Florida Title Commitment 2026: How to Read Schedule A, B-I, and B-II Before You Close

By Emanuel Greco, Licensed FL Real Estate Professional · Updated July 2026

Before a Florida real estate closing, the title company issues a title commitment — a preliminary commitment to issue a title insurance policy, subject to specific conditions and exceptions. Most buyers receive this document and ignore it. That's a mistake. The title commitment tells you exactly what clouds exist on the title, what conditions must be met to close, and what risks the title policy will NOT cover. Reading it — or having your real estate attorney read it — before closing is essential.

Title Commitment vs. Title Insurance Policy

The commitment is a promise: "If you meet these conditions, we'll issue this policy." The policy comes at closing. The commitment is what you review beforehand to catch issues. If the commitment lists a problematic exception and you close without resolving it, the resulting policy will contain that exception too — meaning you have no title insurance coverage for that specific risk.

Schedule A — The Basic Facts

Schedule A contains the core transaction details. Review it for accuracy:

• Commitment date: The effective date of the title search. Any title issues that arose after this date won't appear — relevant if there's a long delay to closing.
• Policy amount: Owner's policy = purchase price; lender's policy = loan amount. Both should match your contract.
• Proposed insured: Your name(s) — exactly as you want to take title. This is what will appear on the deed. Verify spelling and format (individual name, trust, LLC).
• Title vesting: How you'll take title (tenants in common, joint tenancy, tenants by the entireties, trust). Important for estate planning — discuss with your attorney before specifying.
• Legal description: The precise legal description of the property from county records. Should match the contract and the survey. Any mismatch must be resolved before closing.
• Current owner: Should match the seller named in your purchase contract.

Schedule B-I — Requirements (Conditions to Closing)

Schedule B-I lists what must happen before the title company will issue the final policy. Common requirements:

• Payment of all outstanding taxes and assessments
• Satisfaction and release of recorded mortgages (seller's existing mortgage must be paid off at closing)
• Release of any recorded judgments against the seller
• Execution of the deed by the seller
• Payment of purchase price
• Execution of affidavits (no liens, gap affidavit, FIRPTA if applicable)
• HOA estoppel certificate and satisfaction of any HOA balance

B-I requirements are normal and expected — these are what the title company will work to clear before closing. If a B-I requirement can't be satisfied (e.g., a judgment against the seller that the seller can't pay), the deal cannot close until it's resolved or bonded over.

Schedule B-II — Exceptions (What Title Insurance Won't Cover)

Schedule B-II exceptions are the most important section to review. These are items the title policy will specifically NOT insure against. Some are standard; others are property-specific and require action.

Standard (Acceptable) Exceptions

• Rights of parties in possession (the seller's possession until closing)
• Taxes and assessments for the current year not yet due
• Survey matters that would be disclosed by an accurate survey
• Utility easements (standard — power, water, sewer easements along lot lines)
• Covenants, conditions, and restrictions in the plat or recorded community documents

Property-Specific Exceptions That Need Review

• Recorded liens: Mechanic's liens, HOA liens, code enforcement liens. Must be resolved or bonded before closing — if listed as an exception, the buyer has no coverage against them.
• Lis pendens: Pending lawsuits against the property or seller. Must be discharged or released.
• Easements that restrict use: A drainage easement across your buildable area, or an access easement granting a neighbor the right to cross your property — these affect property use and value. Review against the survey.
• Open permits: If discovered, title companies may except them from coverage. Resolve before closing.
• Boundary discrepancies: If the survey reveals encroachments or gaps, these appear as survey exceptions. Need resolution or survey endorsement.
• Rights of unknown parties: Can flag probate issues or heir disputes. May require a quiet title action to resolve.