This form is used to remove a deceased co-owner's name from a property title where the co-owners were joint tenants. When one joint tenant dies, the surviving owner needs to update the register to reflect that they are now the sole proprietor.
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The DJP is the official land registry form used to apply to remove the name of a deceased joint proprietor from the title register of a property in England and Wales. Its full title is “Application to remove from the register the name of a deceased joint proprietor” and it is one of the simpler applications to make, provided you understand when it applies.
When two people own a property as joint tenants and one of them dies, the legal estate automatically passes to the survivor under the right of survivorship. This happens by operation of law — no deed or transfer is needed. However, the deceased’s name still appears on the title register until someone applies to have it removed. This land registry form DJP application is that removal process.
Crucially, this is only for joint tenants. It cannot be used for tenants in common. This distinction matters enormously and is covered below. Many people submit the wrong application as a result.
✅ No fee payable. This application is completely free. HM Land Registry charges no fee for this land registry form DJP application. The form itself is free to download and the application costs nothing to submit.
This is the single most important thing to understand before completing the DJP form. The form can only be used for joint tenancies. If the co-owners held as tenants in common, a completely different process applies and submitting a DJP will result in the application being rejected.
Joint tenants own the whole property together with no separate shares. On death, the survivor automatically inherits the deceased’s interest by right of survivorship. No grant of probate is needed to pass the legal estate. The register is updated to reflect the survivor as sole owner using this form.
Signs of joint tenancy: No Form A restriction on the register. Both owners have equal and undivided interests. The register typically shows both names without mention of separate shares.
Tenants in common each own a defined share of the property. On death, that share passes under the deceased’s will or the rules of intestacy. It does not automatically pass to the surviving co-owner. A grant of probate and an assent (AS1 form) or transfer (TR1) is needed to deal with the deceased’s share.
Signs of tenancy in common: A Form A restriction appears on the register. The register may refer to separate shares. The co-owners may have signed a Declaration of Trust setting out their individual interests.
If you are unsure how your property is held, check the title register using the HM Land Registry portal at GOV.UK. If a Form A restriction appears in the proprietorship register, the property is almost certainly held by tenants in common and a different process applies. In that case, seek legal advice before proceeding.
DJP is only for surviving registered proprietors. The form states clearly that it is only to be used where there are remaining or surviving registered proprietors. If the deceased was the sole registered proprietor, or if both owners have died, a DJP cannot be used. In those situations the estate will need to be administered using different forms and possibly a grant of probate.
The right of survivorship is the legal principle that makes joint tenancy function as it does. When joint tenants own a property, neither of them owns a separate share. They both own the whole together. When one dies, there is no separate share to pass under their will or the intestacy rules. The other joint tenant simply continues to own the whole property as before, now as the sole owner.
This has a practical consequence that sometimes surprises surviving owners. Even if the deceased made a will leaving their share of the property to someone other than the surviving joint tenant, that gift cannot take effect. The right of survivorship overrides the will as far as jointly tenanted property is concerned. The surviving joint tenant inherits regardless of what the will says.
This application gives legal effect to that at HM Land Registry. It is not creating a transfer of ownership. It is simply recording in the register what has already happened by operation of law. This is why no fee is charged. No deed is needed. Only evidence of the death is required.
The form has nine panels. It is written in plain English and designed to be completed without a solicitor if necessary. Work through each panel in order and make sure Panels 2 and 7 match what appears on the title register exactly before signing.
Enter the name of the local authority for the property’s area. Where more than one authority serves the area, enter the one to which council tax or business rates are normally paid. You can check your council tax demand notice to confirm the correct authority.
Enter the title number of the property. You can find this by searching for “property information” on GOV.UK using the property’s address. It is also shown on any correspondence from HM Land Registry or on documents from when the property was purchased. If the property covers more than one registered title, list all the relevant title numbers.
Enter the full address of the property including the postcode. If the property does not have a postal address — for example it is a piece of land — add a description instead, such as “land adjoining 2 High Street”. Use the address as it appears on the register.
Choose one of three options to confirm the death of the joint proprietor. Option A is an official copy of the death certificate or a certified copy. Option B is an official copy of probate or letters of administration, or a certified copy. Option C is available to conveyancers only — they can certify the death details or confirm they hold the relevant documentation. Most private individuals will use Option A. Any documents you send will be scanned and may be destroyed by HM Land Registry, so keep originals and send certified copies. Where any documents are in a foreign language, a certified translation must also be sent.
Enter the full name of the surviving joint proprietor or proprietors making the application. Where a conveyancer is submitting the application, this must be the client’s name, not the conveyancer’s name. Where there are multiple surviving proprietors, all their names should be included.
Enter the name and address of the person or firm sending the application. This panel must always be completed. HM Land Registry will return documents to this address when the application is complete and will use it to contact you if they need further information. Include an email address if possible. Conveyancers should also add their key number and reference. Without a name and address in Panel 6, the application cannot be processed.
Non-conveyancers complete Section A and then Section C. Conveyancers complete Section B and then Section C. Section C is the operative part — you name the person whose name is to be removed from the register, state the date they died and the place of death. The name must be given exactly as it appears on the title register. The date and place of death come from the death certificate.
Only complete this panel if the name or address shown on the death certificate, probate or letters of administration is different from the details shown on the title register. This happens when the deceased used a different version of their name on the title — for example their maiden name, a shortened first name, or a name before a deed poll change. In Panel 8 you certify that the person named in the evidence of death is the same person as shown on the title register.
All applicants named in Panel 5 must sign here. If a conveyancer is acting, the conveyancer signs on behalf of the applicants. Add the date alongside the signature. The application cannot be processed without a valid signature. Do not use an electronic signature.
✅ Practical tip: Download the DJP form template PDF from the button above and type all entries before printing. Before you start, obtain an official copy of the register (OC1) from GOV.UK so you have the exact title number, the deceased’s name as it appears on the register, and can confirm that no Form A restriction is present. Having all of this to hand makes the form straightforward to complete.
Where to send the DJP form — and how — is a question searched thousands of times each year. The answer depends on how you are submitting. Helpfully the answer is printed directly on the form itself. The address depends on whether you are a private individual or a conveyancer. The form itself prints the correct addresses for both, making this one of the clearest submission instructions of any HM Land Registry application form.
📬 Private Individual Postal Address
Send the completed application and your evidence of death to this address. Use recorded or tracked post. Keep copies of everything — HM Land Registry may destroy documents after scanning.
Conveyancers can submit the DJP application electronically via e-DRS (HM Land Registry’s electronic document registration service). Alternatively they can send by post to their customer team’s office or their closest HM Land Registry office, addressing the envelope to that office name at PO Box 7803, Bilston, WV1 9QN, or via DX 427301 Bilston 3.
ℹ️ Processing time. DJP applications are generally processed within 2 to 4 months at current HM Land Registry turnaround times. The application is straightforward so delays are usually caused by missing or unclear evidence rather than the complexity of the application itself. Make sure the evidence of death you send clearly shows the deceased’s full name as it appears on the register
Two forms are commonly used when a co-owner of a property dies. Understanding which one applies to your situation avoids submitting the wrong application.
|
Feature |
DJP Form |
AS1 Form |
|
Ownership type |
Joint tenants only |
Tenants in common (typically) |
|
What it does |
Removes deceased’s name from register |
Passes deceased’s share to a beneficiary |
|
Requires probate |
No — death certificate sufficient in most cases |
Yes — probate or letters of administration needed |
|
Deed required |
No deed needed |
AS1 assent deed must be executed |
|
Who applies |
The surviving joint proprietor |
The personal representative of the deceased |
|
Fee |
No fee |
Registration fee based on property value |
|
Complexity |
Straightforward — suitable to do without a solicitor |
More complex — professional advice recommended |
There is no registration fee for this application. Unlike most HM Land Registry submissions, removing a deceased joint proprietor from the register is completely free of charge. The only costs you might incur are professional fees if you choose to use a solicitor, and the cost of obtaining certified copies of the death certificate if you do not already have them.
Processing times at HM Land Registry are currently running at approximately 2 to 4 months for this type of application. The application is treated as routine and is straightforward to process once the correct evidence of death has been supplied. Applications that are held up are almost always delayed because the name on the death certificate does not match the register, or because the evidence of death was not enclosed. Submitting a complete and accurate application at the outset is the best way to avoid delays.
You can download it free from this page using the button above. This is also one of the most common searches people make: where do I get a DJP form from? The answer is GOV.UK or directly from this page. No account or registration is needed. Download the current version immediately before use to make sure it is the latest edition.
No. This form is only for joint tenants. If the property was held as tenants in common, you need to go through the probate process and use an AS1 assent form instead. A Form A restriction on the register almost always means tenants in common.
No. The form is designed to be completed by a private individual without legal help. It uses plain English throughout and most people manage without a solicitor. If the name on the death certificate differs from the register, or if you are unsure whether the property was held as joint tenants, it is worth getting brief advice before submitting.
HM Land Registry removes the deceased’s name from the title register. The surviving owner’s name remains as the sole registered proprietor. HM Land Registry will return your documents and issue a title information document confirming the updated register to the address given in Panel 6. The property can then be sold, remortgaged or otherwise dealt with by the surviving owner alone.
Complete Panel 8. This panel allows you to certify that the person named in the evidence of death is the same person shown on the register, despite the discrepancy. You should also include any documents that help explain the difference, such as a marriage certificate if the register shows a married name but the death certificate uses a maiden name.
Yes. Where three or more people held a property as joint tenants and one dies, the survivors apply to remove the deceased’s name. The remaining joint proprietors continue to hold the property between them as joint tenants unless they subsequently sever the tenancy.
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