What is a Torrens Certificate?

Answer 1

A Torrens Certificate is issued in land registration systems of land ownership. In a land registration system the history of any encumbrances on the property and the present title holder are both recited on the Certificate of Title. The record is guaranteed to be accurate by the government. A person who is examining the title need look no further than the present owner's Certificate of Title.

Land registration systems, or Torrens systems, are different than a recorded land system where deeds and encumbrances are recorded in deed books in chronological order as they are recorded. A title examination requires that a title examiner do research back through the various ownerships, looking up each owner in the grantor/grantee index, to determine if any encumbrances were created that still affect the property.

A land registration system is more expensive than a recorded land system with higher fees charged for recorded documents.