Division of Land Titles and Records |
![]() Mr. Quentin M. Jones Chief (Acting), Division of Land Titles and Records |
The Indian Land Record of Title is the official record of title documents and instruments affecting Indian land that require approval by the Secretary or other Federal official. The Division of Land Titles and Records (DLTR), and its eleven Land Titles and Records Offices (LTRO), are the official Federal offices-of-record for all documents affecting title to Indian lands, and for the determination, maintenance, and certified reporting of land title ownership and encumbrance on Indian trust and restricted lands. All title documents affecting Indian land are to be recorded in the Indian Land Record of Title. The DLTR/LTRO is the office responsible for maintaining the Indian Land Record of Title and for examining and determining the completeness and accuracy of the records, certifying the findings of examination and reporting the status of title to Indian trust and restricted lands. The DLTR provides for the normal day-to-day operations and maintenance costs of the Division’s eight Land Titles and Records Offices. The mission of the DLTR is to maintain timely and certified Federal land title ownership and encumbrance services, to record, maintain, and certify land title documents, including patents, deeds, probate orders, leases, rights-of-way, cadastral surveys, plats, subdivision, and other Indian land title documents, to provide certified Title Status Reports (TSRs) that are accurate, timely, accountable and efficient, and state the complete status of title ownership and encumbrance for Federal Indian trust and restricted lands. The Division and its Land Titles and Records Offices perform the timely processing of all trust land titles and title documents in direct support of the trust responsibility. The examination and certification of Indian land titles requires that all the documents affecting the title to the tract of land be recorded and examined for accuracy and to verify each owner’s interest in the tract and the encumbrances on such ownership. The average time to prepare a TSR, depending upon the number of land owners, number of title documents, and the complexity of the title issues, may range from as little as one hour to as much as several days. The modernization of automation of the recording process, including the creation of digital images of recorded title documents in the TAAMS Title Image Repository (TIR), and the management of ownership and encumbrance, has increased the efficiency, effectiveness, and the delivery of land title services, documents, and reports, on all Indian trust and restricted lands. The DLTR/LTRO is responsible for various major functions. They are as follows: Real Property-Based Automated System of Title Ownership & Encumbrance Recording Title and Encumbrance Documents Title Maintenance Indian Probate Curative Actions Title Document Certification Title Status Map Maintenance Special Reports/Projects
Title Image Repository |