Real estate title glossary
What is marketable record title act?
Also called: MRTA
Definition
A marketable record title act is a state law that extinguishes most old interests and claims once an owner has an unbroken record chain for a set period, often 30 or 40 years.
Florida (Chapter 712) and North Carolina (Chapter 47B) both use a 30-year period. The acts have exceptions, such as recorded easements in use and government interests, and old claims can be preserved by re-recording notice.
How it shows up in a title search
These statutes are why a 30-year search is a common standard: interests older than the root of title are usually cut off unless an exception applies.
Guides that go deeper
- Chain of Title: What It Is, an Example, and How It Differs From an Abstract of TitleA chain of title is the ordered record of every transfer of a property. A worked example, how gaps appear, and how it differs from an abstract of title.
- How Much Does a Title Search Cost? Fees, Report Prices and the Real Cost of Doing It YourselfWhat a title search costs in 2026: statutory clerk fees, what independent reports charge, the hidden cost of searching yourself, and the fastest way to get one.
- How to Do a Title Search on a Property, Step by StepHow a title search works, step by step: the parcel, chain of title, every mortgage, lien and lawsuit, and the release checks people miss. Or run one in a minute.
Related terms
Source: The Florida Senate, Fla. Stat. 712.02 Marketable record title. Plain-English summary of general US usage; state law varies, and this is not legal advice.