Digital plans are plans prepared using survey software and lodged electronically with NSW Land Registry Services (NSW LRS).

NSW LRS accepts plans for registration and provides access to registered plans in the LandXML format, the ICSM ratified national standard for Australia and New Zealand.
Surveyors can create LandXML files using their specialist software and NSW LRS currently offers access to over 600,000 LandXML files for registered plans in NSW.
 
Benefits of using Digital Plans

• Reduces data entry and pre-field work time through ingesting LandXML files into survey software
• Improves efficiencies, reduces errors and re-work required in the approval and registration of plans, and ensures details are accurately recorded across all key agencies.
• Enables surveyors to check their digital plans online for compliance with over twenty surveying rules, regulations, and requirements by uploading digital plan files into ePlan, the electronic plan lodgment and validation system.
• Helps avoid requisitions and re-work that commonly delay registration by verifying plans using the new digital plan validation service.
• Using digital plans in developing new plans can save surveyors time by highlighting errors and enabling certain mathematical checks to be completed automatically.
• LandXML files, when available, are free with any registered plan purchase from an authorised Information Broker.  

As more and more industry participants integrate digital plans in their practices, this increases the efficiency and accuracy benefits for all.
Digital plans: the national standard and NSW LandXML recipe
The Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping (ICSM) has endorsed LandXML as the national standard for digital lodgment of cadastral plans. The LandXML national standard accommodates all the survey geometry, administrative and titling data to process a plan from lodgment and registration through to the Digital Cadastral Database (DCDB) update.
The ICSM publication ePlan Protocol LandXML Mapping (PDF 1.25 MB) defines every element within the national LandXML schema, but not every jurisdiction uses all the elements within the schema.
Digital plans in LandXML format lodged in NSW only contain:

• the survey component of the plan currently represented on the plan drawing sheet, and
• a subset of the information contained on the administration sheet.

All the administrative information (including the subset in the LandXML), certification and signatures will remain in a PDF format Administration Sheet which must be lodged with the LandXML file as part of the lodgment bundle. In most cases, a plan drawing will also have to be lodged in conjunction with this LandXML file.
Preparing your office to produce LandXML files

LandXML has been adopted as the national standard for digital plans, however, varying elements are required in each state. To assist survey software vendors and surveyors integrate LandXML functionality within their software and practices, NSW LRS publishes the NSW LandXML Recipe. This is a subset of the national standard and specifies the elements required in a LandXML file plan for submission to NSW LRS. 
NSW LandXML recipe
Version 9.1 - effective 1 January 2020

 NSW LandXML Recipe - Specifications for preparation of Deposited Plans in LandXML format for lodgement in NSW - version 9.1 (PDF 3.4MB).

Notes on version 9.1

• Changes made to accommodate GDA2020.
• Addition of Policy 4 and 5 Exemptions in accordance with Surveyor-General’s Direction No. 7.
• Addition of Zone 58 for Norfolk Island.

NSW Schema files
To meet the changing requirements, NSW LandXML schemas are now being version controlled as follows. All 4 versions are now available in the NSW Schema files.


For Ingestion:
    V1: All consolidated
For Creation and Validation:
  V2: Prior to September 2017
  V3: September 2017 – December 2019
  V4: Current: GDA2020 (January 2020 – onwards)

NSW Enumeration types (.XSD 35 KB)
NSW ePlan Protocol Schema (.XSD 35 KB)
Digital Plans Support

• A range of digital plans software is available to assist surveyors. Some software providers also offer training in their applications and in LandXML. Find out more direct from software suppliers.
• View our step by step guide to lodging or validating a digital file– Digital Plan user guide.
• Access ePlan on the NSW LRS Online Portal.
• For further assistance contact the Digital Plans Team.