General warranty deeds: what they do and how to file one
Transfers ownership with the strongest title guarantees the law allows.
What a general warranty deed is
A general warranty deed transfers ownership and adds the full set of title covenants: the grantor promises they own the property, have the right to sell it, that it is free of undisclosed encumbrances, and that they will defend the title against any claim, including claims that arose long before they owned it. It is the standard instrument for an arm's-length sale between private parties.
General warranty deed, in one sentence
Transfers ownership with the strongest title guarantees the law allows.
When to use one
- Sell a property directly to a buyer without an agent
- Transfer a property where the buyer expects full title protection
- Satisfy a purchase contract that calls for a warranty deed
- Convey property where a title company requires warranty covenants
What it does not do
Every deed has hard limits, and most disappointment comes from not knowing them in advance.
- The covenants only bind the grantor personally. If they have no assets, a covenant claim may be worth little.
- It does not replace title insurance or a title search. It gives you a claim after the fact, not clean title today.
- It does not avoid probate and cannot be revoked once delivered and recorded.
- Signing one when you don't actually know the property's history exposes you to real liability. Where that is a concern, a special warranty deed is the safer instrument.
How it compares to the other deeds
| Deed | Title protection | When it transfers | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quitclaim deed | None | Immediately on delivery | No |
| General warranty deed | Full. Warrants against all claims, ever | Immediately on delivery | No |
| Special warranty deed | Limited, only the grantor's own ownership period | Immediately on delivery | No |
| Transfer-on-death deed | Not applicable | At the owner's death | Yes, while you're alive |
| Lady bird deed | Not applicable | At the owner's death | Yes, while you're alive |
| Life estate deed | Not applicable | At the owner's death | No |
| Gift deed | None | Immediately on delivery | No |
Where it is available
General warranty deeds are recognized in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. What differs state to state is the execution: 4 states require witnesses in addition to a notary, first-page margins run from 1 to 3.5 inches, and the accompanying tax declarations are different everywhere.
How to create one
- Confirm it is the right instrumentStart from what you're trying to accomplish rather than the deed name. The goal picker maps the outcome to the instrument and tells you when a deed is the wrong tool entirely.
- Get your state's requirementsWitness rules, notary block wording, page margins, and the tax declarations that must accompany the deed all vary. Pick your state below for the specifics.
- Copy the legal description exactlyFrom your prior recorded deed, word for word. This is the single most common reason a DIY deed fails to transfer what the owner intended.
- Sign in front of a notaryNever in advance. Bring photo ID, and witnesses if your state requires them.
- Record it with the countyIn the county where the property sits. Recording is what puts the world on notice and fixes your priority date.
$69, one time. Read the finished document before you pay.
By state
General warranty deed requirements, state by state
Witness rules, margins, transfer taxes, recording fees, and the forms that have to travel with the deed.
States that do not recognize general warranty deeds
These pages explain why, and what people in those states use instead.
Common questions
Transfers ownership with the strongest title guarantees the law allows. A general warranty deed transfers ownership and adds the full set of title covenants: the grantor promises they own the property, have the right to sell it, that it is free of undisclosed encumbrances, and that they will defend the title against any claim, including claims that arose long before they owned it. It is the standard instrument for an arm's-length sale between private parties.
An attorney charges roughly $300–$1,200 to draft one, about $690 on average. LegalZoom is $249–$289, and that includes filing it with the county for you. Deedly is $69 and you record it yourself. On top of any of these you pay your county's recording fee, usually $10–$100, plus any state transfer tax, and $5–$25 for notarization if your bank doesn't do it free.
No state requires an attorney to prepare a deed. What the law requires is the correct statutory language, an accurate legal description, proper signatures and notarization, and recording with the right office. You should use an attorney when ownership is disputed, when the owner has died and the estate has not been probated, when the transfer is tax-sensitive, or when Medicaid planning is involved, and Deedly asks about all of those before it lets you start.
About ten minutes to complete the interview, assuming you have your prior deed to hand for the legal description. Notarization takes a few minutes at a bank or shipping store. Recording is same-day if you go in person or use e-recording, and one to three weeks by mail before the stamped original comes back.
Keep reading
- Quitclaim deedTransfers whatever interest you have in a property, with no promises about the title.
- Special warranty deedTransfers ownership, but only guarantees the title for the period you owned it.
- Transfer-on-death deedNames who inherits your property, skips probate, and changes nothing while you're alive.
- Lady bird deedAn enhanced life estate deed: you keep total control for life, and the property passes automatically at death.
- Deed rules by stateRequirements, fees, and recording offices for all 51 jurisdictions.
- All guidesPlain-English explanations of how deeds actually work.
Deedly is not a law firm
We provide self-help software and state-specific statutory forms; you make your own decisions about your property. Using Deedly does not create an attorney-client relationship, and nothing here is legal advice. If your situation is complex or contested, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.