该术语（也称为recording statutes)是指有关财产，尤指不动产权益的登记，由此而确立决定某人对该财产权利主张的次序先后标准的法规，其应为“不动产登记法” [1]。此种立法的目 的主要是保护善意买主对抗先前未登记的权益主张。在美国，此种法规主要分为三种，即: notice statute、race statute以及 race-notice statute。它们的区别在于：notice statute为“不知情购买人优先法”，指一种财产购置登记法规，规定凡购置之权益， 尤指不动产权益，以最近购买财产权益且不知道原先有人曾购置过此财产但未登记者具有对抗他人的优先权的法规，也称为 notice act 或 notice recording statute，在美国，约有一半的州实施该种法规[2]。race statute则为“登记顺序优先法”，指规定以登记先后决定优先顺序的法规，而不管登记时当事人是否知悉先前有人曾购置过同一财产，这种法规类似我国的不动产登记法规，在美国也适用于适用大陆法的Louisiana州等，也被称为 raceact[3]。race-notice statute为“不知情登记优先法”，指不动产购置登记相关的法规，规定凡在不知道不动产已经被购置但却未登记的情况下购置不动产且登记者具有对抗原先购置者的优先权，但预先知悉真情者除外，也称为notice race statute [4]。

[1] " A law that establishes the requirements for recording a deed or other property interest and the standards for determining priorities between persons claiming interests in the same property (usu. real property). ”Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 1279, West Group (1999).

[2] “An unrecorded conveyance or other instrument is invalid as against a subsequent bona fide purchaser (creditor or mortgagee if the statute so provided) for value and without notice. Under this type of statute the subsequent bona fide purchaser prevails over the prior interest whether the subsequent purchaser records or not.” Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 734, West Publishing Co. (1991).

[3] “A recording act providing that the person who records firet, regardless of notice, has priority. Only Louisiana and North Carolina have race statutes. ”

[4] “In some jurisdiction, in recording of documents of title to real estate, the first grantee or mortgagee to record in the chain of title without actual notice of a prior unrecorded deed or mortgage prevails. ”Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 734, West Publishing Co. (1991 ).