State-Specific Special Warranty Deed Requirements

Use this chart before completing, signing, or recording your Special Warranty Deed. It identifies common statewide requirements that may require additional information on the deed, a particular signature page, or a separate filing.

Last reviewed: September 6, 2026

Important: This is a general statewide summary, not legal advice. County, parish, city, and town recording practices may impose additional requirements, and laws and forms can change. Always confirm current requirements with the recording office where the property is located before signing or recording. The notary or other authorized officer should use an acknowledgment or attestation certificate that complies with applicable law and may attach a separate certificate when necessary.

Which signature page should I use?

Standard Notary Page Witness + Notary Page Georgia Attestation Page

Vesting reminder: Not every ownership option printed on the deed is recognized in every state. Before selecting Tenancy by the Entirety, Community Property, or Community Property with Right of Survivorship, confirm that the form of ownership is recognized where the property is located.

Limited-warranty terminology: Some states use different statutory or customary names for deeds that provide warranties limited to claims arising by, through, or under the Grantor. This chart focuses on signing, recording, and related filing requirements. Confirm that the deed form and warranty language are appropriate for the state where the property is located.

State Signature Page What to Do Before Signing / Recording Sources & Forms
Alabama Standard Notary
  • A notarized acknowledgment satisfies Alabama's ordinary witness requirement.
  • File Form RT-1 Real Estate Sales Validation Form unless the conveyance itself contains all information required by the form.
 Ala. Code 35-4-23Form RT-1
Alaska Standard Notary
  • If the property is the family home or homestead and the Grantor is married, both spouses generally must join in the deed.
  • Record in the Alaska recording district where the property is located.
 Alaska Stat. 34.15.010
Arizona Standard Notary
  • File an Affidavit of Property Value unless the transfer qualifies for an exemption.
  • If exempt, follow the statutory exemption notation requirements on the deed.
  • Community real property generally requires both spouses to join in the conveyance.
 AZ Property Value FAQA.R.S. 11-1133
Arkansas Standard Notary
  • Complete the Real Property Transfer Tax Affidavit of Compliance or the applicable exemption certification.
  • Transfer tax may be due when the deed is recorded.
 AR Transfer Tax Affidavit
California Standard Notary
  • First-page placement differs from the generic form.
  • Place the recording-request / return information in the upper-left portion of the blank area at the top of Page 1; leave the remainder available for recording. A conforming separate first page may be used if needed.
  • Add the name and address for future tax statements on Page 1.
  • File the Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR). A California notary should use or attach the California statutory acknowledgment.
 Gov. Code 27361.6CA BOE Change in Ownership
Colorado Standard Notary
  • Complete the TD-1000 Real Property Transfer Declaration when required by the county assessor / recorder.
  • Confirm any county documentary fee and recording requirements.
 TD-1000 Instructions
Connecticut Witness + Notary
  • Use two attesting witnesses and an acknowledgment.
  • Include the Grantee's current mailing address.
  • File Form OP-236 Connecticut Real Estate Conveyance Tax Return when the deed is recorded.
 Conn. Gen. Stat. 47-5Form OP-236 Information
Delaware Standard Notary
  • State the true value in the deed or provide the required affidavit.
  • Complete the current RTT-TAX Realty Transfer Tax Return and Affidavit of Gain and Value and any applicable real-estate withholding forms.
 Current Delaware Forms30 Del. C. ch. 54
Florida Witness + Notary
  • Use two subscribing witnesses.
  • Print the names and post-office addresses of the Grantor(s) and witnesses as required; include the preparer's name/address and the printed name of the notary.
  • Keep a 3 x 3 inch area clear in the upper-right corner of Page 1 and a 1 x 3 inch upper-right area on later pages.
  • Include the Grantee mailing address. Documentary stamp tax may be due. Confirm homestead spouse-joinder requirements.
 Fla. Stat. 689.01Fla. Stat. 695.26
Georgia Georgia Attestation
  • Use the Georgia Attestation Page: one unofficial witness plus an authorized official witness (commonly a notary).
  • The notary/official witness must actually attest the execution; use the notary seal.
  • E-file Form PT-61 and pay real estate transfer tax if due.
 GA Real Estate Transfer TaxO.C.G.A. 44-2-15
Hawaii Standard Notary
  • Special first-page format required.
  • Hawaii requires 3.5 inches at the top of Page 1 for recording information, followed by a 1-inch return-information area. The generic deed's 3-inch top space is not sufficient by itself.
  • Use a Hawaii-compliant fly sheet / first page and include the Tax Map Key (TMK).
  • File Form P-64A, or P-64B if the transfer is exempt.
 HRS 502-31Hawaii Conveyance Forms
Idaho Standard Notary
  • Idaho is a community-property state.
  • Community real property generally cannot be conveyed unless both spouses join in the deed or another statutory exception applies.
 Idaho Code 32-912ID Community Property
Illinois Standard Notary
  • File Form PTAX-203 with the deed unless the transaction qualifies for an exemption that permits an exemption notation on the original deed.
  • Local transfer taxes may also apply.
 PTAX-203 Instructions
Indiana Standard Notary
  • Special page-margin requirements apply.
  • The first and last pages require at least 2 inches of clean space at the top and bottom; interior pages generally require 1/2-inch margins. Type must be at least 10 point.
  • Add preparer information, Grantee physical address, and printed names under signatures. If acknowledged in Indiana, include the required Social Security number redaction affirmation.
  • Obtain auditor endorsement and submit current Sales Disclosure Form 46021 as applicable.
 IN Recording RequirementsForm 46021
Iowa Standard Notary
  • Submit the Real Estate Transfer Declaration of Value unless an exemption applies.
  • If no reportable groundwater conditions exist, Iowa law requires the statutory no-known-condition statement on the first page. Copy the exact current statement from Iowa Code section 558.69(8).
  • If reportable conditions exist, file the required Groundwater Hazard Statement instead.
 Iowa Code ch. 558Iowa Property Tax Forms
Kansas Standard Notary
  • File the Real Estate Sales Validation Questionnaire unless a statutory exemption applies.
  • Do not assume that a nominal consideration recital such as $10 automatically avoids the questionnaire.
 KS Property Valuation FormsSales Validation Questionnaire
Kentucky Standard Notary
  • A Kentucky consideration certificate must be added.
  • Include the full names and mailing addresses of Grantor and Grantee, the full consideration, and the in-care-of address for the property tax bill.
  • For a sale, add a sworn notarized certificate signed by both the Grantor and Grantee (or authorized agents) confirming the full consideration. For a gift or nominal/no-consideration transfer, the certificate must identify the transfer as a gift and state estimated fair cash value.
 KRS 382.135
Louisiana Witness + Notary
  • Use the Witness + Notary Page when executing as an authentic act: two witnesses plus a notary.
  • Print or type each signer's name directly beneath the signature and include the notary identification number or attorney bar-roll number.
  • Louisiana requires detailed marital-status information, including the present spouse's full name or a declaration that the party is unmarried, and information about changes in a transferor's marital status since acquisition when applicable.
  • Record in the parish where the property is located.
 Civil Code art. 1833Civil Code art. 3352
Maine Standard Notary
  • File the Real Estate Transfer Tax Declaration (RETTD) with the Registry of Deeds when the deed is recorded.
  • The Registry collects any transfer tax due.
 Maine Transfer TaxRETTD
Maryland Standard Notary
  • Submit the Maryland Land Instrument Intake Sheet (or obtain the permitted assessment-office endorsement).
  • Add the required preparation certification. A party named in the deed may certify that the instrument was prepared by that party; otherwise the statute requires the applicable Maryland-attorney certification.
  • Complete tax-collector / assessment prerequisites and any transfer or recordation tax requirements before recording.
 Md. Real Prop. 3-104
Massachusetts Standard Notary
  • Keep a 3 x 3 inch blank recording area in the upper-right of Page 1 or use a conforming registry cover sheet.
  • Include the Grantee's full name, residence and post-office address, the full monetary consideration or nature of other consideration, and the property address clearly labeled.
 MA Deed Indexing StandardsM.G.L. c.183, s.6
Michigan Standard Notary
  • The new owner must file Form 2766 Property Transfer Affidavit with the city or township assessor within 45 days of the transfer.
  • Confirm county recording requirements for preparer, return address, and tax parcel information.
 MI Property TransferForm 2766
Minnesota Standard Notary
  • If the property is a married owner's homestead, both spouses generally must sign.
  • File an eCRV when required; current guidance generally requires one when consideration exceeds $3,000. Use the appropriate no-eCRV statement when applicable.
 Minn. Stat. 507.02eCRV Guidelines
Mississippi Standard Notary
  • If the property is a protected homestead and the owner is married and living with the spouse, the spouse generally must sign the conveyance.
  • Confirm county chancery-clerk recording and tax requirements.
 Miss. Code 89-1-29
Missouri Standard Notary
  • State whether each natural-person Grantor is married or unmarried.
  • Because the kit places the full legal description on Page 2, add a Page 1 reference such as Legal Description: See Page 2.
  • Keep the full 3-inch top margin blank; other margins generally must be at least 3/4 inch and type at least 8 point.
 RSMo 442.130RSMo 59.310
Montana Standard Notary
  • File a completed Realty Transfer Certificate (RTC) with the County Clerk and Recorder when the deed is presented for recording.
  • Grantor and Grantee names on the RTC should match the deed.
 Montana RTC
Nebraska Standard Notary
  • If the property is a married person's homestead, both spouses generally must execute and acknowledge the deed.
  • Submit Form 521 Real Estate Transfer Statement with the Register of Deeds; the deed will not be recorded without a properly completed statement.
 Neb. Rev. Stat. 40-104Form 521
Nevada Standard Notary
  • Add the Assessor's Parcel Number (APN) in the upper-left of Page 1 if one has been assigned and include the Grantee mailing address.
  • File the Declaration of Value with the deed.
  • Community-property rules may require spouse joinder; confirm if the Grantor is married.
 NRS ch. 111NRS ch. 375
New Hampshire Standard Notary
  • Purchase / pay any required real estate transfer tax indicia through the Registry of Deeds.
  • File the current purchaser declaration (CD-57-P), seller declaration (CD-57-S), and PA-34 Inventory of Property Transfer within the required time after recording.
 NH Current FormsNH RETT FAQ
New Jersey Standard Notary
  • Use the current GIT/REP form required for the seller's circumstances.
  • Use Form RTF-1 when claiming a full or partial Realty Transfer Fee exemption; additional RTF forms apply to certain high-value and other transactions.
  • Always use the current New Jersey form set because requirements vary by seller, property type, value, and exemption.
 NJ Realty Transfer FeeGIT/REP FAQ
New Mexico Standard Notary
  • For residential property, file the Residential Property Transfer Declaration Affidavit with the county assessor within 30 days after the deed is recorded.
  • New Mexico is a community-property state; confirm spouse joinder and vesting when either party is married.
 NM Transfer AffidavitNMSA 7-38-12.1
New York Standard Notary
  • Submit Form RP-5217-PDF with the deed and the current TP-584 transfer-tax form.
  • New York City generally uses ACRIS instead of RP-5217-PDF; Staten Island uses the designated NYC RP-5217 form.
  • Nonresident sellers may also need the current IT-2663 form.
 RP-5217 FilingCurrent NY Transfer Forms
North Carolina Standard Notary
  • Use 8.5 x 11 or 8.5 x 14 paper; keep 3 inches blank at the top of Page 1 and at least 1/2-inch margins elsewhere; use legible black type (9 point or larger is considered legible); print on one side only.
  • The instrument type must appear at the top of the first page.
  • Effective April 1, 2027: certain covered land transfers will require an additional affidavit under G.S. 161-14.04 / G.S. 64-63. Check the current rule if recording on or after that date.
 G.S. 161-14G.S. 161-14.04
North Dakota Standard Notary
  • Add a signed Grantee (or Grantee-agent) certification on the face of the deed stating either the full consideration paid or the applicable statutory exemption.
  • Keep at least 3 inches clear across the top of Page 1 for recording information.
  • If the property is a married person's homestead, both spouses generally must execute and acknowledge the deed.
 N.D.C.C. 11-18-02.2N.D.C.C. 47-18-05
Ohio Standard Notary
  • Later-page margins require attention.
  • Page 1 requires 3 inches blank at the top; each later page requires 1.5 inches blank at the top; all pages require 1-inch side and bottom margins and at least 10-point type.
  • Present the deed to the county auditor before recording and complete DTE 100 or DTE 100EX as applicable.
  • Ohio dower rights may require a spouse to join or otherwise release rights even when the spouse is not the titled owner.
 Ohio Rev. Code 317.114Ohio Tax Forms
Oklahoma Standard Notary
  • If the property is an exempt homestead and both spouses are living and not divorced or legally separated, both spouses generally must sign.
  • Documentary stamps / transfer tax are handled through the county clerk when applicable.
 16 O.S. 4
Oregon Standard Notary
  • State the true and actual consideration on the face of the deed.
  • Add the tax-statement mailing information required by Oregon law.
  • If Page 1 does not contain all required indexing items, use a recorder cover sheet.
 ORS ch. 93ORS 205.234
Pennsylvania Standard Notary
  • File Form REV-183 Statement of Value when required, including many gifts, exemption claims, or transfers where full consideration / value is not adequately stated in the deed.
  • County recording-format and parcel-certification requirements vary significantly; confirm with the county Recorder of Deeds.
 PA Realty Transfer TaxREV-183
Rhode Island Standard Notary
  • Record the deed with the city or town where the property is located.
  • Real estate conveyance tax is paid at recording when due.
 RI Conveyance Tax
South Carolina Witness + Notary
  • Use two credible witnesses.
  • Add the required derivation clause identifying the Grantor's source of title and include the Grantee mailing address.
  • File the deed-recording-fee / value affidavit unless the recording officer waives it; if exempt, state the exemption basis.
 S.C. Code 27-7-10S.C. Code 30-5-35SC Deed Fee Manual
South Dakota Standard Notary
  • File Form PT 56 Certificate of Real Estate Value with the deed.
  • If the transfer is exempt from the deed transfer fee, include the required exemption notation and applicable statutory subdivision.
 SD Register of DeedsSDCL ch. 43-4
Tennessee Standard Notary
  • Add the Tennessee oath of value to the face of the deed unless the transaction is exempt.
  • The Grantee, Grantee's agent, or trustee for the Grantee must state under oath the actual consideration or the value of the property, whichever is greater.
  • Realty transfer / recordation tax is collected by the county register when due.
 Tenn. Code 67-4-409TN Recordation Tax
Texas Standard Notary
  • Texas-specific first page included in the kit. If an individual is a party, use the Texas-specific first page in place of the standard first page. It includes the statutory NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY RIGHTS required by Texas Property Code 11.008(c). Do not use both first pages.
  • If the property is a married person's homestead, spouse joinder generally must be addressed.
  • Texas has no statewide real estate transfer tax, but county recording requirements still apply.
 Tex. Prop. Code 11.008Tex. Fam. Code ch. 5
Utah Standard Notary
  • Include the Grantee mailing address to be used for assessment and taxation.
  • Use a legal description that satisfies Utah's statutory requirements.
  • Confirm whether the county recorder requires a parcel / serial number in addition to the legal description.
 Utah Code 57-3-105
Vermont Standard Notary
  • File the current Property Transfer Tax Return (PTT-172) when the deed is delivered to the town clerk for recording.
  • The town clerk cannot record a deed without the required transfer-tax return.
 PTT-172 Instructions
Virginia Standard Notary
  • Use the Virginia land-record cover sheet when required by the clerk or to satisfy most Page 1 indexing information; number all deed pages consecutively.
  • For residential property containing no more than four dwelling units, Page 1 must identify the title-insurance underwriter or state that title insurance is unknown to the preparer, and must state that the deed was prepared by the owner or by a Virginia-licensed attorney as applicable.
  • Do not state that the deed was prepared by the owner unless that statement is true.
 Va. Code 17.1-223Va. Cover Sheet Statute
Washington Standard Notary
  • Use the Washington statutory recording cover sheet unless you add all required first-page information to the deed.
  • Required first-page information includes the return address in the upper-left, document title immediately below the 3-inch top margin, Grantor and Grantee names, an abbreviated legal description, and the assessor's parcel/account number.
  • Later pages require at least 1-inch margins on all sides and type must be at least 8 point.
 RCW 65.04.045WA Cover Sheet
West Virginia Standard Notary
  • Add a signed Declaration of Consideration or Value on the face or at the end of a taxable deed.
  • Submit the required sales-listing form. Transfer-tax stamps / payment are handled at recording when due.
 W. Va. Code 11-22-6
Wisconsin Standard Notary
  • A Wisconsin cover sheet / first-page format is recommended with this kit.
  • Keep a 3 x 3 inch blank recording area in the upper-right; put the return name/address and parcel identification number in the designated first-page area; the document title must be within the required top area.
  • Add the name of the individual who drafted the instrument (when required) and print names below signatures.
  • File the Wisconsin Real Estate Transfer Return (RETR) through My Tax Account before recording.
 WI Recording RequirementsWisconsin RETR
Wyoming Standard Notary
  • Submit a fully completed sworn Statement of Consideration with the deed unless the transfer qualifies for an exemption.
  • The county clerk generally cannot record a nonexempt transfer without the statement.
 Wyo. Stat. 34-1-142
No matching state found.

State and local forms: Use the most current version available from the applicable state agency or recording office. A form number listed here may be replaced, revised, or moved to an electronic filing system after this chart is updated.