Alienation refers to the process of a property owner voluntarily giving or selling the title of their property to another party. When property is considered alienable, that means the property is able to be sold or transferred to another party without restriction.
Some properties may be subject to a restraint on alienation, that can prohibit the property owner from transferring or selling the property to another party.
Alienation typically refers to transfers done when the property owner is alive but can also include transfers done when the property owner has died. Property can be alienated through a sale, mortgage, lease, or bail. Alienation becomes effective as soon as the property is transferred.
[Last updated in June of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]