1 What this means
Most Māori land decisions rely on Court records: who the owners are, what orders have been made, and whether a trust manages the land. Gathering what you already have, and identifying what is missing, saves time and cost later.
2 What still needs checking
- Block name(s) and any block or title references
- Succession orders, trust orders and other Court orders
- Your share figures (check them on Pātaka Whenua)
- Death certificates and whakapapa information, if succession is involved
- Letters, minutes and notes from trustees or meetings of owners
- Any lease, Licence to Occupy or occupation order documents
3 What you can do next
List what you have and what is missing. The Court can search its records for you — Form 19 is the search application.
Forms & templates for this
- Form 19 — Application for searchAsks the Court to search its records — for example for land interests held by a person. Open Form 19 — Application for search Download Form 19 — Application for search
- Form 1 — General applicationThe general application, for Court matters that don’t have their own dedicated form. Open Form 1 — General application Download Form 1 — General application
Check the latest version on the Māori Land Court website before filing. Templates are starting points, not official Court forms.
Official sources
Last reviewed 13 November 2026. General guidance only — not legal, financial or building advice. Court, lending and building decisions remain with the relevant decision makers.
