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 clearing up a title question, an Iowa quitclaim deed may be the document you need.
Filling out the deed is usually the easy part. What trips people up is the legal description, notarizing it, a groundwater disclosure Iowa requires on nearly every deed, and a Declaration of Value form that many people don't expect.
The good news is Iowa has a broad, straightforward exemption for spouse-to-spouse and parent-to-child gifts made with no payment involved. The part that surprises people is the groundwater statement almost every deed needs.
What Iowa Recording Involves:
Iowa quitclaim deeds are recorded with the County Recorder in the county where the property is located.
Nearly every deed also needs a Declaration of Value filed with it, unless the transfer is exempt and clearly says so on the deed. We cover this in detail on our Iowa Declaration of Value page.
Don't Forget the Groundwater Hazard Statement:
Iowa won't record a deed without a Groundwater Hazard Statement, or a short substitute statement confirming there's no well, buried tank, hazardous waste, or private sewage system on the property. If none of those apply, the substitute statement is usually all you need — but skipping it entirely is a common reason deeds get sent back.
What You Need Before Filling Out the Deed
Gather these things before you start:
- Your current deed or a copy of the county property record
- The grantor's full legal name
- The grantee's full legal name and mailing address
- The complete legal description of the property
- The Iowa county where the property is located
- The name and address of whoever prepared the deed
- A mailing address for the recorded deed and future tax statements
- Your spouse's signature, if the property is your homestead
- A Groundwater Hazard Statement, or the short substitute statement
- A Declaration of Value, or a clearly stated exemption
- Recording fees and any transfer tax due
How to Fill Out an Iowa Quitclaim Deed
Step 1: Find the Right County
Iowa has 99 counties, each with its own recorder. Record your deed in the county where the property is located, not where you live.
Step 2: Add the Preparer and Return Address
Write down the name and address of whoever prepared the deed, and where the recorded deed and future tax statements should be sent.
Step 3: Fill In the Grantor's Information
The grantor is the person giving up their ownership interest. Use their full legal name, matching the current deed.
Step 4: Fill In the Grantee's Information
The grantee is the person receiving the property. Include their full legal name and mailing address, and be clear about how they'll hold title if there's more than one grantee.
Step 5: Add the Legal Description
Copy the complete legal description from the current deed. Iowa uses government survey descriptions (township, range, section) for most rural and farm land, and lot and block numbers for platted subdivisions. A street address alone isn't enough.
Step 6: Check Whether Your Spouse Needs to Sign
If the property is your homestead and occupied by you and your spouse, Iowa law may require your spouse's signature as well, even if only your name is on the current title.
Step 7: Add the Groundwater Hazard Statement
Include either a completed Groundwater Hazard Statement, or, if none of the listed hazards apply to the property, the short substitute language confirming that. Your county recorder can provide the exact wording Iowa expects.
Step 8: Sign and Notarize the Deed
The grantor signs the deed in front of a notary public . Iowa doesn't require separate witnesses on top of this.
Iowa allows Remote Online Notarization (RON) , so a video call can sometimes take the place of an in-person visit.
Check with your county recorder first to make sure they'll accept a remotely notarized deed. More on our Remote Online Notarization by State page.
Step 9: Handle the Declaration of Value
If your transfer isn't exempt, complete the Declaration of Value form. If it is exempt, such as a true gift between spouses or between parent and child, state the specific exemption clearly on the deed. For the full breakdown of which exemptions apply and how to word them, see our Iowa Declaration of Value page.
Step 10: Record the Deed
Submit the signed, notarized deed, along with the Declaration of Value (or exemption statement) and the Groundwater Hazard Statement, to the County Recorder in the county where the property is located.
Recording fees are typically around $7 for the first page and $5 for each additional page, plus a small auditor's fee per parcel, though exact amounts vary by county.
Will You Owe Transfer Tax?
For a lot of the situations that bring people to this page, the answer is: usually not.
Iowa law specifically exempts deeds between spouses, and between parent and child, made without actual payment. Divorce-related transfers, deeds correcting a previous deed, and transfers into certain family-owned businesses are commonly exempt too. The first $500 of any transfer is exempt regardless.
For transfers that aren't exempt, the rate is $0.80 for every $500 of value, and the grantee is generally the one responsible for paying it. Our Iowa Declaration of Value page walks through the full exemption list and how to word it correctly.
Iowa Signing and Recording Notes
- Iowa deeds are recorded with the County Recorder in the county where the property is located.
- The grantor's signature must be notarized; Iowa doesn't require separate witnesses.
- If the property is your homestead, your spouse may need to sign too.
- Every deed needs a Groundwater Hazard Statement, or the short substitute language.
- Gifts between spouses, and between parent and child, are generally exempt from transfer tax.
- A Declaration of Value or clearly stated exemption is expected on nearly every deed.
- Use the complete legal description, not just the street address.
- The first page needs a 3-inch top margin for the recorder's stamp.
- Farm property transfers may involve additional agricultural disclosure rules.
- A quitclaim deed doesn't remove anyone from a mortgage — that takes a separate step.
Official Iowa Sources
Common Iowa Quitclaim Deed Mistakes
- Recording in the wrong county
- Using only the street address instead of the legal description
- Forgetting the Groundwater Hazard Statement or substitute language
- Forgetting a spouse's signature on homestead property
- Assuming every family transfer is automatically exempt without stating why
- Forgetting that the deed needs a notary's signature and seal
- Leaving off the grantee's mailing address
- Missing the required 3-inch top margin on the first page
- Using unclear ownership wording when there is more than one grantee
- Assuming a quitclaim deed changes responsibility for a mortgage
How This Fits Into the Iowa Quitclaim Deed Process
An Iowa quitclaim deed works well for family gifts, adding or removing a spouse, funding your own trust, and divorce-related transfers.
The main things to get right are the legal description, the homestead signature question, the groundwater statement, and the Declaration of Value paperwork. Once those are in place, recording with the right county finishes the job.
Iowa Quitclaim Deed FAQ
Where do I record an Iowa quitclaim deed?
Record the deed with the County Recorder in the Iowa county where the property is located.
Does an Iowa quitclaim deed need to be notarized?
Yes. The grantor's signature must be acknowledged before a notary public. Iowa does not require separate witnesses.
Will I owe transfer tax if I give property to a family member?
Often not. Iowa exempts deeds between spouses, and between parent and child, made without actual payment. A Declaration of Value or a written exemption is still generally required.
What is Iowa's Groundwater Hazard Statement?
It's a required disclosure about wells, buried tanks, and similar hazards on the property. If none apply, a short substitute statement works instead, but the deed can't be recorded without one or the other.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page provides general educational information and is not legal advice.