Pennsylvania general warranty deed
Here is what Pennsylvania actually requires on a general warranty deed. The witness rules, the notary block, the margins, the forms that have to travel with it, and where to record it, plus what the deed does and does not do.
- Recording office
- Recorder of Deeds
- Witnesses
- Notary only
- Transfer tax
- 1% state
- First-page margin
- 3″ top
- Recording fee
- ~$65 first page
- E-recording
- Generally available
What a general warranty deed does in Pennsylvania
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.
When Pennsylvania homeowners use a general warranty deed
- 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 Pennsylvania requires on the deed
These are the execution and formatting rules recorders of deeds enforce. Getting any of them wrong is the usual reason a deed comes back in the mail.
| Requirement | What Pennsylvania says |
|---|---|
| Recording office | Recorder of Deeds |
| Notarization | Required. Every signature must be made in the notary's presence. |
| Witnesses | None required. A notarial acknowledgment is enough. |
| Legal description | Required, copied exactly from the prior recorded deed. A street address is not sufficient. |
| Grantee's address | Must appear on the face of the deed. |
| Return address | A 'when recorded, return to' block is required. |
| Preparer statement | Not required, but customary. |
| Prior deed reference | Not required, though it keeps the chain of title clean. |
| Page setup | 8.5 × 11 in, 3-inch top margin on the first page, 1-inch elsewhere, 10pt minimum type. |
| Accompanying form | Statement of Value (Form REV-183) for non-arm's-length transfers |
How to complete and record it in Pennsylvania
- Find your current deedYou need the legal description from it, word for word. If you can't find your copy, the Recorder of Deeds can provide one, usually for a few dollars.
- Identify everyone by full legal nameNames must match the current deed and government ID exactly, middle names included. A mismatch creates a gap in the chain of title that shows up years later at closing.
- Complete the deedDeedly builds it with Pennsylvania's statutory language, the correct notary block, and the 3-inch first-page margin recorders of deeds expect.
- Sign in front of a notaryBring photo ID. Do not sign in advance. The signature has to be made in the notary's presence.
- Complete Statement of Value (Form REV-183) for non-arm's-length transfersPennsylvania requires this alongside the deed, including for exempt transfers. Your filing packet explains which boxes apply to your situation.
- Record it with the Recorder of DeedsFile in the county where the property is located and pay the recording fee. Most offices in this state also accept e-recording, which is usually same-day. Keep the stamped receipt. It fixes your priority date.
- Update insurance and tax recordsA change of ownership can affect your homeowner's policy, your homestead or senior exemption, and in some states the assessed value. Do this within a few weeks.
What it costs in Pennsylvania
| Cost | Typical amount |
|---|---|
| Recording fee | About $65 for the first page |
| Transfer tax | Realty transfer tax: 1% state, plus local (typically 1%, but Philadelphia's combined rate is about 4.278% and Pittsburgh's about 5%) |
| Notary | Typically $5–$25 per signature; often free at your bank |
| Deedly | $69, one time |
| Attorney (for comparison) | $300–$1,200 for the same statutory document |
Pennsylvania charges a realty transfer tax of 1% state, plus local (typically 1%, but Philadelphia's combined rate is about 4.278% and Pittsburgh's about 5%). It is customarily paid by the negotiated. Cities and counties may add their own on top, so check the municipality rather than just the county.
Exemptions that commonly apply to a transfer like this: transfers between spouses, transfers between parent and child, grandparent and grandchild, or siblings, transfers to or from a revocable living trust, and gifts within the exempt family relationships. You have to claim the exemption. The recorder won't apply it for you.
Where to record it in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania deeds are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the property sits, not where you live. There are 67 counties in Pennsylvania.
Most Pennsylvania recording offices accept e-recording through vendors such as Simplifile, CSC, or ePN, which is usually same-day. Check your county's website for the list it works with.
Recording offices we cover in Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, Lancaster, Chester, York, Berks, Westmoreland. See all Pennsylvania recording offices.
What a general warranty deed does NOT do
Being honest about the limits is more useful than a sales pitch. Every one of these catches somebody out.
- 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.
Quirks of Pennsylvania law that catch people out
- Pennsylvania's family exemptions from realty transfer tax are among the broadest anywhere: spouse, parent/child, grandparent/grandchild, and sibling transfers are all exempt. A Statement of Value (REV-183) claims the exemption.
- Philadelphia's combined realty transfer tax is about 4.278% and Pittsburgh's is about 5%, far above the 2% typical elsewhere in the state.
- Pennsylvania does not recognize transfer-on-death deeds.
- A conveyance to a married couple creates a tenancy by the entirety automatically, which is strong creditor protection.
How to hold title in Pennsylvania
When two or more people take title in Pennsylvania and the deed says nothing more, the law presumes a tenancy in common, which means no automatic survivorship. If you want the survivor to take the whole property, the words have to be on the deed. Forms of co-ownership available in Pennsylvania: tenancy by the entirety (married couples only), joint tenancy with right of survivorship, and tenancy in common.
Married couples
A conveyance to a married couple in Pennsylvania creates a tenancy by the entirety by default.
$69, one time. Your finished deed appears in full before you pay, with Pennsylvania's witness rules, margins, and recording instructions already applied.
Common questions
No. Pennsylvania has no requirement that an attorney prepare a deed. What matters is the correct statutory language, an accurate legal description, proper notarization, and recording with the Recorder of Deeds. Deedly produces all of that for $69, versus roughly $300–$1,200 for an attorney to draft the same document. If ownership is disputed, the current owner has died without probate, or the transfer is tax-sensitive, use an attorney.
Expect around $65 for the first page. Pennsylvania also charges realty transfer tax of 1% state, plus local (typically 1%, but Philadelphia's combined rate is about 4.278% and Pittsburgh's about 5%), though gifts and family transfers are often exempt. Typical figure. Counties set their own fees. Confirm with your recorder before mailing.
No. Pennsylvania requires only that the grantor's signature be acknowledged before a notary public. Forms that show witness lines are usually generic templates borrowed from another state.
With the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the property is located, not where you live, and not where the buyer lives. Pennsylvania has 67 counties. Most offices also accept e-recording through a submitting service.
No, and this is the single most common misunderstanding about deeds. A deed changes who owns the property. The mortgage is a separate contract with the lender, and only a refinance or a written release from the lender removes a borrower. Someone can be off the deed and still fully liable on the loan.
Keep reading
- Pennsylvania quitclaim deedTransfers whatever interest you have in a property, with no promises about the title.
- Pennsylvania special warranty deedTransfers ownership, but only guarantees the title for the period you owned it.
- Pennsylvania life estate deedYou keep the right to live in the property for life; named remaindermen own it after you.
- Pennsylvania gift deedTransfers property to someone as an outright gift, for no payment.
- All deed rules for PennsylvaniaRecording offices, transfer tax, witness rules, and fees.
- Pennsylvania recording officesWhere to file in each county.
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.