A land patent is the right of ownership to a tract of land, usually granted by the federal or state government to an individual or private company. In the original 13 American Colonies a proprietor would grant land patents. Besides patent, other terms for the certificate that grants such rights include first-title deed and final certificate. In the United States, all property can be traced back to the first title deed and to claims document titles for land originally owned by France or Spain.

Real property law