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Land Registry

RX1 form: applying for a restriction

The form that stops a property being sold or mortgaged without your consent or notice. Right wording, right evidence, lodged for one fixed fee.

HM Land Registry publishes the current form on GOV.UK. Send us a question about it and we reply by email.

Form RX1 is the HM Land Registry application to enter a restriction on a registered title, so that no sale or mortgage can be registered unless the restriction's condition is met. Property Law Online chooses the right standard form of restriction, assembles the evidence of your interest, and lodges the application in England and Wales.

What does form RX1 ask for, panel by panel?

Form RX1 is a self-contained application: it does not need an AP1. The panels below follow the edition dated 29 August 2023; check the numbering against the form in force on the date you lodge. HM Land Registry Practice Guide 19 (notices, restrictions and the protection of third-party interests in the register) explains each panel and the evidence expected with it.

The restriction wording in panel 3 is the heart of the form. Schedule 4 to the Land Registration Rules 2003 sets out the standard forms: Form A, no disposition by a sole proprietor under which capital money arises unless the court authorises it; Form B, no disposition unless a trustee makes a statement of truth or their conveyancer certifies that it accords with the trust deed; Form N, no disposition without the written consent of a named person; Form L, no disposition without a certificate that specified clauses of a named deed have been complied with; and Form II, no disposition without a certificate that written notice of it was given to a named person. Every standard form is reproduced in full at section 7 of Practice Guide 19, updated 27 July 2026.

PanelWhat it asks forCommon mistakes
1, Title numberThe registered title number the restriction is to affectOne title where the property spans two; a leasehold title when the freehold is meant
2, PropertyThe address as it appears in the property registerUsing a different form of the address; an unregistered plot
3, ApplicationThe full wording of the restriction, the Schedule 4 standard form letter with the blanks completed, or the non-standard wording in fullQuoting only the form letter without completing the blanks; bespoke wording where a standard form fits
4, ApplicantFull name of the person applying, and the capacity in which they applyA company without its registration number; a name that differs from the deed of trust
5, Address for serviceUp to three addresses for the applicant, at least one postalLeft blank; the property address for someone who does not live there
6, Applicant's statusWhether the applicant is the proprietor, a person entitled to be registered, a person with the proprietor's consent, or a person with a sufficient interestTicking "sufficient interest" with no evidence lodged; ticking "consent" with panel 7 unsigned
7, ConsentThe registered proprietor's signed consent, where the applicant relies on itConsent from one of two proprietors; an unsigned or undated consent
8, Entitlement to applyOn what basis you are entitled: you are the registered proprietor, you are entitled to be registered, you have the proprietor's consent, you have the consent of someone entitled to be registered, or none of those and you rely on sufficient interest, which is option E. The substance of a sufficient interest claim then goes in panel 12 as your own statement, or in panel 13 as your conveyancer's certificateTicking option E and leaving panel 12 and panel 13 blank; a one-line assertion; no documents; statement of truth wording altered
9, SignatureSignature of the applicant or their conveyancer, and the dateSigned by someone with no authority to sign for the applicant

Can I complete form RX1 myself?

You can. The form costs nothing to download, and a proprietor applying for a standard form restriction on their own title has a good chance of success without help. An RX1 is not on HM Land Registry's list of applications that require identity evidence, so you will not normally be asked for a form ID1 or ID3 just because you are applying without a conveyancer. The registry can still ask for proof of identity on any application where it considers that necessary or desirable, under rule 17 of the Land Registration Rules 2003, and it will not always say why.

Where the application relies on a sufficient interest and the owner has not agreed, the work is legal rather than clerical: proving the interest, drafting the statement of truth, choosing wording that the registrar will accept, and handling an objection. That is where an application by a person without experience can be returned, and where a wrong step can prejudice a later claim to the share itself.

Doing it yourselfWith Property Law Online
Deciding whether a restriction is the right protectionYour own researchAdvised on day one, restriction, notice, charge or HR1
Choosing the standard formReading Schedule 4 and Practice Guide 19Selected and completed for you
Evidence of your interestYou gather and present itAssembled, with the statement of truth drafted by us
Owner's consentYou ask themWe prepare the consent panel and explain what they are signing
Notice and objectionYou respond within HM Land Registry's deadlineWe respond, and advise on the tribunal route if it comes to that
CostHM Land Registry fee; your timeOne fixed fee, in writing, plus the HM Land Registry fee

Restriction or notice: which protects my interest?

A notice protects the priority of an interest, a lease, an option, an estate contract, by putting it on the register so a buyer takes subject to it. A restriction regulates the register itself: it prevents a disposition being registered unless a condition is met. Beneficial interests under a trust cannot be protected by notice at all (section 33 of the Land Registration Act 2002), which is why a share under a deed of trust is protected by a restriction.

A restriction does not secure money and does not rank as a charge. If what you are owed is a debt with a repayment date, a registered charge is the stronger protection, and a lender will want its own charge to rank ahead of your restriction in any event. If you are adding a name to the title rather than protecting a share behind it, the route is a transfer of equity.

Why does HM Land Registry reject form RX1?

  • Non-standard wording

    The registrar may refuse any restriction that is not in a Schedule 4 standard form if it is unreasonable, unworkable or unnecessary. Bespoke clauses drafted from scratch run that risk. We use a standard form wherever one fits.

  • No sufficient interest shown

    An applicant who is not the proprietor and has no consent must show a sufficient interest in the restriction being entered, supported by a statement of truth. "I paid towards the deposit" with nothing behind it is not enough; bank statements and a written agreement are.

  • Wrong form for the interest

    A spouse's right to occupy is protected by a home rights notice on HR1, not a restriction. A joint tenancy is severed on SEV. An interest that is really a debt is better secured by a charge. HM Land Registry will not convert an application; it returns it.

  • Names and details that do not match

    The restriction wording must name the person whose consent is needed exactly, with an address for service, and the proprietors named in the consent panel must match the register. A missing address for the beneficiary is a routine requisition.

When do you need form RX1?

A restriction does not give you ownership. It gives you a veto or a warning: the register cannot be changed in the way the restriction describes unless its condition, consent, notice, a certificate, a court order, is satisfied. Form RX1 is the application for any restriction other than the Form A entered on severance, which has its own form SEV. The law is in sections 40 to 47 of the Land Registration Act 2002 and the standard wordings are in Schedule 4 to the Land Registration Rules 2003.

Protecting a beneficial interest
You contributed to the price or the deposit but are not on the title. A restriction stops the owner selling or mortgaging without your consent, and a deed of trust records the share it protects.
Securing a family loan
A parent has lent money towards a purchase without a formal mortgage. A restriction requiring the lender's consent to any sale is the usual, and lighter, alternative to a registered charge.
Enforcing a deed of trust
The deed says the proceeds are split a certain way on sale. A restriction ensures no sale is registered until the trustees have certified that the deed has been complied with.
Giving effect to a court order
Family and civil courts often order that a restriction be entered, after a financial remedy order, for instance, to protect a payment due on a future sale.
Trustees, attorneys and executors
Where property is held on trust or transferred by attorneys, a restriction ensuring the trustees' consent or a certificate from a conveyancer protects the beneficiaries.
Not right for
Two owners changing from joint tenants to tenants in common. That is form SEV. A spouse or civil partner protecting their right to occupy. That is form HR1. A debt that should be secured by a mortgage, which a restriction does not do.

Which restriction do you need?

Two questions decide which form of restriction fits and whether HM Land Registry will need to serve notice on the owner.

What are you protecting?
Who is applying?

Answer both and we tell you the route.

What does our form RX1 service include?

One fixed fee covers choosing the restriction, proving your entitlement to apply, the form itself and the registration. Where the interest you want to protect has never been written down, a family loan, an informal contribution, the document that records it is quoted alongside.

  • Register check

    We obtain the title register, confirm who the registered proprietors are, and check for existing restrictions or charges that affect the wording you need.

  • Choice of restriction

    We pick the standard form from Schedule 4 to the Land Registration Rules 2003 that fits. A standard form is entered as of right; a non-standard one needs the registrar's approval and is often refused.

  • Evidence of entitlement

    Proof that you are the proprietor, have the proprietor's consent, or have a sufficient interest, the deed of trust, loan agreement, contribution evidence or court order, with the statement of truth the rules require.

  • Form RX1 completed

    Every panel filled in, including the exact restriction wording with the names and details inserted correctly, and an address for service for the person the restriction protects.

  • Lodged and tracked

    Sent to HM Land Registry with the fee, followed up with regular written updates, and any notice period or requisition dealt with by us.

  • Updated register

    The official copy showing the restriction in the proprietorship register, sent to you when the entry is made.

How is form RX1 completed and lodged?

Five stages. Choosing the right standard form is the one that decides whether the application succeeds.

  1. Interest identified

    We establish what you are protecting and whether a restriction is the right tool. A right to occupy, a debt and a beneficial share are all protected differently.

    Day 1

  2. Restriction chosen

    The standard form that fits, from Schedule 4 to the Land Registration Rules 2003, with the names and conditions completed. Non-standard wording is avoided unless nothing standard will do. Where the point is severing a joint tenancy, form SEV is used instead of an RX1 to apply for the Form A restriction.

    Days 2 to 3

  3. Evidence assembled

    Your deed of trust, loan agreement or court order; the proprietor's signed consent where they agree; a statement of truth where they do not.

    Week 1

  4. Form RX1 lodged

    Sent to HM Land Registry with the fee set by the fee order. Where the applicant is not the proprietor and has no consent, HM Land Registry serves notice on the owner and allows time to object.

    Week 1 to 2, then any notice period

  5. Restriction entered

    If no objection is made, or the objection is groundless, the entry is made and we send you the updated register.

    HM Land Registry processing, which the registry publishes by application type and which moves

How long does form RX1 take to register?

Where the proprietor applies or consents, the application is usually processed in a matter of weeks. Where notice must be served on the owner, add the objection period before the entry can be made: it ends at noon on the fifteenth working day after the notice is issued, or after the last of them where more than one goes out, under rule 92(9) of the Land Registration Rules 2003 with section 45 of the Land Registration Act 2002 (checked 19 September 2026). The restriction then takes effect from the time the application counts as made, which for an application lodged through the portal is the day it reaches the day list rather than the day the registry finishes with it.

What changes the timescale

  • Whether the proprietor applies, consents, or must be served with notice
  • Whether the wording is a standard form or needs the registrar's approval
  • How quickly the evidence of your interest can be assembled
  • Whether the owner objects, which moves the matter to the tribunal unless it settles
The stagesExample
  1. Interest identified
  2. Restriction chosen
  3. Evidence assembledIn progress
  4. Form RX1 lodged
  5. Restriction entered
An illustration of how a matter moves through these stages. We tell you when each one is done.

What does applying for a restriction cost?

Property Law Online is not yet taking instructions, so there is no fee to quote today. This section explains how the cost of this work is usually made up.

A restriction application is quoted as one fixed fee before you instruct us, in writing, with our fee shown separately from the HM Land Registry fee. Tell us what you are protecting and whether the owner agrees, and we reply by email. The HM Land Registry fee for an RX1 is a flat £20 through the HM Land Registry portal, or £40 by post, for a standard form restriction on up to three titles, and £45 per title through the HM Land Registry portal or £90 per title by post for a non-standard restriction, per the Land Registration Fee Order 2024 (in force from 9 December 2024) (checked 19 September 2026). A standard form restriction lodged with a scale fee application, such as a purchase, carries no fee of its own; a non-standard one does.

Usually covered by the professional fee

  • Register check
  • Choice of standard form restriction and completed wording
  • Evidence of entitlement and statement of truth
  • Form RX1 completed and lodged
  • Notice period, requisitions and updated register

Paid to others, passed on at cost

  • HM Land Registry fee, set by the fee order for entering a restriction. Under the Land Registration Fee Order 2024 a Form A restriction attracts no fee at all (article 10 and Schedule 4 paragraph 13); another standard form from Schedule 4 to the rules costs £20 electronically or £40 by other means for up to three titles, with no fee where it is lodged alongside a scale fee application such as the transfer; and non-standard wording costs £45 or £90 for every title, and is charged even when lodged with the transfer
  • A deed of trust or loan agreement, where the interest has not yet been written down, quoted separately
  • Representation at the First-tier Tribunal if the owner objects and the dispute does not settle, which is dispute work we refer to a litigation solicitor

What can add to it: an owner who does not consent, a non-standard restriction that needs the registrar's approval, or an interest that has to be documented before it can be protected. Each is quoted before you instruct, never afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put a restriction on someone else's property?

Only if you have a recognised interest in the land or in the restriction being entered, and you can evidence it. A deed of trust, proof of a contribution, a loan agreement or a court order. Without that, the application fails at panel 8 and the owner is entitled to object. A grievance is not an interest.

What documents do I need for form RX1?

The title number, the exact names of the registered proprietors, the document that creates your interest, deed of trust, loan agreement, court order, and, where the owner agrees, their signature on the consent panel. An RX1 is not on the Practice Guide 67 list of applications needing identity evidence, so it is not normally asked for; if the registrar asks under rule 17, an unrepresented applicant provides ID1 (with ID5 where the check was by video) (Practice Guide 67, updated 1 September 2026).

Will the property owner be told about my application?

Yes, unless you are the owner or they have signed the consent panel. HM Land Registry serves notice on the registered proprietor and gives them a period to object. If they object and the dispute cannot be resolved, it is referred to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).

Does a restriction stop the owner selling?

It stops a sale being registered until the restriction's condition is met. Your consent, a certificate, or whatever the wording requires. In practice a buyer's representative will not complete until the restriction is dealt with, so the owner has to come to you first.

What is the difference between a restriction and a charge?

A charge is security over the property for a debt: the lender can enforce it, sell and be paid from the proceeds. A restriction only controls what can be registered. It secures nothing and ranks behind every charge. If you are owed money, a charge is usually the right protection; if you own a share, a restriction is.

Can I use my own wording for the restriction?

You can apply for a non-standard restriction, but the registrar may refuse it. The test comes from section 43(3) of the Land Registration Act 2002: the registrar will approve non-standard wording only if it is reasonable, if applying it would be straightforward, and if applying it would not put the registry under an unreasonable burden. Non-standard wording also has to say "is to be completed by registration" rather than "is to be registered", must not begin "No dealing", and must not try to stop a notice being entered. It costs more too, £45 per title electronically or £90 by other means, against £20 or £40 for up to three titles on a standard form, and unlike a standard form it is still charged when lodged with the transfer. A standard form from Schedule 4 to the Land Registration Rules 2003 is entered without that scrutiny, and almost always does the job.

How do I remove a restriction later?

The person it protects can withdraw it on form RX4, or anyone can apply to cancel it on form RX3 with evidence that the interest has come to an end. A restriction in favour of a named person often falls away when that person consents to the sale it was protecting.

Related forms and services

Sources and further reading

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