Michigan Quitclaim Deed Form

What Is a Michigan Quitclaim Deed?

A quitclaim deed transfers a property owner's interest to someone else, with no guarantee that the title is free of problems. The grantor hands over only the rights they actually hold, and the grantee accepts that risk in exchange for a simpler transfer.

A warranty deed asks more of the grantor. Unlike a quitclaim deed, it must guarantee title free of undisclosed claims.

Michigan's statutory quitclaim wording comes from MCL 565.152. It only requires the grantor to state that they quitclaim the described property to the grantee for a stated consideration, without promising anything about what that interest is actually worth.

Michigan Quitclaim Deed Requirements

A quitclaim deed form in Michigan needs to meet a few requirements before a register of deeds will accept it:

• The grantor's signature, notarized or otherwise acknowledged by an authorized official
• The property's full legal description, not just the street address or parcel number
• A 2½-inch margin at the top of the first page, reserved for the register's use, and at least half an inch on every other side
• Type no smaller than 10-point, printed in black ink
• The drafter's name and address, along with a mailing address for the new owner

Michigan repealed the requirement that a spouse sign away dower rights in 2017, so most quitclaim deeds today need only the grantor's signature, notarized.

Common Uses for a Michigan Quitclaim Deed

People use this deed when they already trust the other party, since a title guarantee wouldn't change their decision anyway. A few situations account for most filings:

• Bringing a new spouse onto the title after a wedding
• Shifting a home in or out of a revocable living trust
• Passing land to a grown child without a sale
• Fixing a name that got recorded incorrectly on an earlier deed
• Splitting what's left of a parent's estate once probate ends

A quitclaim deed after a death in Michigan usually falls into the last category. Once probate closes, the estate's personal representative uses one to move the property to the heirs named in a will or a court order.

Create Your Michigan Quitclaim Deed

Michigan Quitclaim Deed with Mortgage

Mortgage lenders’ main concern is who signed the loan, not whose name is on the title. A quitclaim deed transfers ownership, but the original borrower stays on the hook for every payment until the loan itself changes hands.

That distinction is vital, especially during divorce. An ex-spouse removed from the deed can still show up on the mortgage for years afterward, as title and debt are handled through separate paperwork.

A change in ownership in Michigan can also trigger a due-on-sale clause. The Garn-St. Germain Act means lenders can demand the full balance immediately. Lenders rarely use this option for family transfers, but the law doesn't prevent them from doing so.

How to File a Quitclaim Deed in Michigan

Filing a Michigan quitclaim deed takes just seven steps with Lumr’s help:

1. 1

   Confirm the legal description

   Copy the property's legal description from the existing deed or a recent survey. Registers often reject filings that rely on a street address instead of the legal description.

2. 2

   Name the grantor and grantee

   Write out the grantor's and grantee's full legal names exactly as the county has them on file, and add a mailing address for the grantee so future tax notices go to the right place.

3. 3

   Draft the deed

   Lumr's template already includes the wording Michigan requires. All you need to do is fill in the property and party details.

4. 4

   Sign and notarize

   Sign the deed in front of a notary public or another authorized official, who verifies the grantor's identity and completes the required acknowledgment.

5. 5

   Handle the transfer tax

   Work out the state and county transfer tax owed, combined about $8.60 per $1,000 of value in most counties, or note the exemption that applies if none is due.

6. 6

   File the Property Transfer Affidavit

   Submit Form 2766 to the local assessor within 45 days of the transfer, even when the deed itself owes no transfer tax. Missing that window can trigger extra penalties.

7. 7

   Record with the county

   Bring the signed deed and the transfer tax payment, or the exemption statement if none is owed, to the register of deeds in the county where the property is located. Once it's recorded, the transfer becomes part of the public record.

Lumr does the hard part. All you need to do is print off your finished Michigan quitclaim deed PDF, sign it, and take it to the register of deeds.