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 North Dakota 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, where to record the deed, whether your spouse needs to sign because of North Dakota's homestead rule, and whether any tax paperwork applies to your situation.
The good news is that North Dakota keeps this about as simple as it gets: there is no transfer tax, no extra tax form to file, and quitclaim deeds specifically are exempt from even having to state a sale price.
Good News About North Dakota Transfers:
North Dakota charges no transfer tax or conveyance tax on real estate transfers, and no additional state tax forms are required when you record a deed.
Even better for this page's purposes: North Dakota law specifically lists "all transfers of ownership of property for which a quitclaim deed is given" as exempt from the requirement to state the full consideration paid. In practice, this means most quitclaim deeds simply cite that exemption rather than disclosing a dollar amount at all.
What You Need Before Filling Out the Deed
Before you start typing names into a deed form, gather the information North Dakota county recorders commonly expect.
- Current deed or previously recorded deed
- Grantor's full legal name and mailing address
- Grantee's full legal name and post office address (plus street address, if within city limits)
- Complete legal description of the property
- North Dakota county where the property is located
- Notary acknowledgment for the grantor's signature
- Your spouse's signature, if the property is your homestead
- A consideration statement or the applicable exemption for quitclaim deeds
- The county auditor's transfer certification, in most cases
- Recording fees and any county formatting requirements
How to Fill Out a North Dakota Quitclaim Deed
Step 1: Identify the Correct County Recorder
North Dakota deeds are recorded with the County Recorder in the county where the real property is located.
Recording in the wrong county can delay the transfer and may require the deed to be corrected or re-recorded.
Step 2: Enter the Grantor Information
The grantor is the current owner transferring their interest in the property.
Use the grantor's full legal name, matching the name on the current deed.
Step 3: Enter the Grantee Information
The grantee is the person receiving the property interest.
North Dakota requires the grantee's post office address on the deed as a condition of recording, plus a street address if the property is within a city's corporate boundaries.
Step 4: Choose the Ownership Wording Carefully
If there is more than one grantee, North Dakota law recognizes tenants in common, joint tenants with right of survivorship, and partnership ownership. Be specific about which form you intend, since the deed's wording controls how the property passes later.
Step 5: Add the Legal Description
Use the complete legal description from the current deed or a previously recorded deed. A street address may help identify the property, but it is not a substitute for the full legal description.
If the description uses metes and bounds and was prepared on or after January 1, 2000, North Dakota requires the deed to name the person who prepared that description, or state that it was taken from a previously recorded document.
Step 6: Check Whether Your Spouse Needs to Sign
If the property is your homestead, North Dakota requires both spouses to sign the deed, even if only one spouse's name currently appears on the title.
This applies specifically to a homestead, meaning the home where you live, so it is worth confirming whether the property qualifies before deciding who needs to sign.
Step 7: Sign and Notarize the Deed
The grantor must provide an original, notarized signature. A notary public completes the acknowledgment that makes the deed recordable.
North Dakota allows Remote Online Notarization (RON) , which lets you meet with a notary by secure live video instead of traveling to an office.
Before choosing online notarization, confirm your county recorder will accept a remotely notarized deed. Learn more on our Remote Online Notarization by State page.
Step 8: Add the Consideration Statement
North Dakota deeds must include one of two statements: either the full consideration paid for the property, or a certification that the transfer is exempt from that requirement.
Quitclaim deeds themselves are one of the recognized exemptions, so most quitclaim deeds simply cite that exemption rather than disclosing a dollar figure. The county recorder can point you to the exact statement language your county expects.
Step 9: Record the Deed
Most deeds also need the county auditor's certification that property taxes and assessments are current before the recorder will accept them. This is often added as a stamp near the signatures.
Submit the signed, notarized, and certified deed along with the recording fee to the County Recorder. Many North Dakota counties also accept electronic recording through approved vendors.
Does North Dakota Have Transfer Tax?
No. North Dakota is among the states that charge no transfer tax or equivalent conveyance tax on real estate transfers, and no additional state tax return needs to accompany the deed.
The only related requirement is the consideration statement described above, and quitclaim deeds are specifically exempt from having to disclose an actual sale price. In practice, this makes North Dakota one of the more paperwork-light states for the kinds of family, trust, and estate transfers described on this page.
Two things worth keeping in mind separately: North Dakota has no state gift tax, but very large gifts can still be subject to federal gift tax rules, and North Dakota taxes capital gains from property sales as ordinary income. Neither of these is a recording requirement, but they can matter depending on your situation.
North Dakota Signing and Recording Notes
- North Dakota deeds are recorded with the County Recorder in the county where the property is located.
- The grantor's signature must be notarized.
- Use the complete legal description, not just the street address.
- The grantee's post office address is required on the deed.
- If the property is your homestead, both spouses generally must sign.
- North Dakota has no transfer tax and no additional tax form requirement.
- Quitclaim deeds are exempt from stating the full consideration paid.
- Most deeds need the county auditor's certification that taxes are current before recording.
- Deeds cannot include an unredacted Social Security number.
- An unrecorded deed can lose priority to a later buyer who records first, so timely recording matters.
Official North Dakota Sources
Common North Dakota Quitclaim Deed Mistakes
- Recording in the wrong county
- Using only the street address instead of the legal description
- Forgetting the grantee's post office address
- Forgetting a spouse's signature on homestead property
- Leaving out the consideration statement or exemption citation
- Forgetting that the deed needs a notary acknowledgment
- Missing the county auditor's tax certification before recording
- Not checking margin and font requirements before submitting
- 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 North Dakota Quitclaim Deed Process
A North Dakota quitclaim deed can be a practical way to update ownership, especially for family, trust, estate planning, inheritance, and divorce-related transfers.
The key is to prepare the deed carefully, address homestead and spousal-signature questions, notarize it correctly, and record it with the right county recorder. Since North Dakota has no transfer tax and no extra tax form, the paperwork here tends to be lighter than in many other states.
North Dakota Quitclaim Deed FAQ
Where do I record a North Dakota quitclaim deed?
Record the deed with the County Recorder in the North Dakota county where the property is located.
Does North Dakota charge a real estate transfer tax?
No. North Dakota does not impose a transfer tax or conveyance tax, and no additional tax forms are required beyond a short statement on the deed itself.
Do I have to disclose the sale price on a North Dakota quitclaim deed?
Generally no. North Dakota law specifically exempts quitclaim deeds from stating the full consideration paid, so you can cite that exemption directly on the deed.
Do I need my spouse's signature on a North Dakota quitclaim deed?
If the property is your homestead, North Dakota requires both spouses to sign, even if only one spouse's name is on the title.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page provides general educational information and is not legal advice.