Quitclaim Deed: What It Transfers, What It Doesn't, and When It's Used
A quitclaim deed hands over whatever interest the grantor has, with no promise the title is good. When it is used, what it does not do, and what it means for title.
Quick answer
A quitclaim deed transfers whatever interest the grantor has in a property, if any, without promising that the title is good. It is common between family members, into a trust or LLC, and in divorces. It does not remove a mortgage or lien, and a buyer paying full price should not rely on one alone.
What a quitclaim deed is
The words "if any" are the whole point. A quitclaim deed says: whatever I own here, I now give to you. If the grantor owns the property outright, the grantee gets it. If the grantor owns half, the grantee gets half. If the grantor owns nothing, the grantee gets nothing, and has no claim against the grantor for it.
That is the difference from a warranty deed, in which the grantor guarantees clear title and promises to defend it. A quitclaim carries no such promise, which is why it is used where the parties already trust each other or where nobody is paying market value.
Definition
Quitclaim deed — A deed by which the grantor conveys their present interest, if any, in a parcel of real property to the grantee, without representing, covenanting or warranting that the title is good.
Quitclaim deed vs warranty deed
Between those two sit deeds that give partial promises, such as the special warranty deed, which covers only problems created during the grantor's own ownership. Which forms are customary varies by state.
| Quitclaim deed | Warranty deed | |
|---|---|---|
| What it transfers | Whatever interest the grantor has, if any | The full title the grantor claims to have |
| Promise about the title | None | Grantor guarantees clear title and will defend it |
| If a defect turns up later | Grantee has no claim against the grantor | Grantee can claim against the grantor under the warranties |
| Typical use | Family transfers, trusts, LLCs, divorce, clearing a name off title | Ordinary sales at market value |
| Removes a mortgage or lien | No | No (liens are cleared by payment and a recorded release) |
How often quitclaims show up in real sales
Buyers paying market value almost always insist on a deed with warranties, and the data shows it. In the Cook County Assessor's parcel sales data for August 13, 2025 to August 12, 2026, 44,359 of 63,200 recorded sales used a warranty deed (70%), 8,467 a trustee's deed (13%) and only 865 a quitclaim deed (1.4%). Source: Cook County Assessor's Office, Parcel Sales.
Quitclaims live mostly outside the sales data, in the transfers where no one is buying anything: a parent adding a child to title, a couple moving a home into a living trust, an owner moving property into an LLC, a former spouse giving up a claim after a divorce. New York City's sales file shows how large that category is: in Brooklyn, 41% of all transfers recorded between September 2025 and August 2026 were for $10 or less. Source: NYC Department of Finance, Rolling Sales.
When a quitclaim deed is used
- Adding or removing a spouse or family member on the title without a sale.
- Moving a home into a living trust, or into an LLC the owner controls.
- Carrying out a divorce settlement, where one spouse gives up their interest to the other.
- Clearing a possible claim, such as a former co-owner or heir releasing any interest they might have.
- Correcting a name or a legal description error on an earlier deed.
What a quitclaim deed does not do
What a quitclaim means in a title search
A quitclaim in the chain of title is not a defect by itself. It is a question. Because it carries no warranty, the searcher has to check that the grantor actually held the interest they quitclaimed, by tracing the deed under which they took title. A quitclaim from someone who never held title passes nothing, and the chain breaks there.
Quitclaims also cluster around the events that create title problems: deaths, divorces, informal family arrangements and entity reshuffles. A run of quitclaims with nominal consideration is a reason to read the surrounding documents carefully, check for probate or divorce paperwork where it should exist, and confirm that liens recorded against each owner were dealt with.
Title insurers treat a recent quitclaim with the same caution and may ask for more documentation before insuring over it.
Key takeaways
Key takeaways
- A quitclaim transfers the grantor's interest, if any, with no promise the title is good.
- It never removes a mortgage or lien, and the grantor usually stays on the loan.
- Only 1.4% of Cook County sales in the year to August 2026 used a quitclaim; 70% used a warranty deed.
- In a title search, every quitclaim means confirming the grantor actually held what they gave away.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a quitclaim deed bad?
- No. It is the right tool for transfers between people who trust each other, such as family members, a trust or an owner's own LLC. It is the wrong tool for a buyer paying market value, who should insist on a deed with warranties and title insurance.
- Does a quitclaim deed remove my name from the mortgage?
- No. The mortgage is a contract with the lender. A quitclaim changes ownership of the property but not responsibility for the loan, which stays until the lender releases you or the loan is refinanced or paid off.
- What is the difference between a quitclaim deed and a warranty deed?
- A warranty deed guarantees clear title and obliges the grantor to defend it. A quitclaim deed transfers only whatever interest the grantor has, if any, with no guarantee at all.
- Do I need to record a quitclaim deed?
- Yes. Like any deed, a quitclaim should be recorded with the county recorder or clerk where the property sits. Recording gives public notice of the transfer and protects the grantee against later claims.
- Can a quitclaim deed be reversed?
- Not by the grantor alone. Once delivered and accepted, the transfer stands unless the grantee deeds the property back or a court sets it aside, for example for fraud, duress or lack of capacity.
Sources
Primary records and official documentation cited in this article.
HeritageDeed provides public-record search reports only. Reports do not constitute title insurance, an attorney opinion of title, or a title insurance commitment.