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 Wisconsin 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 the real estate transfer fee applies to your situation, and whether your spouse needs to sign because of Wisconsin's homestead rule.
The good news is that many family-related transfers described on this page are specifically exempt from Wisconsin's real estate transfer fee.
Good News for Family Transfers:
Wisconsin lists 31 categories of deeds that are exempt from the real estate transfer fee, including transfers between spouses and transfers into a revocable trust. Many other family-related transfers may also qualify, depending on the details.
You still file a Real Estate Transfer Return noting the exemption, even when no fee is due, but for a lot of the situations described on this page, the transfer fee itself isn't the obstacle it might first appear to be.
What You Need Before Filling Out the Deed
Before you start typing names into a deed form, gather the information Wisconsin registers of deeds commonly expect.
- Current deed or previously recorded deed
- Grantor's full legal name and marital status
- Grantee's full legal name and mailing address
- Complete legal description of the property, plus the parcel identification number (PIN)
- Wisconsin county where the property is located
- A return address for the recorded deed
- Notary acknowledgment for the grantor's signature
- Your spouse's signature, if the transfer affects a homestead
- A completed Real Estate Transfer Return (eRETR), with exemption code if applicable
- Recording fees and any transfer fee due
How to Fill Out a Wisconsin Quitclaim Deed
Step 1: Identify the Correct Register of Deeds
Wisconsin deeds are recorded with the Register of Deeds in the county where the real property is located.
Wisconsin follows a race-notice recording system, so recording promptly helps protect your interest against later claims.
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 and marital status. Wisconsin is a marital property state, so marital status can affect who needs to sign.
Step 3: Enter the Grantee Information
The grantee is the person receiving the property interest.
Include the grantee's full legal name and mailing address, since the county uses this for future property tax records.
Step 4: Choose the Ownership Wording Carefully
If there is more than one grantee, be specific about the ownership form, such as tenants in common or joint tenants with right of survivorship, so the deed reflects what you actually intend.
Step 5: Add the Legal Description and Parcel Number
Use the complete legal description from the current deed or a previously recorded deed. Wisconsin also requires the property's parcel identification number, found on the property tax bill, placed under the return address on the document.
Step 6: Check Whether Your Spouse Needs to Sign
If the conveyance affects a married person's interest in a homestead, Wisconsin requires both spouses to sign, or to join by way of a separate conveyance, even if only one spouse's name is currently on title.
Step 7: Sign and Notarize the Deed
The grantor must sign the deed, and the signature must be notarized before a notary public . Only an original, signed deed can be recorded, so photocopies aren't accepted.
Wisconsin 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's register of deeds will accept a remotely notarized deed. Learn more on our Remote Online Notarization by State page.
Step 8: Complete the Real Estate Transfer Return
Wisconsin requires an electronic Real Estate Transfer Return (eRETR), completed on the Department of Revenue's website, to accompany nearly every deed, even one that's exempt from the transfer fee. Print the receipt and attach it to your deed.
If your transfer qualifies for an exemption, select the correct exemption code on the return rather than leaving it blank.
Step 9: Record the Deed
Submit the original signed and notarized deed, the eRETR receipt, and the recording fee to the Register of Deeds in the county where the property is located.
Most Wisconsin counties charge a flat $30 recording fee regardless of how many pages the deed has, which keeps the cost predictable.
Will You Owe a Real Estate Transfer Fee?
For a lot of the situations that bring people to this page, the answer is: often not.
Wisconsin law lists 31 categories of exempt transfers, including deeds between spouses and deeds transferring property into a revocable trust. Many other family-related transfers may qualify too, depending on the specific facts, so it's worth reviewing the exemption list or asking your register of deeds if you're unsure.
Even exempt transfers still need the Real Estate Transfer Return filed, with the correct exemption code selected, rather than skipping the form altogether.
For transfers that don't qualify for an exemption, the fee is $0.30 for every $100 of the property's value.
Wisconsin Signing and Recording Notes
- Wisconsin deeds are recorded with the Register of Deeds in the county where the property is located.
- The grantor's signature must be notarized.
- Use the complete legal description, plus the parcel identification number.
- If the transfer affects a homestead, both spouses generally must sign or join.
- Many family, spousal, and trust transfers are exempt from the transfer fee.
- A Real Estate Transfer Return is required with nearly every deed, exempt or not.
- Only original, signed documents can be recorded, not photocopies.
- Most counties charge a flat $30 recording fee regardless of page count.
- Wisconsin follows a race-notice recording system, so prompt recording matters.
- Assuming a quitclaim deed changes responsibility for a mortgage is a common misconception.
Official Wisconsin Sources
Common Wisconsin Quitclaim Deed Mistakes
- Recording in the wrong county
- Skipping the Real Estate Transfer Return on an exempt transfer
- Using only the street address instead of the legal description
- Leaving off the parcel identification number
- Forgetting a spouse's signature when a homestead is involved
- Forgetting that the deed needs a notary acknowledgment
- Submitting a photocopy instead of an original signed document
- Not checking whether a specific transfer qualifies for an exemption
- 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 Wisconsin Quitclaim Deed Process
A Wisconsin 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, address homestead and spousal-signature questions, notarize it correctly, complete the Real Estate Transfer Return, and record it with the right register of deeds.
Wisconsin Quitclaim Deed FAQ
Where do I record a Wisconsin quitclaim deed?
Record the deed with the Register of Deeds in the Wisconsin county where the property is located.
Will I owe a transfer fee if I give property to a family member?
Often not. Wisconsin exempts many family-related transfers, including transfers between spouses and transfers into a revocable trust, from the real estate transfer fee. A transfer return must still be filed noting the exemption.
Does a Wisconsin quitclaim deed need to be notarized?
Yes. The grantor's signature must be notarized before the Register of Deeds will record the deed.
Does my spouse need to sign?
If the transfer affects a married person's interest in a homestead, both spouses generally must sign, or join in a separate conveyance.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page provides general educational information and is not legal advice.