Free Missouri Quit Claim Deed Form

Use this free Missouri quit claim deed form to transfer real property. Fill out the form online, download your deed, and have it notarized before recording with the recorder of deeds for the county where the property is located, or with the City of St. Louis if that is where the property sits.

This form tracks Missouri's marital status disclosure requirement (section 442.130.2, RSMo), the homestead spouse joinder required when a married Grantor's homestead is conveyed (section 513.475.2, RSMo), and the additional face and signature requirements that apply only in the City of St. Louis.

Missouri Quit Claim Deed Form

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Missouri Quit Claim Deed Requirements

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

✓Grantor's signature must be acknowledged before a notary public (sections 442.180, 442.210, RSMo)
✓Every natural-person grantor must be identified as married or unmarried, on the deed face (section 442.130.2, RSMo)
✓Uses remise, release, and forever quitclaim language - never "grant, bargain and sell," which carries implied covenants of title under section 442.420, RSMo
✓A conveyance to two or more nonspousal grantees is a tenancy in common unless joint tenancy is expressly declared (section 442.450, RSMo)
✓Mailing address of at least one grantee must appear on the deed (section 59.330.2, RSMo)
✓Document formatting must meet statewide standards, including a blank 3 inch top margin on the first page (sections 59.005, 59.310, RSMo)
✓If the property is the Grantor's homestead and the Grantor is married, the Grantor's spouse must join the deed to release homestead rights (section 513.475.2, RSMo)
✓Record with the recorder of deeds in the county where the property is located - Missouri has 114 counties, plus the independent City of St. Louis, which keeps its own recorder separate from St. Louis County
✓No state real estate transfer tax in Missouri

After You Record Your Deed in Missouri

After the recorder of deeds records your deed, the original is returned to the grantee or the designated address. The county assessor uses the recorded deed to update property tax ownership information. Missouri property taxes are paid in arrears, so the grantee may receive a tax bill for the full year even if the transfer occurred partway through the year - confirm your mailing address with the county collector so future tax statements are addressed correctly.

Common Uses for a Quit Claim Deed in Missouri

Missouri quit claim deeds are commonly used to transfer property between spouses in connection with divorce or marriage, to gift real estate from parents to adult children, and to move property into revocable living trusts for estate planning. Missouri farmland transfers between family generations are frequent. Real estate investors also use them to transfer property between personal and LLC ownership.

Missouri Quit Claim Deed FAQ

Does a quit claim deed need to be notarized in Missouri?

Yes. Missouri requires the grantor's signature to be acknowledged before a notary public before the deed can be recorded. Online notarization through a service like NotaryLive is accepted in Missouri.

Where do I record a quit claim deed in Missouri?

You file the deed with the recorder of deeds in the county where the property is located (section 442.380, RSMo). The City of St. Louis is an independent city, not part of St. Louis County, and keeps its own recorder of deeds. Missouri has 114 counties and the City of St. Louis.

Why does the deed ask whether I am married or unmarried?

Section 442.130.2, RSMo requires every natural-person Grantor's marital status to be stated on the deed itself. Our form collects this for the primary Grantor and Co-Grantor, and for the principal on an attorney-in-fact conveyance, since the principal - not the signing agent - is the natural-person Grantor of record.

What is the homestead spouse signature, and when does my deed need one?

Section 513.475.2, RSMo requires a married Grantor's spouse to join the deed when the property being conveyed is the Grantor's homestead, to release the spouse's homestead rights. Our form asks whether the property is the Grantor's homestead and, if the Grantor is a married individual, collects the spouse's name and email for a separate signature and acknowledgment - unless a Co-Grantor on the deed is confirmed to already be that same spouse.

Is there a transfer tax in Missouri?

No. Missouri does not impose a state real estate transfer tax. The cost at recording is the county recording fee, which changed effective August 28, 2026 under section 59.319, RSMo - confirm the current fee schedule with your recorder of deeds before you go.

Can an LLC, corporation, trustee, or attorney-in-fact be a Grantor?

Yes. Our Missouri form supports an individual, an LLC, a corporation, a trustee, or an attorney-in-fact acting for a principal as the Grantor or Co-Grantor. A corporate Grantor either affixes its corporate seal or, if it has none, the deed carries the section 442.210.2, RSMo statement that the corporation has no corporate seal. If a Grantor signs as attorney-in-fact, the recorded power of attorney authorizing the conveyance must also be recorded (sections 442.360, 486.750, RSMo).

What is required for the City of St. Louis specifically?

The City of St. Louis is an independent city, separate from St. Louis County, with its own recorder of deeds. A City of St. Louis deed additionally shows each Grantor's mailing address on the face, includes the City Block Number and Lot Number as part of the legal description, and requires every Grantee to sign and be acknowledged - unlike every other Missouri jurisdiction, where only the Grantor signs.

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

A legal description is the formal identification of real property used in all recorded deeds. Missouri uses government survey descriptions (township, range, and section) for rural property and lot and block numbers for subdivision property. You can find the legal description on your current deed, your title insurance commitment, or through the county recorder's or assessor's website. A street address alone is not sufficient.

What happens after I record my quit claim deed in Missouri?

After the recorder of deeds records your deed, the original is returned to the grantee. The county assessor is notified to update property tax ownership records. Missouri property taxes are paid in arrears, so the grantee may receive a tax bill for the full year even if the transfer occurred partway through the year. Contact the county collector to update the billing address and arrange any pro-rated payment.

What to Bring When Recording Your Missouri Quitclaim Deed

Before you go to the recorder's office, make sure you have everything on this list to avoid delays. The last item applies only in the named counties and the City of St. Louis.

1Record the deed with the recorder of deeds in the county where the property is located (section 442.380, RSMo). The City of St. Louis is an independent city, not part of St. Louis County, and keeps its own recorder of deeds.
2Recording fees are set by statute and are typically charged per page. Section 59.319, RSMo, changed the fee schedule effective August 28, 2026. The total due depends on the fee schedule in effect on the date the deed is submitted for recording - confirm the current amount with the recorder of deeds before you go.
3If a married Grantor conveys the property without the Grantor's spouse joining in the deed, the spouse's surviving-spouse marital rights under section 474.150, RSMo, may not be extinguished by this deed alone. This is a title risk, not a recording requirement - the recorder will still accept and record a deed that does not address it. Consult a title company or attorney before relying on this deed to clear those rights.
4Do not include a Social Security number, bank account number, or credit card number anywhere in this deed. Recorded documents become part of the public record, and section 59.331, RSMo, warns against including this information in any instrument presented for recording.
5If a Grantor signs by attorney-in-fact, the power of attorney authorizing the conveyance must itself be recorded, per sections 442.360 and 486.750, RSMo. Record the power of attorney with, or before, this deed.
6Sections 59.005 and 59.310, RSMo, set document formatting standards for recorded instruments - print quality, paper size, margins, and font size among them. The PDF generated by this tool is built to meet these standards.
7Missouri accepts out-of-state notarization and remote online notarization (RON) under chapter 486, RSMo. Section 59.568, RSMo, allows electronic recording, but whether a given recorder's office accepts e-recording, and through which vendor, is decided by that recorder's office - confirm before you plan to e-record.
8Jackson County, St. Charles County, St. Louis County, and the City of St. Louis: This county requires a Certificate of Value to accompany the deed at recording. Check with the recorder of deeds for the current form and whether your transfer qualifies for an exemption before you go.

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