ALTA Practice Test

This page is for title and escrow professionals preparing for the American Land Title Association's National Title Professional (NTP) designation, which requires a minimum of 100 NTP Points. Here you will find free practice sets covering title search, escrow, closing, recording and policy endorsements, plus worked examples and a study plan to use alongside the official ALTA material.

ALTA Exam at a Glance

What changed for ALTA in 2026

• Nov 2, 2026: Eligibility (National Title Professional (NTP)) changed to Minimum 100 NTP Points required (previously ALTA member, 5+ years' experience, 100 NTP Points, Title 101/201/Ethics or equivalency exam).^[1]
• Nov 2, 2026: Renewal (National Title Professional (NTP)) changed to 30 points every three years (previously Every 3 years: 30 points (10 via ALTA), $155 fee, due by Oct 31).^[2]

What the ALTA is and how it works

According to American Land Title Association, “You will need a minimum of 100 total NTP Points to qualify for consideration.”^[1]

The National Title Professional designation is offered by the American Land Title Association for people working in title and settlement services. Based on the material we could verify, it is awarded through a points-based application rather than a single sitting, so we cannot state an exam length, question count or passing score here.

Candidates need a minimum of 100 NTP Points to qualify for consideration, and the application carries a $210 non-refundable fee. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year, so there is no fixed registration window to plan around.

Once granted, the designation lasts 3 years and expires on December 31 of the third year following the year of designation. To renew, you earn at minimum 30 points every three years.

How points are earned, which activities count and what each is worth are set by ALTA and can change. Check the NTP Application and the National Title Professional page on alta.org before you apply. Licensing, continuing education and any retake rules differ by state and by employer, and we do not cover them here.

Our practice sets are study aids written by us with AI tools. They are not real exam questions and they do not award points, but they let you rehearse the vocabulary and reasoning that title work depends on.

Worked examples: how to reason through ALTA questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What distinction determines if material incorporated into a building is either real property or personal property?

1. The wishes of the owner’s family
2. The intent of the owner
3. Subdivision restrictions
4. Zoning ordinances

Answer: B. The intent of the owner

Explanation:

The correct answer is the intent of the owner. When a material is built into a structure, the question is whether the owner meant it to become a permanent part of the property. If so, it is treated as real property; if it was meant to stay removable, it remains personal property.

The wishes of the owner's family do not matter, because they are not the party whose purpose controls. Subdivision restrictions limit what can be built or how land is used, but they do not decide how a material is classified. Zoning ordinances regulate permitted uses of land, not whether an item is a fixture.

Rule to remember: classification of attached items turns on the owner's intent, and the way the item is attached is evidence of that intent.

Example 2

Question: What is a best practice in American Land Title Association closing procedures?

1. A method or technique recognized as superior based on evidence and expert consensus
2. Any practice that is easy to implement
3. The cheapest available approach
4. A practice used only by large organizations

Answer: A. A method or technique recognized as superior based on evidence and expert consensus

Explanation:

The correct answer describes a best practice as a method or technique recognized as superior based on evidence and consensus. The label is earned by results and wide agreement, not by convenience or reputation.

Any practice that is easy to implement is wrong because ease says nothing about quality; an easy method can be a poor one. The cheapest available approach is wrong for the same reason, since low cost does not show better outcomes and can mean skipped safeguards. A practice used only by large organizations is wrong because size of the user does not make a method superior, and good methods are often adopted by firms of every size.

Rule to remember: when a question asks what makes something a best practice, look for evidence and agreement rather than cost, ease or who uses it.

Example 3

Question: Upon what must a title insurance policy be based in most jurisdictions?

1. A reasonable examination of the record title.
2. A calculated risk of a known title defect.
3. The payment of an annual premium.
4. A waiver of tort liability from the insured.

Answer: A. A reasonable examination of the record title.

Explanation:

The correct answer is a reasonable examination of the record title. A policy is only as sound as the search behind it, so the insurer reviews the public records for ownership, liens and other encumbrances before it agrees to insure.

A calculated risk of a known title defect is wrong because an insurer does not base a policy on a defect it already knows about; known matters are normally dealt with through exceptions or by curing the problem. The payment of an annual premium is wrong because a title policy is typically paid for at issuance and premium payment does not form its basis. A waiver of tort liability from the insured is wrong because nothing in the underwriting foundation depends on the insured giving up legal rights.

Rule to remember: title insurance rests on examination of the record, then pricing and coverage follow from what that examination shows.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material. Read the NTP Application and the National Title Professional page on alta.org so you know how points work and what you still need. Write down the topics you handle daily and the ones you rarely touch.

Then use our practice sets to find gaps. Begin with the areas furthest from your daily work. If you do mostly escrow, try ALTA Title Search and ALTA Recording Procedures first. If you come from the search side, start with ALTA Escrow Management and ALTA Closing Procedures.

After each set, read the explanation for every question you missed, and for those you guessed correctly. Write the general rule in your own words, not just the answer. Return to the same set later and see whether the rule holds without prompting.

Once the basics feel steady, move to ALTA Lien Priority, ALTA Policy Endorsements and ALTA Advanced Concepts. Where an answer depends on state law or your employer's procedures, check the local rule rather than trusting a general explanation. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions.

Sources & last verified

1. American Land Title Association — exam fee, validity, eligibility, registration deadline (official source). “The non-refundable application fee of $210” Verified Nov 2, 2026.
2. American Land Title Association — renewal (official source). “The designation must be renewed every three years by earning at minimum 30 points.” Verified Nov 2, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.