---
kind: "section"
citation: "25 U.S.C. § 5901"
title: "25"
title_heading: "Indians"
number: "5901"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/25/5901"
units:
  - "Chapter 51 — Tribal Trust Land Homeownership"
---

# §5901. Definitions


In this chapter:

- (1) **Applicable Bureau office—** The term “applicable Bureau office” means—
  - (A) a Regional office of the [Bureau](#2);
  - (B) an Agency office of the [Bureau](#2); or
  - (C) a Land Titles and Records Office of the [Bureau](#2).
- (2) **Bureau—** The term “Bureau” means the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
- (3) **Director—** The term “Director” means the Director of the [Bureau](#2).
- (4) **First certified title status report—** The term “first certified title status report” means the title status report needed to verify title status on [Indian land](#5).
- (5) **Indian land—** The term “Indian land” has the meaning given the term in section 162.003 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on May 4, 2026).
- (6) **Land mortgage—** The term “land mortgage” means a mortgage obtained by an individual Indian who owns a tract of trust land for the purpose of—
  - (A) home acquisition;
  - (B) home construction;
  - (C) home improvements; or
  - (D) economic development.
- (7) **Leasehold mortgage—** The term “leasehold mortgage” means a mortgage, deed of trust, or other instrument that pledges the leasehold interest of a lessee as security for a debt or other obligation owed by the lessee to a lender or other mortgagee.
- (8) **Mortgage package—** The term “mortgage package” means a proposed residential [leasehold mortgage](#7), business [leasehold mortgage](#7), [land mortgage](#6), or [right-of-way document](#10) submitted to an [applicable Bureau office](#1) under [section 5902(a)(1) of this title](/usc/25/5902.md?p=a-1).
- (9) **Relevant Federal agency—** The term “relevant Federal agency” means any of the following Federal agencies that guarantee or make direct mortgage loans on [Indian land](#5):
  - (A) The Department of Agriculture.
  - (B) The Department of Housing and Urban Development.
  - (C) The Department of Veterans Affairs.
- (10) **Right-of-way document—** The term “right-of-way document” has the meaning given the term in section 169.2 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on May 4, 2026).
- (11) **Subsequent certified title status report—** The term “subsequent certified title status report” means the title status report needed to identify any liens against a residential, business, or land lease on [Indian land](#5).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 119–88, § 2, May 4, 2026, 140 Stat. 812.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title

Pub. L. 119–88, § 1, May 4, 2026, 140 Stat. 812, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025’.”