Fact Sheets
Victorian Online Title System (VOTS) customer codes
Land Victoria (LV) issues a unique customer identifier known as a VOTS customer code to registered users. LV records customer details against the VOTS customer code including Name, Australian Business Number (ABN), Address, Fax and Telephone Numbers, plus the preferred document delivery method for Certificates of Title, issue receipts and other correspondence.
It is mandatory for Subscribers to hold a VOTS customer code in order to register to use EC.
The use of VOTS customer codes for electronic transactions
Electronic Conveyancing (EC) differs from the paper-based system in that the Certificate of Title is in electronic form. In EC the electronic Certificate of Title (eCT) will be held against the Subscriber's VOTS customer code on behalf of their client.
A Subscriber can choose whether the title produced following each successfully registered EC transaction is an eCT or a pCT. Should a Subscriber's client wish to retain the Certificate of Title, the Subscriber can elect that a pCT be produced and sent to the Subscriber instead of holding the eCT against their VOTS customer code. In this case, the VOTS customer code used by the Subscriber will indicate the delivery method of Certificates of Title and for the issue of receipts.
Conversion of an eCT to a pCT can be performed at any time by the Party who has the eCT Control. For more information see Fact Sheet - Working with Certificates of Title.
Requesting a new VOTS customer code
An EC applicant may already have a VOTS customer code with which they currently transact in the paper-based system. If this VOTS customer code is used in EC, an eCT will become the default format for every Certificate of Title produced using the paper lodgement method outside of EC unless the following notation requesting a pCT is included in the Order to Register section of each Instrument: "I/We hereby request that a pCT issue from this dealing."
For this reason, it is recommended that all EC applicants request a new VOTS customer code specifically for use in EC. This will also ensure that any pCTs originating from EC transactions are separated from those issued from paper lodgements.
LX can request a new VOTS customer code on your behalf when you register to become an EC Subscriber. Alternatively, you may obtain a new VOTS customer code by providing your request in writing on company letterhead and clearly stating your full address and company name along with your preferred delivery method for documents from LV.
