1 A certificate issued by the state or local government identifying the owner(s) of personal or real property, and often listing any encumbrances on the property. 2 A certificate issued by a title insurance company indicating that it has conducted a diligent examination of the title of a piece of real property and that, except for the encumbrances noted in the certificate, a person has good title to the land. This is not, however, a guarantee or insurance of good title