Title 25, IndiansRelease 119-110
§5902 Mortgage Review and Processing
Title 25 › CHAPTER 51 — TRIBAL TRUST LAND HOMEOWNERSHIP › § 5902
Summary
Requires the Bureau to tell the lender when it gets a proposed residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, or right-of-way document. The Bureau must do a quick check within 10 calendar days to make sure all required papers are included and must tell the lender within 2 calendar days if something is missing. If a complete, signed leasehold mortgage is filed, the Bureau must approve or deny it within 20 calendar days. For right-of-way and land mortgages, the Bureau must approve or deny them within 30 calendar days. Any denial must be written and explain why. After approval, the Bureau must finish first and later certified title status reports within 10 calendar days, or within 14 calendar days if someone requested the first report before approval. The Bureau must notify the lender when a report is done by secure electronic notice and by mail (a lender can opt out of the electronic notice). If any deadline is missed, the Bureau must immediately tell the party who submitted the package and the lender, and must answer questions about the package within 2 calendar days. Certified title status reports must be sent directly to the lender, any Bureau office that asks, the federal agency that insures or guarantees the loan for residential or land mortgages, and others listed in 25 C.F.R. 150.303 (as of May 4, 2026). Starting May 4, 2026, relevant federal agencies and Indian Tribes get read-only access to TAAMS land-document portals. There is an exception when an Indian Tribe that is already approved for leasing is the applicant. By March 1 each year, the Director must send Congress’s Senate Indian Affairs Committee and House Natural Resources Committee a report showing the number of requests, which met deadlines, why any deadlines were missed, and how long notices of delay took, while protecting private personal information. Not later than 1 year after May 4, 2026, the Comptroller General must report to those same committees on whether tribes should digitize mortgage and right-of-way records to speed processing and give an estimate of time and total cost if the Bureau helps.
Full Legal Text
Title 25, §5902
Indians, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Review and processing deadlines
(1)In general
As soon as practicable after receiving a proposed residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, or right-of-way document, the applicable Bureau office shall notify the lender that the proposed residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, or right-of-way document has been received.
(2)Preliminary review
(A)In general
Not later than 10 calendar days after receipt of a proposed residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, or right-of-way document, the applicable Bureau office shall conduct and complete a preliminary review of the residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, or right-of-way document to verify that all required documents are included.
(B)Incomplete documents
As soon as practicable, but not more than 2 calendar days, after finding that any required documents are missing under subparagraph (A), the applicable Bureau office shall notify the lender of the missing documents.
(3)Approval or disapproval
(A)Leasehold mortgages
Not later than 20 calendar days after receipt of a complete executed residential leasehold mortgage or business leasehold mortgage, proof of required consents, and other required documentation, the applicable Bureau office shall approve or disapprove the residential leasehold mortgage or business leasehold mortgage.
(B)Right-of-way documents
Not later than 30 calendar days after receipt of a complete executed right-of-way document, proof of required consents, and other required documentation, the applicable Bureau office shall approve or disapprove the right-of-way document.
(C)Land mortgages
Not later than 30 calendar days after receipt of a complete executed land mortgage, proof of required consents, and other required documentation, the applicable Bureau office shall approve or disapprove the land mortgage.
(D)Requirements
The determination of whether to approve or disapprove a residential leasehold mortgage or business leasehold mortgage under subparagraph (A), a right-of-way document under subparagraph (B), or a land mortgage under subparagraph (C)—
(i)shall be in writing; and
(ii)in the case of a determination to disapprove a residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, right-of-way document, or land mortgage shall, state the basis for the determination.
(E)Application
This paragraph shall not apply to a residential leasehold mortgage or business leasehold mortgage with respect to Indian land in cases in which the applicant for the residential leasehold mortgage or business leasehold mortgage is an Indian tribe (as defined in subsection (d) of section 415 of this title) that has been approved for leasing under subsection (h) of that section.
(4)Certified title status reports
(A)Completion of reports
(i)In general
Not later than 10 calendar days after the applicable Bureau office approves a residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, or right-of-way document under paragraph (3), the applicable Bureau office shall complete the processing of, as applicable—
(I)a first certified title status report, if a first certified title status report was not completed prior to the approval of the residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, or right-of-way document; and
(II)a subsequent certified title status report.
(ii)Requests for first certified title status reports
Notwithstanding clause (i), not later than 14 calendar days after the applicable Bureau office receives a request for a first certified title status report from an applicant for a residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, or right-of-way document under paragraph (1), the applicable Bureau office shall complete the processing of the first certified title status report.
(B)Notice
(i)In general
As soon as practicable after completion of the processing of, as applicable, a first certified title status report or a subsequent certified title status report under subparagraph (A), but by not later than the applicable deadline described in that subparagraph, the applicable Bureau office shall give notice of the completion to the lender.
(ii)Form of notice
The applicable Bureau office shall give notice under clause (i)—
(I)electronically through secure, encryption software; and
(II)through the United States mail.
(iii)Option to opt out
The lender may opt out of receiving notice electronically under clause (ii)(I).
(b)Notices
(1)In general
If the applicable Bureau office does not complete the review and processing of mortgage packages under subsection (a) (including any corresponding first certified title status report or subsequent certified title status report under paragraph (4) of that subsection) by the applicable deadline described in that subsection, immediately after missing the deadline, the applicable Bureau office shall provide notice of the delay in review and processing to—
(A)the party that submitted the mortgage package or requested the first certified title status report; and
(B)the lender for which the mortgage package (including any corresponding first certified title status report or subsequent certified title status report) is being requested.
(2)Requests for updates
In addition to providing the notices required under paragraph (1), not later than 2 calendar days after receiving a relevant inquiry with respect to a submitted mortgage package from the party that submitted the mortgage package or the lender for which the mortgage package (including any corresponding first certified title status report or subsequent certified title status report) is being requested or an inquiry with respect to a requested first certified title status report from the party that requested the first certified title status report, the applicable Bureau office shall respond to the inquiry.
(c)Delivery of first and subsequent certified title status reports
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any first certified title status report and any subsequent certified title status report, as applicable, shall be delivered directly to—
(1)the lender;
(2)any local or regional agency office of the Bureau that requests the first certified title status report or subsequent certified title status report;
(3)in the case of a proposed residential leasehold mortgage or land mortgage, the relevant Federal agency that insures or guarantees the loan; and
(4)if requested, any individual or entity described in section 150.303 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on May 4, 2026).
(d)Access to Trust Asset and Accounting Management System (TAAMS)
Beginning on May 4, 2026, the relevant Federal agencies and Indian Tribes shall have read-only access to portals containing the relevant land documents from the Trust Asset and Accounting Management System (commonly known as “TAAMS”) maintained by the Bureau.
(e)Annual report
(1)In general
Not later than March 1 of each calendar year, the Director shall submit to the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report describing—
(A)for the most recent calendar year, the number of requests received to complete residential leasehold mortgage packages, business leasehold mortgage packages, land mortgage packages, and right-of-way document packages (including any requests for corresponding first certified title status reports and subsequent certified title status reports), including a detailed description of—
(i)requests that were and were not successfully completed by the applicable deadline described in subsection (a) by each applicable Bureau office; and
(ii)the reasons for each applicable Bureau office not meeting any applicable deadlines; and
(B)the length of time needed by each applicable Bureau office during the most recent calendar year to provide the notices required under subsection (b)(1).
(2)Requirement
In submitting the report required under paragraph (1), the Director shall maintain the confidentiality of personally identifiable information of the parties involved in requesting the completion of residential leasehold mortgage packages, business leasehold mortgage packages, land mortgage packages, and right-of-way document packages (including any corresponding first certified title status reports and subsequent certified title status reports).
(f)GAO study
Not later than 1 year after May 4, 2026, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report that includes—
(1)an evaluation of the need for residential leasehold mortgage packages, business leasehold mortgage packages, land mortgage packages, and right-of-way document packages of each Indian Tribe to be digitized for the purpose of streamlining and expediting the completion of mortgage packages for residential mortgages on Indian land (including the corresponding first certified title status reports and subsequent certified title status reports); and
(2)an estimate of the time and total cost necessary for Indian Tribes to digitize the records described in paragraph (1), in conjunction with assistance in that digitization from the Bureau.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
25 U.S.C. § 5902
Title 25, Indians
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110