Delivery is the completion of a legal transfer of possession, title, or interest – the formal act of passing ownership from one party to another.
Delivery can be implied or explicit. Implied delivery means that the transfer of ownership has occurred without any physical exchange – for example, a mutual agreement between two parties that ownership has changed. Explicit delivery means that a physical exchange, either in-person or through some form of mailed delivery, has occurred to complete the transfer.
In business, delivery is an important concept to understand. The exchange of goods for a certain price, or the transfer of a contract between two parties involves delivery. While delivery is often taken as a symbol of sale or contract completion, there may be other elements to consider in the process. Depending on the type and scope of the transaction, additional negotiations must take place before delivery can occur.
The concept of delivery is relevant in many types of transactions, from gifting real estate, to the sale of goods or services, or even intellectual property transfers. It is important to understand these complex concepts of law, and where delivery fits into them.