Maryland Quitclaim Deed
Transfer your interest in a Maryland property — between family, into a trust or LLC, or after a divorce — and download a print-ready PDF with Maryland’s signing rules built in. Free, no signup.
Maintained by the SealForms editorial team · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
Maryland deed rules · as of 2026
- Witnesses (besides notary)
- None — notary only
- Where to record
- Clerk of the Circuit Court (county land records)
- Transfer tax
- Yes — see below
Source: Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 4-101, 3-104 · verify ↗. A deed moves real property — have someone qualified review it before you sign, and record it promptly.
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Prepared by: __________
After recording, return to: __________
Quitclaim Deed
State of Maryland · County of __________
Transfer tax declaration (complete before recording):
Transfer tax due: $__________ · Exemption claimed (if any): ______________________
Maryland charges a transfer or documentary tax when a deed is recorded — see the transfer-tax note on this page for the statute and current rate. The recorder may require the amount (or exemption) declared on the face of the deed or on its own form.
This Quitclaim Deed is made on __________ by __________ and __________ ("Grantor"), in favor of __________ and __________ ("Grantee").
For and in consideration of __________ , the receipt and sufficiency of which are acknowledged, Grantor hereby remises, releases, and forever quitclaims to Grantee all of Grantor's right, title, and interest in the real property located in __________,Maryland, described as follows:
__________
Parcel / Tax ID: __________
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the premises unto Grantee and Grantee's heirs and assigns forever — without any covenant or warranty of title, express or implied.
State of Maryland, County of ____________ — acknowledged before me on ____________ by the above-named Grantor(s).
Notary Public: ____________________ · My commission expires: ____________
Generated with SealFormsReflects Maryland law · verified 2026
When a quitclaim deed is the right tool — and when it isn't
- Right: adding or removing a spouse after marriage or divorce, transferring into your living trust or LLC, gifts between family members, clearing a title cloud.
- Wrong: buying property from someone you don't know — a quitclaim carries no warranty of title. Use a warranty deed and title insurance for purchases.
Maryland signing & recording
No — in Maryland the grantor's notarized signature is enough; no separate witnesses are required (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 4-101 — deed sufficient 'if executed, acknowledged, and, where required, recorded'; § 4-101(b): 'the absence of a seal or attestation does not affect the validity of the deed', as of 2026). Md. Code, Real Prop. § 4-101(a) (deed must be acknowledged); recording prerequisites in Real Prop. § 3-104: complete intake sheet or assessment-office endorsement, county tax collector's certificate that taxes are paid, and certification that the deed was prepared by a Maryland attorney or by a party to the instrument (§ 3-104(f)) Record the signed deed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court (county land records). Transfer tax: Maryland state transfer tax: 0.5% of consideration (Md. Tax-Prop. § 13-203; 0.25% paid entirely by seller for qualifying first-time Maryland homebuyers), plus county transfer taxes and county recordation tax (varies); § 13-207 exempts instruments exempt under § 12-108, incl. transfers between spouses/domestic partners and between close relatives (no/nominal consideration) Check the current Maryland deed rules before recording.
Married? If the property is (or may be) your homestead, your spouse may need to sign the deed even if they are not on title — several states require it, and a deed missing that signature can be rejected for recording or invalid. Use the “Co-grantor / spouse” field above to add their signature line, and check your state’s rule before recording.
Existing mortgage? Transferring mortgaged property can trigger the loan’s “due-on-sale” clause. Federal law (12 U.S.C. §1701j-3(d), the Garn–St Germain Act) bars lenders from enforcing it for several transfers of residential property with fewer than five dwelling units — including a transfer to the borrower’s spouse or children, a transfer resulting from a divorce decree, and a transfer into an inter vivos (living) trust in which the borrower is and remains a beneficiary. The loan itself stays in place either way — nobody is released until it is refinanced. Read the statute ↗
Frequently asked questions
Does a quitclaim deed guarantee I own the property?
No — and this is the single most important thing to understand. A quitclaim deed transfers only whatever interest the grantor actually has, with no warranty of title. If the grantor's title is defective or they own nothing, the grantee receives nothing and has no claim against them. That is why quitclaims are used between people who trust each other (family, divorce, trusts) — for a purchase from a stranger, use a warranty deed and title insurance.
Does Maryland require witnesses on a quitclaim deed?
No — in Maryland the grantor's notarized signature is enough; no separate witnesses are required (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 4-101 — deed sufficient 'if executed, acknowledged, and, where required, recorded'; § 4-101(b): 'the absence of a seal or attestation does not affect the validity of the deed', as of 2026). Md. Code, Real Prop. § 4-101(a) (deed must be acknowledged); recording prerequisites in Real Prop. § 3-104: complete intake sheet or assessment-office endorsement, county tax collector's certificate that taxes are paid, and certification that the deed was prepared by a Maryland attorney or by a party to the instrument (§ 3-104(f))
Where do I record the deed in Maryland?
With the Clerk of the Circuit Court (county land records) where the property is located. Recording is what makes the transfer visible to the world — an unrecorded deed can be valid between the parties but lose to a later buyer or lender who records first. Take the original signed deed, pay the recording fee, and keep the returned stamped copy.
Is there a transfer tax in Maryland?
Maryland state transfer tax: 0.5% of consideration (Md. Tax-Prop. § 13-203; 0.25% paid entirely by seller for qualifying first-time Maryland homebuyers), plus county transfer taxes and county recordation tax (varies); § 13-207 exempts instruments exempt under § 12-108, incl. transfers between spouses/domestic partners and between close relatives (no/nominal consideration) Check the current rate and exemptions before recording — the recorder will not accept the deed without the required tax forms or stamps.
Can I use a quitclaim deed to remove someone from a mortgage?
No. A deed changes who owns the property — it does not touch the loan. If both names are on the mortgage, both remain liable until the loan is refinanced or the lender releases the borrower, no matter what the deed says. Signing away your ownership while staying on the loan is usually the worst of both worlds.
How does Maryland compare? See the deed witness requirements in all 50 states, every rule cited to statute.
How Maryland compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Maryland: Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 4-101, 3-104 ↗.
- Maryland is one of 38 of 51 jurisdictions that charge a transfer or documentary tax when a deed is recorded (13 charge no state transfer tax on deeds).
- Witnesses required (beyond the notary)
Witnesses required (beyond the notary): 0, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 45 other states.
Witnesses required (beyond the notary) in neighboring states — Delaware (0), District of Columbia (0), Pennsylvania (0), Virginia (0), West Virginia (0). Every neighboring state with a rule matches Maryland.
Quitclaim deed in other states
More Maryland legal forms
Different state? See quitclaim deeds by state →