The Defective Deed Recordation Clarification Amendment Act of 2025 aims to address a significant gap in the law regarding the correction of defective deeds recorded in the District of Columbia. The bill replaces the existing two curative provisions with a single provision that applies to all deeds recorded both before and after the passage of this legislation. This change is necessary due to an inadvertent revision made during the passage of the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts Amendment Act of 2022, which created a 30-year gap where no curative provisions were available for deeds recorded with technical errors. The new provision allows for the challenge of defective instruments within six months of recordation, and also permits challenges for instruments recorded prior to the enactment of this bill within six months of its effective date.

Additionally, the bill repeals the previous section 499b, which is no longer necessary due to the consolidation of the curative provisions. The legislation aims to enhance the reliability of public records and ease the process for homeowners who may have recorded deeds with harmless technical errors, thereby reducing the burden on residents who would otherwise need to contact previous title holders to correct such errors. The bill is designed to ensure that all recorded deeds can be validated, thereby improving the overall integrity of land title insurance and property ownership in the District.