Certificate of occupancy n. A certificate from a local government agency indicating that a building or dwelling adheres to the local building codes and is ready for occupancy, generally a prerequisite to taking possession.

Certificate of service n. The section of a pleading or motion that certifies that the party filing the document has sent a copy of the document to the opposing party or his lawyer.

Certificate of title n. 1 A certificate issued by the state or local government identifying the owner 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.

Certification n. 1 The act of certifying. 2 The state of being certified.

Certified mail n. A delivery service offered by the US Postal Service that is often used to send legal notices to addresses within the US. Upon the payment of a fee, the sender is given a receipt when an item is mailed and a record of the delivery is kept by the addressee's local post office.