Water Registrar frequently asked questions

The Water Registrar records transactions on water shares, including transfers, mortgages, limited term transfers and discharges of mortgage. In addition, the Water Registrar has responsibility for the water register system and ensuring accuracy, reliability and accessibility of records.

You must firstly contact your water authority and apply to transfer your water share. Once your application is approved, your water authority will provide the seller with a pre-filled transfer form. This form must be signed by all parties and then lodged with the Water Registrar.

Consolidation and division of water shares is handled exclusively by your water authority. You can obtain explanatory notes and application forms from your water authority.

Records and information will be maintained in different parts of the register by the Water Registrar and the water authorities. Details recorded by the Water Registrar in relation to a water share include proprietorship details, water share volume (in megalitres), relevant water system and water authority, details of water share transfers or limited term transfers, mortgages and other notifications.

Water Act 1989

The Water Register became operational on 1 July 2007 for northern Victoria regulated systems, and 1 July 2008 for declared water systems in southern Victoria.

You can post your lodgment to the Water Registrar at:

Land Services Victoria
GPO Box 527
Melbourne VIC 3001

Bulk lodgment can be used by our regular customers, (in a separate batch to land), or you can lodge it by mail.

Please send your lodgment to the Water Registrar at:

Land Services Victoria
GPO Box 527
Melbourne VIC 3001

Future water allocations will continue to go to the original owner of the water share until a transfer or limited term transfer is recorded in the water register. Other transactions, like mortgages or transmission applications, may be lodged for recording as required by the parties to these transactions.

Yes, your water share transfer or limited term transfer must be lodged with the Water Registrar within 2 calendar months from the date of water corporation approval of the transfer.

If the transfer is not lodged within the 2 calendar months, the water corporation approval lapses and the Water Registrar will not record the transfer. A new transfer application would need to be lodged with the water corporation together with another application fee. The 2-month time limit applies only to transfers of water shares and limited term transfers.

If the water share transfer, or limited term transfer, has been lodged with the Water Registrar within 2 calendar months from the date of water corporation approval, then the Water Registrar has no time limit on recording the transfer.

Yes.

Yes. If your water share is encumbered by a mortgage and the mortgage is not being discharged, consent from the mortgagee will be required.

The consent must be a separate supporting document and must be lodged in conjunction with your transfer of water share or limited term transfer.

A discharge of mortgage should also be lodged before or with any transfer of a water share.

No. Stamp duty does not apply to any water register transaction.

No. A water share 'certificate' will not be issued.

When your transaction of a water share has been recorded by the Water Registrar, you will be provided with a Copy of Record – Water Share.

A form approved by the Water Registrar under the Water Act 1989.

Forms are available from Lodging in the water register.

You can obtain approved Water Registrar forms for water share transactions by visiting our lodging in the Victorian Water Register page, or from your water authority.

Transfers of water share forms and limited term transfer forms for lodging with the Water Registrar are pre-filled by water authorities and included with the letters of approval from the water authorities.

Yes, other than transfer forms and limited term transfer forms.

If you reproduce a Water Registrar form on your PC you must ensure the format, including layout, spacing, margins and information are the same as that of the approved form.

The form must be on white A4 paper of not less than 80gsm, be printed in portrait using black ink on a high-quality printer and only on one side of the page.

Carry out a search of the water register.

Yes, fees do apply. See the Victorian Water Register website for further information.

All current information, such as ownership, encumbrances, volume (in megalitres) etc. which apply to the water share being searched, will be provided on a printed water register record of a water share.