If you’re buying or selling a home, a title commitment may land in your inbox before closing—and at first glance, it can look pretty intimidating.
The good news: you don’t need to be a title expert to understand the important parts.
A title commitment is the title insurance company’s written commitment to issue a title insurance policy once certain requirements are satisfied.
Think of it as a roadmap to closing.
It tells you:
- Who currently owns the property
- Who the proposed insured parties are
- What must be completed or resolved before the policy can be issued
- What matters may be excluded, or “excepted,” from coverage
For most Florida residential transactions, the three sections to focus on are:
Schedule A
Schedule B-I — Requirements
Schedule B-II — Exceptions
What Is Schedule A?
Think of Schedule A as the “who, what and how much” section.
It generally identifies:
- The effective date of the commitment
- The proposed insured under the owner’s policy
- The amount of proposed title insurance coverage
- The lender and loan policy amount, if financing is involved
- The current owner of the property
- The ownership interest being insured
- The legal description of the property
What should you check?
Make sure the buyer’s name is correct, the seller is shown as the current owner, and the legal description corresponds to the property being purchased.
If there is financing, confirm the lender information is correct.
One helpful note for first-time buyers: the legal description is not the same as the street address. It is the formal description used in the public records to identify the property.
What Is Schedule B-I?
Here’s the easiest way to remember it:
Schedule B-I = What needs to be DONE.
Schedule B-I lists the requirements that must be satisfied before the title insurance policy can be issued as contemplated by the commitment.
Common requirements may include:
- A deed transferring ownership from the seller to the buyer
- A new mortgage if the buyer is financing the purchase
- Payoff and satisfaction or release of the seller’s existing mortgage
- Payment of outstanding property taxes
- HOA or condominium association requirements
- Satisfaction or release of judgments or other liens
- Termination of an open Notice of Commencement
- Documents needed to correct an issue in the chain of title
Does a requirement mean there is a title problem?
Not necessarily.
Many requirements are simply routine steps in the closing process.
What deserves additional attention is a requirement that may take extra time or documentation to resolve.
Examples could include:
- An old mortgage that was paid but never properly released
- A judgment or lien
- An estate or probate issue
- A missing document or signature from a prior transaction
- An ownership discrepancy
- Corrective title work involving a prior deed or recorded document
This is one reason it’s important to review the title commitment early, rather than waiting until closing week.
Some issues can be resolved quickly. Others may require cooperation among the buyer, seller, Realtors, lender, association, municipality, attorneys or other parties.
What Is Schedule B-II?
If Schedule B-I tells you what needs to be done, Schedule B-II tells you what the title insurance policy will not cover.
These items are called exceptions.
Depending on the property and transaction, exceptions may include:
- Easements
- Rights-of-way
- Plat matters
- Covenants, conditions and restrictions
- HOA or condominium declarations
- Utility or drainage easements
- Recorded agreements affecting the property
- Taxes that are not yet due and payable
- Certain survey-related matters
- Other recorded documents affecting the property
An exception does not automatically mean there is something wrong with the property.
For example, a utility easement serving an entire neighborhood may appear as an exception and may not interfere with your use of the property.
However, if an exception could affect how you plan to use the property—such as adding a pool, fence, garage or addition—it is worth understanding before closing.
What Does a Survey Have to Do With the Title Commitment?
A survey can reveal physical matters affecting a property that may not be obvious from the public record.
A survey might identify:
- A fence crossing a property boundary
- A structure extending into an easement
- An encroachment
- A setback issue
- A driveway or improvement crossing a property line
Survey-related title coverage depends on the specific transaction, policy, survey, exceptions and underwriting requirements.
If a survey issue appears on your commitment, ask your title professional how it affects your particular transaction and coverage.
Is a Title Commitment the Same as a Title Search?
No.
A title search is the examination of records affecting the property and the parties involved.
The title commitment is the document issued after that examination that identifies the terms under which the title insurer is prepared to issue a policy.
An easy way to remember it:
The title search is the investigation.
The title commitment tells you what was found and what needs to happen next.
Is a Title Commitment the Same as Title Insurance?
No.
The title commitment comes before the final title insurance policy.
It explains the conditions under which the title insurer is prepared to issue coverage.
Once the applicable requirements are satisfied and the transaction closes, the title insurance policy is issued subject to its terms, conditions, exclusions and exceptions.
An owner’s title policy is designed to protect the insured owner against certain covered title defects that may already exist but are discovered after closing.
Depending on the policy and circumstances, those issues may involve:
- Certain forged or fraudulent documents
- Certain undisclosed heirs or ownership claims
- Certain errors in public records
- Certain undisclosed liens
- Certain defects affecting ownership
Specific coverage always depends on the actual policy being issued.
Is Owner’s Title Insurance a One-Time Payment?
Generally, yes.
Unlike homeowners insurance, an owner’s title insurance policy is generally purchased with a one-time premium at closing.
In Florida, title insurance premium rates are established by state rule.
However, that does not mean every title company’s total closing charges will necessarily be identical. Closing, settlement and other service-related fees may differ.
Experience, communication and the ability to navigate complicated title matters can also make a major difference when an unexpected issue appears.
What Should You Look for on a Title Commitment?
Whether this is your first home or your fifth, start with these questions:
Is the information on Schedule A correct?
Are there any unusual requirements on Schedule B-I?
What exceptions appear on Schedule B-II?
Could any easement, restriction or survey matter affect how I plan to use the property?
Is there anything I don’t understand?
For sellers, Schedule B-I deserves special attention because liens, judgments, mortgages or ownership issues may need to be addressed before closing.
For Realtors, the title commitment can be an excellent early-warning system. Review it when it arrives, ask about unusual requirements and encourage your clients to quickly provide anything the title company requests.
And if something doesn’t make sense, ask your title professional rather than trying to interpret complicated title language on your own.
Quick Title Commitment FAQs
Does a title commitment mean the title is clear?
Not necessarily.
The commitment may identify requirements that still need to be satisfied and exceptions that will remain in the final policy.
What does Schedule B mean on a title commitment?
The easiest way to remember it is:
Schedule B-I = What needs to be DONE.
Schedule B-II = What the policy will NOT cover.
Should buyers read the title commitment before closing?
Yes.
Reviewing it early gives you time to ask questions and gives the title team more time to address potential issues before closing.
Can a title commitment change?
Yes.
A commitment may be amended if additional information or newly recorded matters are discovered before closing.
Who should I call if I don’t understand something?
Your title professional.
You should never feel like you have to decipher the commitment on your own.
The Bottom Line
A title commitment may look complicated, but the basic structure is simple:
Schedule A: Who and what are we insuring?
Schedule B-I: What needs to happen?
Schedule B-II: What won’t the policy cover?
For a first-time buyer, understanding those three sections gives you a solid foundation.
For an experienced buyer, seller or Realtor, the value is in recognizing what is specific or unusual about that particular property.
At Supreme Title, we believe closing should be more than simply signing a stack of documents. Our job is to help buyers, sellers and Realtors understand what is happening, know what to expect and have an experienced title team ready to help navigate issues when they arise.
Sources & Further Reading
We believe consumers should be able to verify the information they receive.
This article was developed using educational materials, title insurance forms and guidance from established title insurance underwriters, industry organizations and Florida regulatory authorities.
First American Title Insurance Company
Consumer guidance on understanding a title commitment, including Schedule A, requirements and exceptions.
American Land Title Association (ALTA)
Industry-standard title insurance commitment and policy forms, including Schedule B requirements and exceptions.
Stewart Title Guaranty Company
Educational and underwriting resources relating to title commitments, title examination and policy issuance.
Old Republic National Title Insurance Company
Consumer and industry educational resources concerning title commitments and title insurance.
Florida Department of Financial Services
Florida regulatory and consumer information regarding title insurance, title agents, premiums and closing-related services.
Direct Resources
First American Title:
https://www.firstam.com/home-buying-guide/understanding-your-title-commitment/
American Land Title Association:
https://www.alta.org/
Stewart Title:
https://www.stewart.com/
Old Republic Title:
https://www.oldrepublictitle.com/
Florida Department of Financial Services:
https://www.myfloridacfo.com/
This article is provided for general educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for reviewing the specific title commitment or title insurance policy issued in a particular transaction. Title insurance coverage is determined by the terms, conditions, exclusions and exceptions of the applicable policy.
