certificate of title
Legal Definition of certificate of title
1 : a certificate of ownership stating that the title to the specified property is free and clear except for any encumbrance (as a mortgage) listed on it: as
a : a certificate issued by a motor vehicle registry
— called also title
b : a certificate issued by a registry of deeds — see also torrens system
2 : a document issued by a title abstracter (as an attorney) giving a legal opinion as to the status of a property's title based on a title search or abstract of title — compare deed
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