A quitclaim deed in Maine is a legal document that transfers the ownership interest in real estate from the current owner to the purchaser or person inheriting the property. This document conveys the seller's interest in a property to the buyer with a guarantee that the seller will not come back at a later date to claim any form of ownership interest.
This type of transfer is generally used when a property is transferred between family members. Regardless, a title search should always be implemented when purchasing property to ensure that there are no major encumbrances on the title.
Suppose you instead want to transfer a property in a way that protects the new owner. In that case, you should consider the use of another type of deed, such as a general warranty deed or a special warranty deed (quitclaim deed with covenant).
In the State of Maine, quitclaim deed forms are governed by Maine Revised Statutes, Title 33, § 161.
Signing - According to state law, the Grantor (the individual or individuals selling the home) must sign a Maine quit claim deed form in the presence of a Notary Public or an officer of the court (Title 33, § 203).
In addition to filing the quitclaim deed with the Registry of Deeds in the county that corresponds with the location of the property, a real estate transfer tax form must be filed and paid when the quitclaim deed is filed. This can be done either online or via a physical form (§ 4641-D).
Real estate transfer tax is calculated as follows: $2.20 for each $500 or fraction of $500 of the value of the property being transferred. This amount is split evenly between the buyer and the seller (36 MRS §4641-A).
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To write a quitclaim deed, you will need to provide the following information:
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Once you have a completed, signed, and notarized quitclaim deed, you should file the deed to the Maine County Registry of Deeds where the property is located.
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