Deep Dive
Inside a Florida Root-of-Title Examination
How we identify root of title
A root of title is the most recent deed of record that is at least 30 years old and that purports to convey the estate being examined. Our examiners begin with the most recent deed into the current owner and work backward through every transfer until they reach a recorded conveyance that satisfies the statutory test. In Florida, the root is most often a warranty deed recorded in the 1970s, 1980s, or early 1990s — depending on the age of the subdivision or condominium. Once root is established, we read forward through every recorded instrument that affects the parcel up to today's date and time of certification.
Why a current-owner search is not enough
Some quick-look products only examine title back to the most recent vesting deed — typically 5 to 15 years. That is acceptable for a preliminary investor review or as part of an investor rapid title search, but it is never enough for a closing. A defect in title — a missing satisfaction, an unrecorded interest of a divorced spouse, a probate that never closed — can sit hidden in the older record and surface decades later as a claim. The 30-year search is what allows the underwriter to insure the title against those older risks.
Florida county nuances
Every Florida county clerk keeps its own official record system, and there are meaningful operational differences across all 67 Florida counties. The Miami-Dade Clerk maintains one of the busiest record systems in the state, with a high volume of condominium filings, lis pendens, and code enforcement actions in unincorporated areas. Broward County's records reflect a heavy concentration of association-related instruments — condominiums and HOAs that often require a separate HOA lien verification. Palm Beach County's record set includes a significant volume of probate, trust, and out-of-state grantor transactions tied to seasonal ownership. Martin and St. Lucie counties have smaller but equally rigorous record systems where our examiners regularly pull older deeds tied to legacy plats and original subdivision development.
From search to commitment
Once the 30-year examination is complete, we issue a written title commitment report — Schedule A identifying the proposed insured, the legal description, and the policy amount; Schedule B-I listing the requirements to clear before closing; and Schedule B-II listing the exceptions that will survive into the final policy. Every requirement is actionable: a payoff letter, a recorded satisfaction, a corrective deed, an estoppel, a death certificate, a release of lis pendens. We do not hand a buyer or lender a list of problems without a path to clear them.
When a 30-year search is required
A full 30-year examination is required for any new owner's title insurance policy in Florida, for any first-position purchase money mortgage policy, for most refinances when the prior policy is more than several years old, and for any transaction where the chain of ownership has changed since the last insured closing. For repeat refinances on the same insured loan, a shorter date-down search may be sufficient — our refinance closing team confirms the underwriter's specific requirement before quoting.
If you need a 30-year title search for a Florida property, our order desk opens files the same business day. See our full service areas for county-specific intake details.
