To fill out a quitclaim deed in Michigan, you start with the statutory language in MCL 565.152 (“A.B. quitclaims to C.D. [property description] for the sum of [consideration]”), add the grantee’s mailing address and the full legal description from the prior deed, format the paper to the Register of Deeds’ specifications, and have the grantor sign in front of a notary.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 565.152 – Form of Deeds, Mortgages, and Acknowledgments After that, two things still have to happen: recording with the county Register of Deeds, and filing a Property Transfer Affidavit with the local assessor within 45 days.
What Goes on the Deed
The statutory core is short, but a recordable Michigan quitclaim deed needs several specific pieces of information built around it.
Use the grantor’s and grantee’s full legal names exactly as they appear on prior title documents. The grantor is the person giving up their interest; the grantee is the person receiving it. The grantee’s mailing address, including street number, must appear on the deed.2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 565.201 – Requirements for Recording With Register of Deeds
The property description is where most people trip up. A street address is not enough. Copy the full legal description verbatim from the property’s existing deed or title commitment: lot numbers, block numbers, subdivision names, or the metes and bounds for unplatted land. Transposing a lot number or dropping a section reference can either get the deed rejected outright or create a title cloud you’ll deal with later.
State the consideration explicitly. That’s the value being exchanged. For transfers between family members or into a trust, it’s often a nominal amount like one dollar. Whatever the figure, it has to be written on the deed, because it drives the transfer tax calculation and determines whether an exemption applies.
One thing worth understanding before you sign: a quitclaim deed transfers only whatever interest the grantor happens to have, with no promise that title is clean. If there’s a lien or a competing claim, the grantee inherits the problem. That’s the fundamental difference from a warranty deed.
Formatting the Document
Michigan Register of Deeds offices apply MCL 565.201 strictly, and physical noncompliance is a leading reason deeds get turned away at the counter. The requirements:2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 565.201 – Requirements for Recording With Register of Deeds
- Paper between 8½ × 11 and 8½ × 14 inches.
- White paper, at least 20-pound weight, printed in black ink.
- Type at least 10-point, or a legible handwritten equivalent.
- At least 2½ inches of blank space at the top of the first page, and at least ½ inch on every other side of every page.
- The first line of text on the first page identifies the document type (e.g., “Quitclaim Deed”).
- One recordable event per document. You cannot combine multiple transfers.
Print the grantor’s name directly beneath their signature, and the notary’s printed name beneath the notary’s signature. Many counties also want the name and address of the person who drafted the document. Watch the 2½-inch top margin in particular; standard word processing templates don’t leave that much space, and you’ll need to adjust manually.
Signing and Notarization
Under MCL 565.8, every deed conveying an interest in Michigan real estate must be acknowledged before a judge, a clerk of a court of record, or a notary public.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 565.8 In practice, that means a notary. The grantor signs in front of the notary, who then completes and dates the acknowledgment on the document.
The acknowledgment block itself follows a format prescribed by the Michigan Secretary of State. It has to include the notary’s printed name, the county of commission, and the date the commission expires.4Michigan Secretary of State. Acknowledgements If the notary is acting outside the county where they’re commissioned, the acknowledgment must also state the county where the act is taking place. A missing expiration date or county line is one of the easiest ways to have the deed sent back.
Only the grantor signs. The grantee’s signature is not required on a Michigan quitclaim deed. If more than one person shares ownership, every grantor must sign, and every signature must be notarized.
Transfer Tax and Exemption Language
Michigan imposes both a state and county real estate transfer tax whenever property valued at $100 or more changes hands. The state rate is $3.75 per $500 of value (or fraction thereof), and the county rate is $0.55 per $500, which comes to $8.60 per $1,000 combined.5Michigan Department of Treasury. State Real Estate Transfer Tax Frequently Asked Questions
Many quitclaim transfers qualify for an exemption. The full list is in MCL 207.526, and the ones that most often apply to quitclaim situations include:6Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 207.526 – Exempt Written Instruments and Transfers of Property
- Transfers where the stated consideration is less than $100.
- Conveyances that create or disjoin a tenancy by the entireties between spouses.
- Conveyances from a parent to a child, stepchild, or adopted child.
- Conveyances from a grandparent to a grandchild, step-grandchild, or adopted grandchild.
- Transfers made by court judgment or order, such as a divorce decree, unless the court specifies monetary consideration.
- Quitclaim deeds given solely to confirm existing title or correct a title flaw.
You cannot simply skip the tax and assume the recorder will figure out that a transfer is exempt. The exemption has to be stated on the face of the deed and cite the specific subsection. For a parent-to-child transfer, that reads something like: “This transfer is exempt from state and county transfer taxes under MCL 207.526(j).”5Michigan Department of Treasury. State Real Estate Transfer Tax Frequently Asked Questions Leaving out the statement, or citing the wrong subsection, will delay recording.
Recording the Deed
Once the deed is signed and notarized, the original goes to the Register of Deeds in the county where the property sits. Recording puts the transfer into the public record and protects the grantee against later claims from third parties. An unrecorded deed is still valid between the grantor and grantee, but it offers no protection if someone else records a competing interest first.
Recording fees vary by county, so call the recorder’s office or check the county website before you go. You’ll typically hand over the original deed together with any transfer tax payment or the exemption statement on the deed itself.
The Property Transfer Affidavit
Recording the deed is not the end of the paperwork. The new owner must file a Property Transfer Affidavit (Michigan Department of Treasury Form 2766) with the local city or township assessor within 45 days of the transfer.7Michigan Department of Treasury. Property Transfer Affidavit Form 2766 That’s a separate office from the Register of Deeds, and the 45-day clock runs from the date of transfer, not the recording date.
The form asks for the parties’ names, the transfer date, the actual consideration paid, and the parcel identification number. The assessor uses that information to decide whether to adjust the property’s taxable value.
Uncapping
Under Michigan’s Proposal A system, a property’s taxable value normally can’t rise faster than inflation each year. When ownership transfers, the taxable value “uncaps” and resets to the property’s full state equalized value for the calendar year following the transfer.8Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 211.27a – Taxable Value of Property On a property held for many years, that can mean a significant jump in property taxes going forward. Some transfers, including certain ones between spouses or from parent to child, can qualify for exemptions from uncapping. Those are listed on Form 2766 itself; verify eligibility before assuming you qualify.
Federal Gift Tax When Consideration Is Nominal
When a quitclaim deed transfers property for a nominal amount like one dollar, the IRS may treat the difference between that consideration and the property’s fair market value as a gift. If the gift to any one recipient exceeds $19,000 in 2026, the grantor must file IRS Form 709.9Internal Revenue Service. Whats New Estate and Gift Tax Married couples can combine their annual exclusions for up to $38,000 per recipient before a filing obligation kicks in.
Filing Form 709 does not necessarily mean you owe gift tax. The amount above the annual exclusion reduces the donor’s lifetime estate and gift tax exemption, which is $15,000,000 per individual for 2026.10Internal Revenue Service. IRS Releases Tax Inflation Adjustments for Tax Year 2026 Most people never owe actual gift tax, but failing to file when required can create problems when the donor’s estate is eventually settled.
Mistakes That Get Deeds Rejected
Rejections cluster in a small number of categories. The most common is an incomplete or incorrect legal description. Using only a street address, or transposing a lot or section number from the prior deed, is enough to send the document back.
Formatting violations under MCL 565.201 are next. The 2½-inch top margin, black ink on white paper, and 10-point minimum font are hard requirements, not suggestions. Cream paper or a one-inch top margin will not be accepted.2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 565.201 – Requirements for Recording With Register of Deeds
Notarization defects are the third recurring problem. A missing commission expiration date, an unsigned acknowledgment block, or a notary’s printed name that doesn’t match the one in the acknowledgment will all cause rejection.4Michigan Secretary of State. Acknowledgements If the grantor’s printed name under the signature doesn’t match the name in the body of the deed, the recorder will flag that too.
Finally, forgetting the transfer tax exemption statement when no tax is being paid will stall recording every time. Before you head to the county office, walk through the list once more: legal description copied verbatim, formatting within specs, notary block complete, transfer tax paid or exemption stated on the deed with the correct MCL 207.526 subsection, and the grantee’s mailing address on the document. That check saves most people a second trip.