ALTA stands for the American Land Title Association, which is a national trade association representing the title insurance industry. It was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. ALTAs mission is to improve the skills and knowledge of providers in the real property transaction, advocate member concerns, and standardize products for industry use. ALTA members include title agents, abstracters, and title insurance companies as active members. Nearly all title insurance companies, as well as abstracters and title agents, hold ALTA membership. ALTA provides continuing education and ongoing training opportunities for members. They also develop rules and guidelines to embrace and manage the rapid expansion of financial technology (fintech) to ensure safe, accurate, and quick closings.

One of the most important services ALTA provides is creating guidelines for the title insurance industry. Companies voluntarily comply with ALTA Best Practices, which are all aimed at making the settlement process safe and transparent. ALTA settlement statements are also used in real estate transactions to itemize the debits and credits for the buyer and seller. The ALTA settlement statement is an itemized list of all of the fees or charges that the buyer and seller will pay during the settlement portion of a real estate transaction.

In summary, ALTA is a trade association representing the title insurance industry that provides resources and training, sets standards, and protects homebuyers. They also develop guidelines for the title insurance industry and provide settlement statements for real estate transactions.