Notarizing a Quitclaim Deed: What It Does (and Doesn’t Do)

Quitclaim deeds come up constantly — adding a spouse to a title, transferring property into a trust, settling a divorce, cleaning up an old ownership record. They’re also one of the more commonly misunderstood documents I notarize, because the signing itself is simple but what it legally accomplishes is easy to overstate.

What a quitclaim deed actually does

It transfers whatever interest the person signing (the grantor) currently has in a property to someone else (the grantee) — nothing more, nothing less. It makes no promises about the quality of that interest. If the grantor has full, clear ownership, that’s what transfers. If the grantor’s ownership is incomplete, disputed, or encumbered in some way, the quitclaim deed doesn’t fix or guarantee any of that — it simply passes along exactly what the grantor had, as-is.

How this differs from a warranty deed

A warranty deed includes promises — that the grantor actually owns the property free and clear and will defend that claim. A quitclaim deed makes no such promises, which is exactly why it’s used for lower-risk transfers between parties who already trust each other (family members, spouses, into-a-trust transfers) rather than for arm’s-length sales between strangers, where a buyer wants the stronger protections a warranty deed provides.

What notarization confirms — and what it doesn’t

• Notarization confirms the person signing the deed is who they claim to be, and is signing willingly
• It does not confirm the grantor actually has clear title to transfer
• It does not address any liens, mortgages, or other claims already on the property

A quitclaim deed transfers whatever the signer has — it’s never a substitute for a title search if you’re receiving property from someone you don’t already know and trust.

After the notarization

A signed and notarized quitclaim deed still needs to be recorded with the county register of deeds to be fully effective against future claims — notarization is a required step in that process, not the final one. If you’re not sure how to complete the recording, the county recorder’s office can walk you through their specific filing requirements.