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Free Kentucky Quit Claim Deed Form

Use this free Kentucky quitclaim deed form to transfer real property to a family member, a trust, an LLC, or a co-owner. Kentucky deeds are recorded with the County Clerk of the county where the property is located. A Kentucky deed must state the mailing address of every grantor and grantee, the in-care-of address for the current year's property tax bill, and the name and address of the person who prepared it, and it must include a consideration certificate sworn by both the grantor and the grantee. Real estate transfer tax of $0.50 per $500 of value is paid at recording unless an exemption applies.

This form prepares the sworn consideration certificate signed by the Grantor and Grantee (KRS 382.135), states any transfer tax exemption (KRS 142.050), and adds the dower and curtesy release for a married Grantor's spouse who is not on title (KRS 392.020).

Kentucky Quit Claim Deed Form

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Step 1: Property & Source of Title

The Kentucky county where the property is located. The deed records with that county's County Clerk.

Copy the full legal description exactly from the prior recorded deed.

Optional. Some county clerks require a parcel ID number; check with your county clerk.

Property Street Address

Optional. Printed on the deed when supplied.

Kentucky

Source of Title

Kentucky deeds must state the source of title (KRS 382.110). If the Grantor acquired parts of the property from different sources, for example half by deed and half by inheritance, add each source.

How did the Grantor acquire the property? *

Step 2: Grantor Information

The Grantor is the person or entity transferring the property.

Grantor Capacity *

Step 3: Grantee Information

The Grantee is the person or entity receiving the property. Every Grantee signs the sworn Consideration Certificate (KRS 382.135) in their own capacity.

Grantee 1

Grantee Capacity *
Is any Grantee under 18? *

Step 4: Consideration & Tax

Is this transfer a sale or a gift? *
Is this transfer exempt from Kentucky real estate transfer tax? *

KRS 142.050 exempts certain transfers, such as between spouses, between parent and child for nominal consideration, and between an LLC and its members.

Property Tax Bill In-Care-Of

The name and address to which the current year's property tax bill may be sent (KRS 382.135).

Step 5: Preparer & Return

KRS 382.335 requires the preparer's name and address, signed by the preparer, at the end of the deed.

After Recording, Return To

The County Clerk mails the recorded deed to this address.

Before You Record

  • 1The County Clerk charges a recording fee for the deed, plus any fee for additional pages and for recording any attached documents such as a power of attorney or affidavit of descent. Confirm the current fees and accepted payment methods with the County Clerk before you go.
  • 2After recording, the County Clerk returns the original deed by mail to the return address shown on the deed (KRS 382.240). Make sure that name and address are complete and current.
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Step 1 of 5

Your deed needs to be notarized before recording

All quit claim deeds must be notarized to be legally valid. Notarize online from your phone or computer — no travel required, available 24/7.

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Kentucky Quit Claim Deed Requirements

Before recording a quit claim deed in Kentucky, make sure the document meets these requirements:

  • ✓Deed must be in writing, signed by the grantor(s), and acknowledged before a notary public
  • ✓Full name and mailing address of each grantor and each grantee (KRS 382.135)
  • ✓Name and address of the person in care of whom the current year's property tax bill may be sent (KRS 382.135)
  • ✓Consideration certificate, sworn before a notary and signed by both grantor and grantee, stating the full consideration paid or, for a gift, the estimated fair cash value of the property (KRS 382.135)
  • ✓Source of title: a reference to the deed, will, or intestate descent by which the grantor acquired the property (KRS 382.110)
  • ✓Statement at the end of the deed of the name and address of the person who prepared it, signed by that person (KRS 382.335)
  • ✓A married grantor's spouse who is not on title must join in the deed to release dower and curtesy (KRS 392.020)
  • ✓Real estate transfer tax of $0.50 per $500 of value, or a statement of the exemption claimed (KRS 142.050)
  • ✓Must be recorded with the County Clerk in the county where the property is located

After You Record Your Deed in Kentucky

After the County Clerk records your deed, the original is mailed to the return-to address shown on the deed. The county Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) uses recorded deeds to update ownership records for assessment. Kentucky property taxes are collected by the county sheriff, and the tax bill is sent to the in-care-of name and address stated on the deed, so make sure that address is current. If the grantor acquired the property by intestate descent, record an Affidavit of Descent (KRS 382.120) if one is not already of record.

Common Uses for a Quit Claim Deed in Kentucky

Kentucky quitclaim deeds are most often used to transfer property between spouses after a divorce or to add a new spouse to an existing title after marriage. Transferring Kentucky real estate into a revocable living trust to avoid probate is a common estate planning strategy. Parents gift real estate to adult children, heirs convey inherited property among themselves, and owners move property into an LLC they control.

Kentucky Quit Claim Deed FAQ

Does a quitclaim deed need to be notarized in Kentucky?

Yes. The grantor's signature must be acknowledged before a notary public before the County Clerk will record the deed, and a spouse who joins to release dower or curtesy acknowledges their signature as well. The consideration certificate is a sworn statement, so the grantor and grantee both sign it before a notary. Kentucky permits online notarization by notaries commissioned to perform it.

Where do I record a quitclaim deed in Kentucky?

You record the deed with the County Clerk in the county where the property is located. Kentucky has 120 counties, each with its own County Clerk. Property in Louisville records with the Jefferson County Clerk, and property in Lexington records with the Fayette County Clerk. Recording fees are paid when you file.

Is there a transfer tax in Kentucky?

Yes. Kentucky imposes a real estate transfer tax under KRS 142.050 of $0.50 for each $500 of value or fraction of $500, paid by the grantor to the County Clerk at recording. For a sale, the value is the consideration stated in the consideration certificate. For a gift or a transfer for only nominal consideration, the tax is based on the estimated fair cash value of the property. Several transfers are exempt, including transfers between spouses or former spouses as part of a divorce, transfers between parent and child or grandparent and grandchild for only nominal consideration, transfers between a trustee and a successor trustee, and transfers between an LLC and its members. An exempt deed states the exemption it relies on.

What is the consideration certificate on a Kentucky deed?

KRS 382.135 requires every deed to include a certificate, sworn under penalty of perjury and signed by both the grantor and the grantee, stating that the consideration reflected in the deed is the full consideration paid for the property. If the transfer is a gift, the certificate instead states that the transfer is by gift and gives the estimated fair cash value of the property. The County Clerk uses the certificate to compute the transfer tax. If a grantee is under 18, the certificate must be signed by a parent or guardian, which this form does not support.

Does my spouse need to sign a Kentucky quitclaim deed?

If you are married and your spouse is not also on title, your spouse should join in the deed to release their dower or curtesy interest under KRS 392.020. Without that release, the spouse may keep a marital interest in the property after the transfer. The spouse signs the deed and acknowledges it before a notary but does not sign the consideration certificate. No release is needed when your spouse is also a grantor or is receiving the property as a grantee.

Who can prepare a Kentucky deed?

KRS 382.335 requires a statement at the end of the deed giving the name and address of the person who prepared it, signed by that person. This form lets one of the parties to the deed, a grantor or a grantee, act as the preparer. The County Clerk will not record a deed without the preparer statement.

What if I inherited the property without a will?

When property passes by intestate descent, the deed identifies the decedent and the date of death as the source of title. An Affidavit of Descent identifying the decedent and the heirs should also be recorded with the County Clerk under KRS 382.120, if one is not already of record. This form does not prepare that affidavit.

What happens after I record my quitclaim deed in Kentucky?

The County Clerk returns the recorded original to the return-to address on the deed. The PVA updates its ownership records from recorded deeds, and the county sheriff sends future property tax bills to the in-care-of address stated on the deed. Keep the recorded deed as your proof of the transfer.

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