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Free Maine Quit Claim Deed Form

Use this free Maine quitclaim deed form to transfer real property from individuals, LLCs, corporations, trustees, or an attorney-in-fact acting for an owner. Maine has two statutory quitclaim deeds, with covenant and without covenant, and this form prepares either one. The signed deed is acknowledged before a notary and recorded at the Registry of Deeds for the county where the land lies, together with a Real Estate Transfer Tax Declaration.

This form follows the Maine statutory short forms (33 M.R.S. § 775), prints each Grantee's mailing address on the deed, and includes an acknowledgment for each signer that a notary in any state can complete (4 M.R.S. § 1911).

Maine Quit Claim Deed Form

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Step 1: Deed Type

Maine has two statutory quitclaim deeds. They differ only in what the Grantor promises about the title.

Which quitclaim deed do you need? *

Step 2: Grantor Information

The Grantor is the owner transferring the property. Whoever signs for each Grantor acknowledges the deed before a notary.

Grantor Capacity *

Step 3: Grantee Information

The Grantee is the person receiving the property. Maine requires each Grantee's mailing address on the deed. Grantees do not sign.

Grantee 1

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Mailing Address *

Step 4: Property

The deed is recorded at the Registry of Deeds for this county.

Include townships and plantations, e.g. T5 R7 WELS.

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

Optional. E.g. Plan Book 88, Page 41. Printed on the deed when supplied.

Leave blank to date the deed at signing.

Step 5: Review & Recording

Deed type
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Grantor(s)
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Grantee(s)
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Property
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Before You Record

  • 1Maine requires a Real Estate Transfer Tax Declaration (RETTD) to be filed with the Registry of Deeds when this deed is recorded, unless the transfer falls within one of the limited exceptions to the declaration requirement under 36 M.R.S. § 4641-D. Claiming an exemption from the transfer tax itself under 36 M.R.S. § 4641-C does not eliminate the RETTD filing; the exemption is claimed on the RETTD. The form is available from Maine Revenue Services (https://www.maine.gov/revenue/) and from the Registry of Deeds.
  • 2The RETTD asks for the mailing addresses of the grantor and grantee; the municipal tax map, block, and lot numbers, or an indication that the municipality has no tax map; the purchase price, or $0 for a gift; the adjusted assessed value; the exemption code for any transfer tax exemption claimed; the date of transfer; the property type, acreage, and any current-use classification such as tree growth, farmland, or open space; and whether income tax was withheld on the sale or an exception to withholding applies. A supplemental RETTD is required when there are more parties or parcels than the main form has room for.
  • 3The recording fee and the real estate transfer tax are paid to the Registry of Deeds when the deed and RETTD are presented for recording. Amounts change over time, so confirm the current recording fee and transfer tax with the Registry of Deeds before you record.
  • 4If the land lies in more than one county, record the deed, together with a RETTD, in the Registry of Deeds for each county where any part of the land lies (33 M.R.S. § 201).
  • 5Maine recognizes a notarial act performed in another state by a notary public or other officer authorized there (4 M.R.S. § 1911), so a grantor outside Maine can acknowledge this deed before a notary where they are.
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Your deed needs to be notarized before recording

A Maine quitclaim deed must be properly acknowledged before it can be recorded. Notarize online from your phone or computer — no travel required, available 24/7.

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Two Kinds of Maine Quitclaim Deed

Quitclaim Deed With Covenant

Transfers whatever interest the grantor owns, and the grantor promises that they have not created any title problems during their own ownership and will defend the grantee against claims arising from that period. It makes no promise about title problems from before the grantor owned the property. This is the deed most often used in ordinary Maine sales.

Quitclaim Deed Without Covenant

Transfers whatever interest the grantor owns, if any, with no promises about the title at all. It is commonly used between family members, to add or remove a name from title, to move property into or out of a trust or business, or to clear up a possible claim.

Maine Quit Claim Deed Requirements

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

  • ✓Deed must be in writing and name each Grantor and Grantee
  • ✓Deed must state each Grantee's mailing address
  • ✓Property must be identified by its full legal description and the municipality and county where it lies
  • ✓Each Grantor, or the person signing for an entity, trust, or principal, signs with their name typed or printed beneath the signature
  • ✓The deed must be properly acknowledged before recording (33 M.R.S. § 203).
  • ✓A Real Estate Transfer Tax Declaration (RETTD) generally must accompany the deed unless a specific declaration-filing exception under 36 M.R.S. § 4641-D applies. An exemption from transfer tax under § 4641-C does not by itself eliminate the RETTD filing requirement.
  • ✓Must be recorded at the Registry of Deeds for the county where the land lies, or for each county if it lies in more than one
  • ✓Recording fee and any transfer tax are paid to the Registry of Deeds at recording

After You Record Your Deed in Maine

After the Registry of Deeds records your deed, the original is returned to the address given at recording. Maine Revenue Services receives the RETTD information and the municipal assessor uses it to update ownership, so make sure the mailing addresses on the deed and the RETTD are correct. Keep the recorded deed with your important papers.

Common Uses for a Quit Claim Deed in Maine

Maine quitclaim deeds are often used to add or remove a spouse or family member on title, to give property to children, to move real estate into or out of a trust or an LLC, and to clear up a possible claim to the land. The deed with covenant is common in ordinary sales, while the deed without covenant, sometimes called a release deed, is used where the Grantor makes no promise about the title at all.

Maine Quit Claim Deed FAQ

What is the difference between a quitclaim deed with covenant and without covenant?

Both transfer whatever interest the Grantor has. A quitclaim deed with covenant adds the Grantor's promise that they did not create any title problems while they owned the property and will defend the Grantee against claims arising from that period (33 M.R.S. § 767). A quitclaim deed without covenant, often called a release deed, makes no promise about the title at all.

Do I need to file a Real Estate Transfer Tax Declaration?

In most cases, yes. A Real Estate Transfer Tax Declaration (RETTD) generally must accompany the deed unless a specific declaration-filing exception under 36 M.R.S. § 4641-D applies. An exemption from transfer tax under § 4641-C does not by itself eliminate the RETTD filing requirement. If the transfer is exempt from the transfer tax, for example certain transfers between spouses or between a parent and child without actual consideration, the exemption is claimed on the RETTD itself. The form is available from Maine Revenue Services at https://www.maine.gov/revenue/ and from the Registry of Deeds.

Where do I record a quitclaim deed in Maine?

At the Registry of Deeds for the county where the land lies. Maine has 16 counties. Aroostook County has two registries, the Northern District in Fort Kent and the Southern District in Houlton, so a deed for Aroostook land must be recorded in the district that serves its municipality. If the land lies in more than one county, record the deed and a RETTD in each county (33 M.R.S. § 201).

Can the deed be notarized outside Maine?

Yes. Maine recognizes a notarial act performed by a notary public or other authorized officer of another state (4 M.R.S. § 1911), so a Grantor who lives elsewhere can acknowledge the deed before a notary where they are.

Does my spouse need to sign if I own the property alone?

Generally no. Maine does not require a spouse who is not on title to sign a deed conveying the other spouse's property. A nonowner spouse's signature may be needed in the narrow circumstances addressed by 33 M.R.S. § 480, such as when the conveyance may affect the spouse's elective share or when a claim in a divorce proceeding has been recorded against the property. If either may apply, consult a Maine attorney before signing.

What is a legal description and where do I find it?

A legal description is the formal identification of the land, usually a metes and bounds description or a reference to a lot on a recorded plan. Copy it exactly from the deed that conveyed the property to the current owner, which you can get from the Registry of Deeds. A street address is not a legal description.

What to Bring When Recording Your Maine Quitclaim Deed

Before you go to the Registry of Deeds, make sure you have everything on this list to avoid delays.

  • 1The signed and acknowledged deed
  • 2A completed Real Estate Transfer Tax Declaration (RETTD), including any exemption claimed
  • 3The recording fee and any transfer tax due, paid to the Registry of Deeds
  • 4For Aroostook County, the correct registry district (Northern at Fort Kent or Southern at Houlton)
  • 5For land in more than one county, a deed and RETTD for each county's Registry of Deeds

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