchan; St Joseph's, Willaston; St Maughold, Ramsey; St Patrick's, Peel; St Columbas, Port Erin; St Mary's, Castletown.

GREATER WORLD SPIRITUALIST CHURCH

UNITED REFORMED CHURCH

Douglas, Ramsey

BAPTIST

Broadway, Onchan, Peel, Port St Mary, Port Erin Evangelical.

UNDENOMINATIONS PROTESTANT

Bethel, Latter Day Saints; Salvation Army; Jehovah's Witnesses, Living Waters Community Church, Port Erin Gospel, Elim Pentecostal.

The Douglas Registrar can give you contact names and telephone numbers.

QMy fiancee and I are cousins. Are we allowed to marry on the Isle of Man?
A

Yes, cousins are not on the list of Isle of Man prohibited degrees of relationship. However, if either

of the parties to a marriage in the Isle of Man has a foreign domicile, the marriage, if performed in accordance with the requirements of Manx law, may not be valid in the country of his/her domicile unless the legal requirements of that country are complied with.

QWhat are the prohibited degrees of relationship?
A
A Man May Not Marry His: A Woman May Not Marry Her:
Mother Father
Adoptive mother or former Adoptive father or former
adoptive mother adoptive father
Daughter Son
Adoptive daughter or former Adoptive son or former
adoptive daughter adoptive son
Father's mother Father's father
Mother's mother Mother's father
Son's daughter Son's son
Daughter's daughter Daughter's son
Sister Brother
Wife's mother Husband's father
Wife's daughter Husband's son
Father's wife Mother's husband
Son's wife Daughter's husband
Father's father's wife Father's mother's husband
Mother's father's wife Mother's mother's husband
Wife's father's mother Husband's father's father
Wife's mother's mother Husband's mother's father
Wife's son's daughter Husband's son's son
Wife's daughter's daughter Husband's daughter's son
Son's son's wife Son's daughter's husband
Daughter's son's wife Daughter's daughter's husband
Father's sister Father's brother
Mother's sister Mother's brother
Brother's daughter Brother's son
Sister's daughter Sister's son
QMy parents have their Golden Wedding Anniversary coming up. Can I order a special certificate?
A

The Civil Registry can produce special commemorative certificates, on payment of the prescribed fee

, for Silver, Ruby, Golden or Diamond Wedding Anniversaries or for 80th 90th or 100th birthday celebrations if the event was on the Isle of Man.

If UK Tel: +44 (0) 151 471 4256

Telemessage from HM the Queen for 100th birthdays, and 60th 65th 70th wedding anniversaries.

Tel: +44 (0) 151 471 4400

Letter from Isle of Man Lt. Governor. Contact cso@gov.im

QI was adopted on the Isle of Man and I need a birth certificate for a Passport application. Where do I get it from?
A

If a person was adopted the copy of the adopted children's register becomes their birth certificate and

should be produced for official purposes. A copy of the original birth entry can only be given for the adopted person's information only.

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