Frequently Asked Questions

North Carolina works under the "approved attorney system" wherein the authorized practice of law in the state has licensed attorneys, or paralegals under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney, conducting real estate closings. There are no abstracting or escrow companies, per se.

You may work as a title agent if you are a licensed attorney through the North Carolina State Bar or a licensed (non-attorney) title agent through the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

Effective January 1, 2008, the third-party administrator of the NC title agent licensing exam, Promissor, has changed its name to Pearson VUE. https://home.pearsonvue.com/Clients/North-Carolina-Insurance.aspx  

NCLTA publishes a 36-page Study Guide for the Title Insurance Agent Licensing Exam. The copyrighted Study Guide, updated annually, is available for purchase in an Adobe Acrobat file. Non-member price is $90, including sales tax and shipping. The Member price is $10.68, including sales tax. Please use the Order Form to order your  copy.

In addition, there is a Study Outline available from the Insurance Department's exam application brochure, and the following key publications:

• The Title Insurance Regulatory Survey is the most comprehensive collection of regulatory information and practices of the title industry available. American Land Title Association (ALTA), in cooperation with Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP, has assembled all the pertinent information on how the title business is conducted in each state and the District of Columbia. 6 vol. set of binders plus searchable CD. Each geographic volume may be ordered separately or as a set. ALTA Members $410 per vol/Non-Members $510 per vol. plus S&H.
  http://www.alta.org/publications/tirs.cfm
• Webster's Real Estate Law in North Carolina, Fifth Edition ©1999
  Patrick K. Hetrick, James B. McLaughlin, Jr.
  Lawyers in North Carolina have long relied upon Webster's Real Estate Law in North Carolina as their authoritative reference. This classic handbook remains the single most important source for real estate law in the state. It presents the North Carolina courts' holdings on virtually thousands of questions concerning property law and contains updated standard real estate forms approved by the North Carolina Bar Association, and a new Table of Cases. The book also covers the fundamental principles of the law of real property as developed and defined by North Carolina legislation and judicial opinion. Publisher: Michie. 3 vol., hardbound, with current supplement. ISBN 0327049278. Price $205.00
  http://bookstore.lexis.com/bookstore/catalog?action=product&prod_id=6786&cat_id=J&pcat_id=92&pub_id=2
• North Carolina Real Estate with Forms, 2d (North Carolina Practice Series)
  By Nancy Short Ferguson, Edmund T. Urban, A. Grant Whitney, Jr.
  Copyright: 2009
  Two hardbound volumes provide a detailed and comprehensive treatment of commercial and residential real estate transactions with forms. Forms provided for Contracts, Deed & Closing Documents, including North Carolina Bar Association and American Land Title Association Forms. A quick index at the front of this work and detailed general index at the back allow you to find subjects quickly and easily. A table of North Carolina General Statutes refers the user to the text where the statute is discussed. Price $219 for set or individual volumes $110.
  http://west.thomson.com/productdetail/148936/40125567/productdetail.aspx#

In addition to working with a realtor, real estate agent, mortgage company (mortgage bank or lender), it is strongly advisable to obtain an attorney to represent you in the closing process. You may obtain names of reputable attorneys who specialize in real estate law from NC Land Title Association (919-861-5584), from the NC Bar Association Real Property Section (919-677-0561), or the NC State Bar at http://www.ncbar.gov/public/findalawyer.asp. The American Land Title Association has issued a primer on the home closing process to help people with this complex issue at http://www.homeclosing101.org.

A Lender's policy is required by the Lender to protect the Lender against problems that may not have been uncovered during a title search prior to sale/exchange of property. An Owner's policy is optional and protects you, the Owner, against problems that may not have been uncovered during a title search prior to sale/exchange of property. It is recommended to have both types of coverage. Title insurance is a ONE TIME charge but the policy protects your interests as long as you own the property.

If you have an existing title policy, contact your title insurance company pursuant to the instructions listed in the policy. If you cannot locate your title policy, contact the attorney who conducted your closing. If you do not know the title company or your closing attorney, you may contact an attorney who or a title company that is located in or near the county where the land is located. (See question above for locating attorney referrals.) If, after considering the facts of your case, they may help you file a claim or at least best advise you of your next course of action.

NC Land Title Association accepts advertising in its Quarterly newsletter, Carolina Update, and in its annual Directory of Members. The newsletter rate card and directory rate card detail our advertising rates.

NC Land Title Association does not have a trade show, per se, at its annual convention. However, it does accept sponsorships for various events at the convention which include an EXCLUSIVE exhibiting opportunity for the company sponsoring that particular event.

There are several categories of membership: Underwriter, Agency, Attorney, and Associate (individual and company).

On behalf of its title underwriter members, NC Land Title Association submits generic title policy forms approved by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) to the NC Department of Insurance for approval. This saves both the Department staff from having to review multiple copies of each form from each title underwriter company while saving title insurance company staff redundant work as well. Listings of the title policy forms, endorsements, commitments, and closing protection letters submitted and approved are available from the following links:

• American Land Title Association copyrighted Forms (ALTA), 2010-present
• American Land Title Association Forms(ALTA), 2006-present
• Formerly American Land Title Association Forms (FALTA), 1963-2005
• American Land Title Association copyrighted Forms (ALTA), June 2010-present

The NC Land Title ASSOCIATION does not issue title policies. It is a trade association of title companies who are members of the Association. NC Land Title AGENCY changed its name to TitleSouth and is located in Franklin, Tennessee.

North Carolina has a Title Insurance Rating Bureau that is a separate entity from the NC Land Title Association that does not have rate filing authority.
North Carolina Title Insurance Rating Bureau (NCTIRB) files new comprehensive rate structure with Department of Insurance , effective March 1, 2012.