The quit claim deed must also include a deed execution date. This is the date that the deed is signed by the parties and witnesses which is also the date it becomes effective. You must also include information about the person who prepared the quit claim deed. The quit claim deed template, of course, omits any statement of the grantor’s.

Chapter 1
Making a Basic Will

Is This Will Right for You?................................................................ 4

Using a Basic Will........................................................................ 4

Making Your Own Will.................................................................. 6

Who Should Not Use This Book.................................................. 7

Wills 101.......................................................................................... 8

Who Can Make a Will?................................................................ 8

Will Requirements........................................................................ 9

Types of Wills............................................................................. 10

About Probate and Taxes.......................................................... 11

Getting It Done............................................................................... 12

How to Proceed............................................................................. 13

This book is for people who want to make a basic will—nothing complex, no frills, just a valid will that does the job. It is for people who want to leave their property outright (no strings attached) when they die.

Following the step-by-step instructions in this book, you can create your own basic will that:

leaves your property to the people and organizations you choose

names someone to care for your minor children

names someone to manage property you leave to minor children, including your own children, and

names your executor, the person with authority to make sure that the terms of your will are carried out.

This book contains five sample will forms that are valid in every state and Washington, D.C., with the exception of Louisiana (which has unique laws governing wills). These will forms have been carefully prepared to keep your work to a manageable amount.

Before you dive into making your will, first consider some preliminary will-making issues. First, is this the right will for you? The first section of this chapter will help you decide. Next, do you know the legal basics about making a will? Just to be sure, this chapter also gives you a quick tutorial of will law. Finally, how do you get started? The final sections of the chapter will show you how.

Is This Will Right for You?

The wills in this book work fine for many people, but not for everyone. Whether one of these basic wills is right for you depends on the size of your estate, the complexity of your family situation, and your estate planning needs. This section will help you decide whether or not one of these wills is right for your situation.

Using a Basic Will

Wills come in varying sizes and complexities. If you have a large estate and complicated wishes for your property, you might pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for a 50-page will drafted by lawyer. But if you have an average-sized estate (roughly, less than $1 million) and a simple plan for the distribution of your property, you may only need a four-page basic will that you can make yourself. This book shows you how to make that kind of basic will.

In fact, if you’re healthy, relatively young, and own property less than the threshold limit for federal estate taxes (see Chapter 6), a basic will may be the only estate planning you need, at least for now. As you become older or wealthier, a basic will may no longer be the most economical and efficient method for passing your property. At that time, you will benefit from more sophisticated estate planning.

However, for now, if you have an average-sized estate and your plans for your property are fairly simple, a basic will document will work for you.

Living Overseas

You do not have to live in the United States to prepare a will that is valid in this country. To prepare a valid will if you live abroad, you must follow the formal will requirements presented in this book and maintain legal residence in a U.S. state. If you live overseas temporarily because you are in the armed services, your residence is the home of record you declared to the military authorities. If you live overseas for business, education, or for the fun of it, you probably still have sufficient ties with a U.S. state to make it your legal home (“domicile” in legalese). For example, if you were born in New York, lived in New York, and are registered to vote there, then your residence is New York, for will-making purposes.

If your choice is not clear. If you do not maintain continuous ties with a particular state, or if you have homes in the United States and another country, consult a lawyer before preparing your will.

Making Your Own Will

Let me reassure you here at the start that preparing a basic will is not hard for most people. A basic will is a simple document used to transfer your own property to those you want to get it after you die. If you have a modest estate and simple wishes about what you want to do with it, you can make your own basic will.

Take a common situation, where both members of a married couple want to leave their property to the other spouse. If that spouse isn’t alive, then all property is to be divided equally between their kids. What the couple wants can be said in two sentences. Why should accomplishing their straightforward desire in a valid legal document be so difficult that an expert must be paid? This book is based on the truth that there’s no reason to involve a costly expert if a will writer has a simple estate and uncomplicated desires for what happens to that estate after he or she dies.

Now let’s look at a few real-life situations where a basic will from this book will work fine.

Example 1: Nyrit and Jerome, in their 40s, own a home with a mortgage, two cars, and some savings. Their net estate totals $463,000. They have one child, Mark, age 12. Each prepares a will leaving all of his or her property to the other. If they die together, Mark is to receive all their property. Nyrit and Jerome agree that Nyrit’s brother Iraz will care for Mark and manage the property until Mark turns 18.

Example 2: Sam, a widower, owns property with a net worth of $510,000. He has three adult children. He creates a will leaving all his property equally to his children. He specifies that if any child dies before him, that child’s share is to be divided equally between the surviving children.

Example 3: Barbara is a divorced mother with two teenaged children and an estate totalling $123,000. Her ex-husband is a good father to their children, but is not good with money. Barbara prepares a will leaving all her property equally to her children. Because Barbara does not want her ex-husband managing money she leaves to her children, she uses her will to appoint her sister Debbie to manage each child’s property until each child­­ turns 18.

Who Should Not Use This Book

If you have any complexities in your family situation, your property, or your beneficiary plans, this book is not for you. I could go on for pages trying to define what “complexities” are, but I believe I can rely on readers’ common sense here. I’ll offer a few specific examples of situations where you’d need to consult a lawyer to safely prepare your will:

A child or family member has a disability or other special needs that you wish to address in your will when leaving that person property.

resource

Special needs trusts. Many Americans care for a child or another loved one with a disability who requires support from government programs. Money and property left directly to people with disabilities may disqualify them from government assistance.With Special Needs Trusts: Protect Your Child’s Financial Future, by Kevin Urbatsch and Michele Fuller-Urbatsch (Nolo), you can create a special needs trust that provides for your loved one without jeopardizing public benefits.

You are in a second or subsequent marriage, you have children from a prior marriage, and you believe there is a real potential for conflict between those children and the children you have with your current spouse. By contrast, there are certainly many second/subsequent marriages where such conflicts are unlikely. In that case, you can safely use a will from this book if it fits your other needs.

Learn more about estate planning for second marriages. Estate Planning for Blended Families, by Richard E. Barnes (Nolo), provides a thorough discussion of issues that may arise when a couple in a second or subsequent marriage is deciding how each wants to leave his or her property.

You believe that someone might contest your will. To contest a will, the person contesting must argue that the will writer was not mentally competent when writing it, or that the will was procured by fraud or duress (such as some evildoer exerting undue influence over the will writer). I want to assure you that will contests are quite rare, and it’s even more rare that anyone succeeds in overturning a will. Happily, the great majority of people don’t face any realistic possibility of someone contesting their will.

You want to create a trust protecting property for two generations. For example, you want to leave some property in trust for your child, and you also want that property to go to that child’s children (your grandchildren) when your child dies.

See Chapter 11 for information about other Nolo do-it-yourself resources that address concerns not covered by this book.

Wills 101

There are surprisingly few legal restrictions and requirements in the will-making process. Let’s look at the basic rules.

Who Can Make a Will?

You can create a valid will as long as you meet the following two criteria.

You must be at least 18 years of age. Some states allow younger people to make a will if they are married, in the military, or legally emancipated (have achieved adult status by order of a court).

You must be “of sound mind.” This means you must:

know what a will is, what it does, and that you are making one

understand the relationship between yourself and those you would normally provide for in your will, such as a spouse or children, and

understand the kind and quantity of property you own and how to distribute it.

In real-world terms, a person must be pretty far gone before his or her will could be invalidated by a judge on grounds of the will writer’s state of mind. Forgetfulness, or some diminution of memory capacity, isn’t sufficient to invalidate a will. If you can read and understand this book, your mind is sound enough to prepare a valid will.

Will Requirements

The laws in each state control whether a will made by a resident of that state is valid. You should make your will in the state where you live. If you move to another state, don’t worry. A will that is valid in the state where it was made is also valid in all other states.

If you’re temporarily living outside the United States, your state is where you have your perma­nent residence (or “state of record,” if in the military). If you are living outside the United States perma­nently, do not use this book.

Following are the bare-bones legal requirements of a valid will. The will must:

include at least one substantive provision—either giving away some property or naming a guardian to care for minor children who are left without parents

be signed and dated by the person making it, and

be witnessed by two people who are not named as beneficiaries under the will.

Also strongly advisable is that the will:

name someone to enforce the terms of the will (your executor), and

be comprehensible; nonsensical, legal-sounding language, such as
“I hereby give, bequeath, and devise,” is not necessary.

Contrary to what some people believe, a will need not be notarized to be legally valid.

Identifying Your State

Your state’s laws affect a number of will-related issues, including probate procedures, marital property ownership, and state inheritance and estate taxes. Most people are clear about which state they reside in. However, if you live in two or more states throughout the year, choose the state in which you are the most rooted as your state of residence. For instance, choose the state where you: are registered to vote register your motor vehicles own real estate or other valuable property, or maintain a business.

Types of Wills

Formal wills are printed out from a computer, signed, and witnessed. That is the kind of will you would get from a lawyer, and that’s the kind of will you can make using the forms from this book. There are a few other types of wills, but none are as legally reliable as a formal will.

Unwitnessed, handwritten wills—in legalese, “holo­graphic wills”—are legally valid in only a few states. Further, handwritten wills are risky, even where legal. Most obviously, after your death, it may be difficult to prove that an unwitnessed, handwritten document was actually written by you and that you intended it to be your will. Further, many judges hold handwritten wills to very strict standards.

A typed will that has been properly signed and witnessed is much less vulnerable to a challenge of forgery or fabrication than a handwritten will. If need be, witnesses can later testify in court that the person whose name is on the will is the same person who signed it, and that the person made the will voluntarily and knowingly. Also, in many states a simple legal document called a self-proving affidavit may be signed by the will writer and the witnesses before a notary to make the will accepted in court more easily.

A few states accept the historical leftover of oral (spoken) wills, but only under very limited circumstances, such as when a mortally wounded soldier utters last wishes. Oral wills, even in the states that accept them, are of no use for people in normal life situations who don’t fit into the narrow categories permitted.

Nevada is the only state to authorize an “electronic will” in its statutes —that is, a will that is created and stored exclusively in an electronic format, usually on a computer or another electronic device. (Courts in Ohio and Tennessee have made decisions supporting the idea of electronic signatures on wills, but lawmakers in those states have yet to provide for electronic wills in their statutes.) Under the Nevada law, an electronic will must use advanced technology to create a distinctive electronic signature and at least one other way to positively identify the will maker, such as retinal scan or voice or face recognition technology. While such technology may develop soon, no readily available methods currently exist for making an electronic will that is trustworthy and valid. It seems that Nevada wants to be legally prepared if such methods become available. If they do, other states are likely to also allow electronic wills.

Finally, you may have heard of video wills, in which you are filmed as you speak your will desires. Such wills are not legally valid wills, because no state legislature has authorized them.

About Probate and Taxes

You’ve probably heard of probate and know it has a dubious reputation. In probate, the will of a person who died is filed with a court, and property is located and gathered by the estate’s executor. Debts and taxes are paid, and the remaining property is distributed as the will directs. Most property passed by will must go through probate.

Probate certainly has drawbacks. It can be lengthy, commonly taking a year or more. It can also be expensive, normally requiring the services of lawyers and perhaps other specialists. Fees for these experts vary by state; however, payment will always come out of property you intended for family and friends.

The good news is that people whose situations warrant a basic will don’t need to worry about probate at the time they write their will. The main concern of those who need a basic will is to make legal arrangements for the unlikely event that they die suddenly and unexpectedly. Yes, with a will there is a risk that their property may end up in probate. But for those who don’t expect to die soon, or die wealthy, that risk is preferable to creating complex and often costly estate plans many years or decades before they’re likely to come into play. (See Chapter 6 for more about probate and common ways to avoid it.)

Free Fillable Quit Claim Deed

Similarly, if a basic will is right for you, you almost certainly don’t have to worry about federal estate taxes either. Theoretically, the estate of every person who dies is subject to federal estate taxes. However, in 2017, the federal estate tax exemption allows $5.49 million worth of property to be trans­ferred free of U.S. tax—and the result is that only the estates of the very wealthy end up actually owing federal estate tax.

Unless you own property worth more than the estate tax exemption for the year you die, your estate will not owe federal estate tax. For more about estate taxes, see Chapter 6.

caution

Quitclaim Deed Form Free

People with estates above the estate tax threshold should consider estate planning beyond the scope of this book. If your property, whether individually or combined as a couple, exceeds the estate tax threshold, you may be able to save large amounts of money from the tax man by using sophisticated planning methods. The rudiments of estate tax planning are discussed in Chapter 6.

Getting It Done

In the face of the intense emotional force and mystery of death, preparing a will may seem minor. Although this is not a philosophical or spiritual book, I want to acknowledge that the emotional realities involved in a death are profound. But however one chooses to deal with death spiritually or philosophically, there are practical issues that must be confronted. A will is the easiest way to handle one of the most important practical matters: transferring property.

It’s also important to acknowledge that the process of writing a will is more than a practical necessity. Deciding who you want to receive your property after your death can be a significant process. The peace of mind one achieves by preparing a will—having one thing on that nagging list of “really should be dones” behind you—is very real and satisfying. Certainly it’s no denigration of death, or life, for you to be concerned with the wisest and most desirable distribution of your property.

In spite of this, the unfortunate reality is that many Americans still don’t have a will. Why not? No one knows for sure, but here are my hunches:

Lack of reliable information.The legal establish­ment has managed to mystify the process of writing a will. People fear either making mistakes by doing it themselves or they don’t know they can prepare their own will. In fact, no law requires that a will be drafted or approved by a lawyer.

Cost. People understandably resist paying a hunk of money to a lawyer for what their intuition tells them shouldn’t be a difficult or complicated task.

Superstition. Some people fear that just thinking about the practical consequences of one’s death could somehow hasten death’s arrival. We know better, right?

Good old procrastination. For anyone with loved ones, it’s certainly a bad idea to risk dying without a will, which leaves the distribution of one’s estate for state law to determine. (This is called “dying intestate.”)

What Happens If You Die Without a Will?

If you die without a valid will (or another valid property transfer device), your state law specifies who gets your property. All state laws divide a person’s property among close family members. No flexibility is allowed. Perhaps worse, the court will appoint the person who will supervise the distribution of your property (and receive a fee from that property for services)—it won’t be someone you’ve chosen. Also, if you have minor children and the other parent isn’t involved, a court would appoint a guardian for your children without your input. Certainly, there have been instances where such a person was far more concerned with extracting hefty fees from the property than with the children’s well-being. Enough said?

Blank Quit Claim Deed Template

How to Proceed

This book is designed to lead you, sequentially, through the steps you’ll need to take to prepare your own will. Chapters 2 through 5 discuss the heart of making a will: who gets what, what will happen to your children, who will you name to be your executor. Chapter 6 briefly looks beyond a basic will into general estate planning.

Chapter 7 contains detailed step-by-step instructions for completing the five will forms in this book. The will forms are shown in Appendix B and can be downloaded from this book’s special page on Nolo.com. Depending on your marital status and whether or not you have children, you’ll select the will form that’s appropriate for you and carefully prepare a rough draft. You will find instructions for downloading the forms in Appendix A.

In Chapter 8, you’ll learn how to create the final version of your will. You’ll sign it and have your will witnessed, completing the will-making process.

Chapters 9 and 10 cover what happens after you’ve made a will, including suggestions on storing your will and the possibility of making changes to it. Finally, Chapter 11 gives information about going beyond this book, either by using other Nolo resources or hiring a lawyer.

How to Make Your Will: A Checklist

Decide who you want to inherit your property. Choose who you want to serve as your executor. If you have young children, choose personal and property guardians for them. Pick the right will form. Make a draft of your will. Check it over carefully. Print out (or type) a final copy. Sign the will in front of two witnesses. If your state uses a self-proving affidavit, have your witnesses sign it in front of a notary public. Store your will in a safe place, where your executor will have access to it. Make a codicil or new will if your life situation changes.

We hope you enjoyed this material. The rest of this book is available when you purchase the book.

A Quit Claim Deed transfers the ownership or rights of property from a seller, or ‘Grantor’, to a buyer, or ‘Grantee’. This type of deed only transfers the rights of the real property from the current owner (if the ‘Grantor’ is the owner) and makes no guarantees about the title in regards to past owners. In short, there are no guarantees with this type of deed. Therefore, this makes this type of deed less secure when comparing to a General Warranty Deed or Special/Limited Warranty Deed.

Depending on the laws in the State, a Quit Claim will have to be completed in front of either two (2) witnesses or a Notary Public (or both). Afterward, the deed is usually filed with the Recorder’s Office in the County where the real estate is located or other recognized offices.

• Definitions

Because of the uncertainty that comes with quit claim deeds, it is common to think that these documents are unreliable and aren’t worth the risk. You would be surprised then to learn that there are a lot of practical and convenient uses for a quit claim deed. Quitclaim deeds are used for:

1. Transfer real property between family members

Since this deed offers the least amount of buyer protection, it is often used for transferring properties between people that trust each other—such as family members. The grantor and the grantee then would either have knowledge about or be able to trust the claim to the title of the property.

Typical arrangements between family members include parents passing on their house to their adult children or siblings trading real property with each other. Often using the quitclaim deed in these scenarios means that there is no sell on the property or money trading hands.

2. Correct a defect on the title

Free Download Quit Claim Deed Form5 Florida

Quitclaim deeds are also an efficient means of correcting a mistake on the title without extra costs and time in legal litigations. Mistakes can be as simple as a spelling error in the name of the title holder to something as complex as ambiguity around who the real title holder is. The quitclaim deed can resolve all of these by using the correct and intended information for the title that then is notarized by a county or city official.

Once such defects or inaccuracies are clarified using the quitclaim deed, a warranty deed or special warranty deed may be used to resolve any finer details about covenants in the transfer of property.

3. Add or remove a spouse or another individual from the title

Along with making corrections to the title, quit claim deeds can also add or remove a spouse from the title of the deed. Quitclaim deeds make it quick and easy to arrange properties after marriages or divorces. The process is very much similar to when one fixes a mistake in the title.

4. Avoid the probate process through transfer into a living trust

Quitclaim deeds are also an excellent means to transfer real property into a living trust. It cuts through the litigation process and can save time and money at the time of death.

The deed will already have given the title to the appropriate beneficiary making the probate process short or completely unnecessary. As long as the title and claim of the property are legitimate, there would be few means of contesting the transfer of the real estate in this way.

Now you see why the quit claim deed is an appealing real estate document as well. It’s an invaluable asset when used in the proper means. Each state also has slightly different rules when it comes to using and writing quit claim deeds, so be sure to understand your state requirements before using this legal document.

Filing a quit claim deed will convey ownership to the Grantee. In order to properly submit this request there must be consideration (purchase price), sufficient description of the premises, with the form properly signed (depends on the State’s laws). The form will then be ready to file with the local recorder’s office completing the process.

Step 1 – Negotiate with the Owner

Like any ownership interest, there must be a price that is agreed upon by the parties. Most commonly, a quit claim is used when purchasing a portion of real estate interest. Therefore, there is usually no need for a real estate agent or other negotiating individual.

An attorney is always recommended to ensure the parties succeed in legally filing the transaction.

Step 2 – Gather the Required Information

In order for most county and city recorders to process the deed, the following information is required:

• Preparer’s By – Individual that writes the form.
• Where to Mail After Recording – Where to send the Deed after it is filed. This is usually the Grantee or their attorney.
• Grantee’s Information – Buyer’s full name and mailing address.
• Grantor’s Information – Seller’s full name and mailing address.
• Consideration – Purchase Price ($).

Legal Description – Obtain the “Deed Book and Page Numbers” which can be found at the county or city recorder’s office. Often this is required to process. It is also recommended, although not required, to have the “Tax Map & Lot or Parcel ID” provided by the county or city assessor’s office included in the description.

Step 3 – Authorizing the Form

The form will need to be authorized in accordance with the respective State’s laws. This can be found here and usually consists of either two (2) witnesses and/or a notary public. Both Grantor and Grantee will be required to appear in front of the witnessing party.

Step 4 – File/Recording the Deed

The deed will now need to be recorded. Every jurisdiction in the United States has a recording office that can be found here depending on the State. Make sure to bring a blank check as there will be a filing fee that is set by the recording office.

Quitclaim deeds do not offer much buyer protection when it comes to the transfer or sale of real estate. They are simple and require the minimal amount of information to justify it as a legal document. This is what makes them so different from warranty deeds.

Warranty deeds are far more common in the sale of real estate because they provide what quit claim deeds do not. It addresses many of the finer points and takes more time to write up. Some of the additional information includes:

• Warranty of the title and that the grantor has the authority to sell/trade the property
• Legal insurance and responsibility if a third party challenges for the title to the property
• Guarantee that there are no debts attached to the property or other unexpected burdens
• Full description of the property, including its exact legal boundaries

Warranty deeds offer the most buyer protection and take the most time to set up. It has its obvious benefits, but that does not make the quit claim deed unattractive either.

Consideration – This is the Purchase Price.

Grantor (the “Seller”) – This is the party that owns the property but is in the process of selling. Only the Grantor is required to sign the Quit Claim.

Grantee (the “Buyer”) – This the purchasing party that will have their information entered as and should be the individual where the Quit Claim returns to after it has been processed.

Legal Description – This usually has to be obtained either on the Local or County level. It is best to go online and find the property or contact your Local Assessor or Recorder. It is best to include the following in your description:

• Tax Map/Lot Numbers
• Deed Book & Page Numbers
• Parcel Identification Number (if any)

*Mailing addresses are usually not included in the Legal Description.

Notary Public – Needed to acknowledge the signature of the Grantor in most States. (See Your State Signature Laws).

Preparer – This is the individual that is writing the document.

Receiver (After Recording, Return to) – The Grantee (Buyer) should be listed here or a mailing address for all real estate taxes and notices.

Free Download Quit Claim Deed Form5 California

Witness(es) – In some States, Witnesses are required either as an option to having the form notarized or as a requirement alongside a Notary Public.

Step 1 – In the header of the document you will need to write the individual’s name who created the document followed by who the deed will be returned to after it is filed. Most commonly, the deed is returned to the new owner (or ‘Grantee’).

Step 2 – In the body of the form, the State and County where the property is located must be filled-in followed by the purchase price (if it was gifted then the price should be set at $1.00). The Grantor(s) should then be entered along with their marital status and mailing address. Followed by the Grantor(s) name, marital status, and mailing address.

Step 3 – The legal description should then be entered and it should, per most State laws, contain the Map and Lot numbers as detailed by the County/Town Assessors (or Land Records) office along with the Deed Book and Page Numbers provided by the Recorder’s Office. Any additional information may be required such as maps or surveys describing the property in detail in order to accurately process the Deed.

Free Download Quit Claim Deed Form5 Texas

Step 4 – On the Signature page the preparer of the document should enter the Grantor’s Name and Mailing Address. Depending on whether the for is to be signed in the presence of a Notary Public or 2 Witnesses, the 2 Witnesses names (if applicable) should be entered in typed format so that after printing all that is needed is for the Witnesses to sign.

If the Notary Public is required, their information must be left blank for recording purposes.

At this time the quitclaim deed is complete and the form may be processed at the County Recorder’s Office in the jurisdiction where the property is located.

After the form has been downloaded, completed, and signed it is ready to be recorded at the Registry of Deeds (or other County/Town office). The form may be filed at the respective office below:

State	Laws	Where to Record
Alabama	No Statute	County Probate Judge
Alaska	AS 34.15.050	District Recorder’s Office
Arizona	§ 33-402	County Recorder’s Office
Arkansas	§ 18-12-209	Circuit Court (See Map)
California	No Statute	County Recorder’s Office
Colorado	§ 38-30-116	County Recorder’s Office
Connecticut	Sections 47-36f and 47-36g	County Recording Office (See Map of Counties)
Delaware	§ 121	Kent, New Castle, or Sussex County
Florida	§ 695.01(2)	County Recording Office (See County Websites)
Georgia	§ 48-4-44	Clerk of the Superior Court
Hawaii	Title 28, Section 502	Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances
Idaho	§ 55-612	County Recorder’s Office (See County Websites)
Illinois	765 ILCS 5/10	County Recorder’s Office
Indiana	§ 32-21-1-15	County Recorder’s Office (See County Websites)
Iowa	§ 558.19	County Recorder’s Office (See County Websites)
Kansas	§ 58-2204	County Recorder’s Office (See County Websites)
Kentucky	No Statute	County Clerk’s Office
Louisiana	CC 1839	Clerk of Court’s Office
Maine	Title 33, § 161	County Registry of Deeds
Maryland	No Statute	Division of Land Records at the Circuit Court
Massachusetts	Chapter 183, Section 11	County Registry of Deeds
Michigan	§ 565.152	County Registry of Deeds
Minnesota	§ 507.07	County Recorder’s Office
Mississippi	§ 89-5-1	Clerk of the Chancery Clerk’s Office
Missouri	Section 447.640.1	County Recorder of Deeds
Montana	No Statute	County Clerk and Recorder’s Office
Nebraska	NRS 23-1510	County Recorder’s Office (See County Websites)
Nevada	NRS 111.312	See List of County Recorders
New Hampshire	RSA 477:28	County Registry of Deeds Office
New Jersey	Section 46:5-1	County Clerk’s Office
New Mexico	Section 47-1-30	County Clerk’s Office
New York	NY Real Prop L § 258	County Court Clerk’s Office (See County Websites)
North Carolina	§ 47B-8	County Registry of Deeds
North Dakota	§ 47-10-15	County Recorder’s Office
Ohio	§ 5302.11	County Recorder’s Office
Oklahoma	§ 16-41	County Clerk’s Office
Oregon	§ 93.865	County Recorder’s Office (See County Websites)
Pennsylvania	§ 91.164	County Recorder’s Office (See County Websites)
Rhode Island	§ 34-11-17	City/Town Office (varies by area) (See City/Town Websites)
South Carolina	No Statute	County Recorders of Deeds
South Dakota	§ 43-25-7	County Recorder’s Office
Tennessee	§ 66-5-103(2)	County Recorder’s Office
Texas	Section 13.002	County Register of Deeds (County Clerks Office)
Utah	§ 57-1-13	County Recorder’s Office (See County Websites)
Vermont	27 V.S.A. § 342	County Clerk’s Office
Virginia	§ 55-96	Clerk of the Circuit Court
Washington	RCW 64.04.050	County Recorder’s Office (See County Websites)
West Virginia	§ 36-3-5	County Clerk’s Office
Wisconsin	§ 706.10(4)	County Register of Deeds
Wyoming	§ 34-2-104	County Clerk’s Office