If you are adding a spouse to title, removing a former spouse, giving property to a family member, moving real estate into a trust, handling an inheritance, or cleaning up ownership records, a Connecticut quitclaim deed may be the document you are looking for.
The deed itself is often the simple part. The details that cause confusion are usually the legal description, notarization and witnesses, recording with a town instead of a county, whether the real estate conveyance tax applies to your situation, and a signing requirement Connecticut shares with very few other states.
The good news is that gifts and spousal transfers are generally exempt from Connecticut's conveyance tax. The part that surprises people most is the extra witness requirement.
Important Connecticut Recording Note:
Connecticut has no county government, so land records are kept town by town. Quitclaim deeds are recorded with the Town Clerk in the specific town where the property is located.
Connecticut is also one of the few remaining states that requires two witnesses on a deed, in addition to the notary acknowledgment. Missing a witness signature is one of the most common reasons a Connecticut deed is rejected.
What You Need Before Filling Out the Deed
Before you start typing names into a deed form, gather the information Connecticut town clerks commonly expect.
- Current deed or property record, including its volume and page reference
- Grantor's full legal name and mailing address
- Grantee's full legal name, mailing address, and vesting choice
- Complete legal description of the property
- The specific Connecticut town where the property is located
- A return name and address on the first page
- Notary acknowledgment for the grantor's signature
- Two witness signatures
- A Real Estate Conveyance Tax Return (Form OP-236), if the transfer is taxable
- Recording fees and any conveyance tax due
How to Fill Out a Connecticut Quitclaim Deed
Step 1: Identify the Correct Town Clerk
Since Connecticut has no county-level land records, quitclaim deeds are recorded with the Town Clerk in the specific town where the property is located. Many town clerks also require a cover sheet listing the grantor, grantee, legal description, and any prior deed reference.
Step 2: Enter the Return Name and Address
Connecticut requires the first page of the deed to include the name and address of whoever should receive the recorded document back.
Step 3: Enter the Grantor Information
The grantor is the current owner transferring their interest in the property.
Use the grantor's full legal name and mailing address. If the grantor previously held title under a different name, include both names so the town's land records stay searchable.
Step 4: Enter the Grantee Information
The grantee is the person receiving the property interest.
Include the grantee's full legal name and mailing address, along with how they want to hold title.
Step 5: Choose the Ownership Wording Carefully
Connecticut treats a deed to two or more unmarried people as tenants in common by default, unless the deed clearly states joint tenancy with right of survivorship. Married couples can instead choose tenancy by the entirety, which carries automatic survivorship. Be specific about which form you intend.
Step 6: Add the Legal Description
Use the complete legal description from the current deed or official town land records. A street address may help identify the property, but it is not a substitute for the full legal description.
Step 7: State the Consideration
Include a statement of consideration, using a nominal amount such as $10 for family gifts, or accurately noting that the transfer is a gift with no payment involved.
Step 8: Sign, Witness, and Notarize the Deed
The grantor must sign the deed in front of two witnesses, and the signature must also be acknowledged before a notary public . The notary can count as one of the two witnesses, but the other must be a separate, disinterested person.
Because of this added witness requirement, it's worth confirming with a Connecticut attorney before relying on remote online notarization for a deed. Town clerks vary in how they treat remotely notarized real estate documents, so an in-person signing is often the more reliable path. Learn more on our Remote Online Notarization by State page.
Step 9: Complete the Conveyance Tax Return
If the transfer is taxable, complete a Real Estate Conveyance Tax Return (Form OP-236) to accompany the deed. If the transfer is exempt, such as a genuine gift with no consideration or a transfer between spouses, note the exemption on the return instead of a tax calculation.
Step 10: Record the Deed
Submit the signed, witnessed, and notarized deed, along with the conveyance tax return and the recording fee, to the Town Clerk in the town where the property is located.
As of July 1, 2025, most Connecticut towns charge $70 to record the first page of a document, plus $5 for each additional page, with a small added charge for taxable conveyances.
Will You Owe Conveyance Tax?
For a lot of the situations that bring people to this page, the answer is: often not.
Connecticut exempts gifts made with no monetary consideration, and transfers between spouses, from its real estate conveyance tax. Certain trust transfers are commonly exempt as well. These cover a good share of the reasons people use a quitclaim deed in the first place.
Even on an exempt transfer, most towns still expect a Real Estate Conveyance Tax Return to be filed noting the exemption, rather than skipping the form altogether.
For transfers that do involve consideration and aren't exempt, Connecticut charges a graduated state conveyance tax around 0.75%, with a higher marginal rate on the portion of a sale price above $800,000, plus a separate municipal conveyance tax that varies by town.
A Connecticut Quirk Worth Knowing: State Gift Tax
Unlike most states, Connecticut has its own state-level gift tax, filed through Form CT-706/709 and unified with the state estate tax. This is separate from the federal gift tax and separate from the real estate conveyance tax discussed above.
Most family gifts fall well under the lifetime exemption amount, so this often doesn't result in an actual tax bill, but it's a filing requirement that's easy to overlook since so few other states have anything similar.
Connecticut Signing and Recording Notes
- Connecticut records deeds through the Town Clerk in the specific town where the property is located.
- The grantor's signature must be notarized and witnessed by two people.
- Gifts and spousal transfers are generally exempt from the conveyance tax.
- A conveyance tax return is expected with most deeds, exempt or not.
- Connecticut has its own state gift tax, separate from the federal gift tax.
- Use the complete legal description, not just the street address.
- The first page must include a return name and address.
- Tenancy in common applies by default for unmarried co-owners.
- Connecticut follows a notice recording system, so recording promptly matters.
- Assuming a quitclaim deed changes responsibility for a mortgage is a common misconception.
Official Connecticut Sources
Common Connecticut Quitclaim Deed Mistakes
- Trying to record with a county office that doesn't exist instead of the correct town clerk
- Missing the second witness signature
- Letting the notary serve as the only witness instead of an additional, separate person
- Using only the street address instead of the legal description
- Leaving off the return name and address on the first page
- Forgetting the conveyance tax return, even on an exempt gift
- Relying on remote online notarization without confirming it will be accepted
- Using unclear ownership wording when there is more than one grantee
- Missing a prior deed's volume and page reference on a corrective deed
- Assuming a quitclaim deed changes responsibility for a mortgage
How This Fits Into the Connecticut Quitclaim Deed Process
A Connecticut quitclaim deed can be a practical way to update ownership, especially for family gifts, spousal transfers, trust transfers, and divorce-related transfers.
The key is to prepare the deed carefully, arrange for the second witness in addition to notarization, complete the conveyance tax return, and record it with the correct town clerk.
Connecticut Quitclaim Deed FAQ
Where do I record a Connecticut quitclaim deed?
Record the deed with the Town Clerk in the specific Connecticut town where the property is located. There is no county-level office.
Does a Connecticut quitclaim deed need witnesses?
Yes. Connecticut requires two witnesses in addition to the notary acknowledgment. The notary may serve as one of the two witnesses.
Will I owe conveyance tax if I give property to a family member?
Often not. Connecticut exempts gifts with no monetary consideration and transfers between spouses from the conveyance tax. A conveyance tax return is still typically required.
Can I use remote online notarization for a Connecticut deed?
It's not recommended without confirming with a Connecticut attorney first, given the two-witness requirement and how town clerks vary in accepting remotely notarized real estate documents.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page provides general educational information and is not legal advice.