To complete a Dallas County deed transfer, prepare a written deed that names the grantor and grantee, contains the property’s full legal description, is signed by every owner and acknowledged before a notary, and then record it with the Dallas County Clerk’s Recording Division at 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100, Dallas, TX 75202.1Dallas County. Contact Us2Dallas County. Recording Filing Fees and Payment Information3FindLaw. Texas Constitution Art. 8, Section 29
Pick the Right Deed for the Transfer
The form of deed you use decides what promises, if any, the new owner receives about the title’s history. Four types are in common use in Texas.
A general warranty deed guarantees the title against all defects, including those that arose before the current seller owned the property. It is the standard choice in residential sales because it gives the buyer the broadest protection.
A special warranty deed guarantees the title only against defects that arose during the grantor’s ownership. Commercial deals and estate or trust conveyances often use this form when the seller cannot vouch for older parts of the chain.
A deed without warranty transfers ownership using formal conveyance language but makes no guarantees at all. It shows up when parties are correcting a prior deed or clearing a minor title issue.
A quitclaim deed releases whatever interest the grantor happens to hold, if any, without promising that the grantor owns anything. Title companies assign little value to a quitclaim, so it is mostly seen between family members, in divorces, or in paperwork cleanup rather than in true sales.
What the Deed Must Contain
A valid Texas deed has to be in writing, signed by the grantor, and delivered to and accepted by the grantee. Miss one of the core elements and the deed can be unrecordable or, worse, ineffective even if the clerk stamps it.
Names and Mailing Addresses
List the full legal name and current mailing address of every grantor and every grantee. Texas Property Code Section 11.003 bars the county clerk from recording a deed unless the grantee’s mailing address appears in the deed or in a separate signed writing attached to it. If the address is missing, the clerk can still record the document, but only after charging a penalty equal to the greater of $25 or twice the normal recording fee.4State of Texas. Texas Code PROP 11.003 – Requirements for Recording of Instruments Including the address up front avoids the penalty and lets the tax assessor route future tax bills to the right person.
Legal Description of the Property
A street address alone will not do. The deed needs a formal legal description that uniquely identifies the parcel in the county’s land records. For most Dallas County homes, that means a lot-and-block reference tied to a recorded subdivision plat, such as “Lot 12, Block 3, Lakewood Heights Addition, City of Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, as recorded in Volume 1234, Page 56, of the Plat Records of Dallas County.” Rural or unplatted land usually takes a metes-and-bounds description or a reference to a recorded survey. Copy the description verbatim from the prior deed or title commitment. Small discrepancies in boundary calls or lot numbers can cause the clerk to reject the filing or create a gap in the chain of title.
Consideration and Granting Clause
State the consideration, meaning the value exchanged for the property. In a sale, that is the purchase price. For gifts or family transfers, standard practice is a nominal recital such as “ten dollars and other good and valuable consideration.” The deed also needs a granting clause. General and special warranty deeds typically say “grant, sell, and convey,” while a quitclaim says “remise, release, and quitclaim.” The wording matters because Texas courts read the granting clause to decide what type of deed was intended and what warranties attach.
Signing and Notarization
Every grantor must sign. When more than one person owns the property, each co-owner signs; a deed signed by only one owner transfers only that person’s interest and leaves the other share untouched. The grantor’s signature has to be acknowledged before a notary public, who verifies identity and applies an official seal. Without notarization the Recording Division will not accept the deed.
The grantee does not sign. Acceptance is presumed when the transfer is beneficial, which covers essentially every ordinary sale or gift.
Recording Fees and Payment
Dallas County uses a flat fee structure. The first page costs $25, broken down as $5 for recording, $10 for records preservation, and $10 for archiving. Each additional page is $4.2Dallas County. Recording Filing Fees and Payment Information A standard two-page deed runs $29. If a document lists more than five names to be indexed, the clerk charges $0.25 per additional name.5State of Texas. Texas Local Government Code 118.011 – Fees for Services by County Clerk
In person, the Recording Division accepts cash, money orders, cashier’s checks, and debit or credit cards. Card payments carry a convenience fee: $2.85 for a PIN debit transaction or 2.05% of the total for credit and pinless debit cards.2Dallas County. Recording Filing Fees and Payment Information For mail filings, include a cashier’s check or money order payable to the Dallas County Clerk for the exact amount; personal checks can delay or block processing.
How to Submit the Deed
In Person
Bring the original notarized deed and your payment to the Recording Division at the Dallas County Records Building, 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding county holidays.6Dallas County. Dallas County Clerk – Recording Division Staff review the document for basic formatting (legible text, proper margins, notary seal) and record it while you wait. This is the fastest way to walk out with a recording stamp.
By Mail
Send the original notarized deed, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the same address. Mailed documents are processed in the order received, so plan for several business days depending on volume. The original comes back with a recording stamp showing the volume and page where it was indexed.
Electronic Recording
Dallas County accepts eRecording through authorized vendors, including Simplifile, eRecording Partners Network (ePN), and CSC. It is typically the fastest option, with confirmations returned in hours. Texas law limits eRecording to licensed attorneys, banks, credit unions, licensed lenders, title insurance companies, title agents, and certain government entities.7Dallas County. Recording Division – eRecording If you are handling the transfer yourself without a title company or attorney, file in person or by mail.
Check the Mortgage Before You Record
If the property still has a loan, deeding it away does not pay off or transfer the mortgage. Most mortgage contracts include a due-on-sale clause that lets the lender demand full repayment when ownership changes hands. Transferring without the lender’s consent can trigger that clause and put the loan into default.
Federal law protects several transfer types from due-on-sale enforcement for residential properties with fewer than five dwelling units:8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 12 U.S. Code 1701j-3 – Preemption of Due-on-Sale Prohibitions
- A transfer to a spouse or children during the borrower’s lifetime.
- A transfer on the borrower’s death to a relative who inherits the property.
- The passing of full title to a surviving joint tenant or tenant by the entirety.
- A transfer to a spouse under a divorce decree or property settlement, provided the spouse occupies the property.
- A transfer into an inter vivos trust where the borrower remains a beneficiary and continues to occupy the home.
Anything outside those categories, including a sale to an unrelated buyer, lets the lender call the loan due. In a standard sale that is handled at closing when the buyer’s funds pay off the existing mortgage. For non-sale transfers to anyone other than a spouse, child, or qualifying trust, contact the lender before recording the deed.
Gift Tax Reporting for Family Transfers
A transfer for less than fair market value counts as a gift for federal tax purposes. When the value exceeds the annual exclusion, which is $19,000 per recipient for 2026, the grantor must file IRS Form 709 for the year of the transfer.9Internal Revenue Service. Gifts and Inheritances Because most real estate is worth well above $19,000, nearly every deed structured as a gift triggers a Form 709.
Filing does not automatically mean tax is owed. The 2026 lifetime basic exclusion is $15,000,000 per individual, and gift tax applies only after that entire lifetime allowance is used.10Internal Revenue Service. What’s New – Estate and Gift Tax Transfers between spouses who are both U.S. citizens are generally exempt and do not require Form 709.11Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 709
Title Insurance Does Not Follow the Property
An existing owner’s title insurance policy protects only the named insured at the time it was issued, so coverage ends when the property changes hands. A buyer in a normal purchase should obtain a new owner’s policy at closing. In gift or family transfers with no title company involved, the grantee takes title without that safety net. A professional title search, usually a few hundred dollars, can at least surface known liens, judgments, or breaks in the chain of title before the deed is recorded.
One Item Outside the Deed: Lead-Paint Disclosure
If the home was built before 1978 and you are selling it, federal law requires a separate lead-based paint disclosure to the buyer before the purchase contract is signed, including an EPA pamphlet and a 10-day inspection window unless the buyer waives it.12U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Real Estate Disclosures About Potential Lead Hazards Recording the deed does not satisfy this obligation, and skipping it can create federal liability separate from anything the county clerk sees.