About Digital Survey Plans Reform
NSW is on a journey to implement a fully digital survey plan process. The reform supports surveyors and the broader land development industry by modernising the preparation, lodgment, review and registration of plans – all with a common driver, to support an efficient digital property pipeline that reduces cost overheads for delivering new property in NSW.
Benefits that this reform will deliver back to industry include:
- Minimising manual entry and errors that lead to requisitions, by allowing documents to be prepopulated and validated prior to plan lodgment,
- Enabling collaboration between stakeholders, by providing a common digital platform that can be used throughout the plan preparation stage,
- A more efficient and accurate digital plan examination process leading to reduced registration timeframes,
- Re-usable digital data for future users, allowing access to plan information in a form that suits their needs.
There are several interconnected components of the reform, each of which will provide user benefits and opportunities as they are rolled out.
Over the next two years, we are focusing on minimising errors and improving the quality of plans. This means NSW will have 100% of plans lodged electronically, will be using digital forms to create the plan administration sheet and section 88B instruments, and that digital data will accompany the plan.
These reforms will be implemented by staged mandates aimed to transition industry through the change.
1. 100% online lodgment of plans
Commenced - 1 July 2025
All plans must now be lodged and relodged for registration online via LRS Connect. LRS no longer accepts over-the-counter “paper” plans for lodgment.
What this means for surveyors and lodging parities:
- Lodgers need an LRS Connect account
- Each Plan must have a workspace created, and a Pre allocated Plan Number (PPN)
- Plans and supporting documents are lodged by uploading via LRS Connect.
2. All plan administration sheets and section 88B instruments are created using Online Form Builder
Commenced - 1 July 2026
Soon, it will be mandatory for all plan administration sheets and section 88B instruments to be created using the Online Form Builder in LRS Connect. Forms prepared offline (using interactive PDF or MS Word) will not be accepted for lodgment.
Using the Online Form Builder reduces errors, reduces the likelihood of requisitions, saving time in the examination process.
What this means for users preparing plan administration sheets and section 88B instrument:
- Plan information is entered using the Online Form Builder on LRS Connect.
- Information is prepopulated from the workspace.
- Built in validation features check for completeness and accuracy.
- Registered surveyors can apply electronic signatures within the platform.
- PDFs, in the approved forms, are automatically generated from the system – no need for separate templates.
What this means for lawyers and licenced conveyancers preparing s88B instruments:
- Lawyers and licenced conveyancers can collaborate with surveying professionals via LRS Connect.
- Prefilled and validated information is consistent across the administration sheet or Part 1 of the s88B instrument.
- Upload functionality can be used to provide the final set of terms for a s88B instrument.
After the mandates are implemented, NSW LRS will continue to enhance its systems and work closely with industry partners, with the ongoing goal of delivering a fully digital Land Title.
3. Deposited Plans lodged in pdf will be accompanied by a digital Plan file (LandXML) Progressive rollout -
Coming soon - late 2026/early 2027
Eventually, it will be mandatory to submit a digital plan file when lodging a plan for registration. This mandate will be rolled out progressively, beginning with a requirement for digital plan data to contain new lots, roads, and survey connections, and then progressing to also contain any survey marks.
What this means for surveyors preparing Plans:
- A LandXML file can be created either:
- directly from your existing CAD or survey software if it has the ability to do so, or
- by using the Digital Plan Builder in LRS Connect to translate a CAD file into LandXML, and validate this file prior to file drafting.
- In-built validation tools can be used to check for errors before drafting the plan, and then again prior to plan lodgment.
- The LandXML file is to be uploaded alongside the plan PDF in LRS Connect.
- Pre-lodgment validation checks will reduce requisitions, leading to faster processing.
Roadmap
We are working closely with industry and government stakeholders to implement these mandates in a way that ensures smooth adoption, reduces disruption, and delivers benefits at every stage. The mandates are subject to prerequisites that must be adopted and endorsed by the ORG and industry groups.
NSW LRS Connect
Online plan lodgment can be completed through NSW LRS Connect. For more information visit the NSW Land Registry Services website or call 02 8776 3575 or 1300 396 076 - regional callers.
Further Information
If you would like to see any previous publications in relation to the Digital Survey Plans reform please visit our Digital Survey Plans Publications page.
Feedback
Please direct any questions or feedback to the Digital Survey Plans Program.