Michigan Quitclaim Deed: Step-by-Step Guide (with Free Form Generator)

A Michigan quitclaim deed transfers whatever interest the grantor has in real property to another party without warranting the quality of that interest. It's the right tool for transfers between family members, into or out of a trust or LLC, after a divorce, or to clear minor title defects. This guide walks through Michigan's state-specific requirements - witnesses, transfer tax, recording office, and the practical gotchas - and gives you a free interactive form builder at the bottom.

The biggest Michigan-specific thing to know

Michigan is the canonical Lady Bird deed state - enhanced life estate deeds have been recognized in Michigan case law for decades and are widely used to avoid probate while retaining lifetime control. If your goal is estate planning, a Lady Bird deed is usually a better tool than an outright quitclaim.

Michigan requirements at a glance

Subscribing witnesses	2 subscribing witnesses required (Two witnesses required for deeds in Michigan.)
Notarization	Required (notary acknowledgment block on the deed)
Transfer / documentary tax	State Real Estate Transfer Tax: $3.75 per $500; County tax: $0.55 per $500
Recording office	County Register of Deeds in the county where the property is located
Recording fee	$30 (flat)
Top margin (page 1)	2.5 inches
Required forms	Property Transfer Affidavit (Form 2766) required within 45 days.
Notarization method	Remote Online Notarization (RON) available, or in-person

Witnesses + notarization

Michigan permits Remote Online Notarization (RON), so the entire signing + notarization can happen via video from anywhere - no need to leave your home.

For witness logistics: the grantor must sign in the physical presence of both witnesses and the notary at the same time. Mailing the deed around for separate signatures is generally not valid.

Transfer / documentary tax

Michigan State Real Estate Transfer Tax: $3.75 per $500 ($7.50 per $1,000 state) + County Transfer Tax of $0.55 per $500 ($1.10 per $1,000), totaling about 0.86% of consideration. Family transfers without consideration are exempt - claim via the Real Estate Transfer Tax Valuation Affidavit at recording.

Recording

Once the deed is signed and notarized, you take it (along with any required forms and the recording fee) to the County Register of Deeds in the county where the property is located. The clerk stamps it with a recording number and date and adds it to the public record. From that moment, the world is on notice that title has transferred. Expect to pay roughly $30 (flat).

Common mistakes

Missing witness signature. Michigan requires 2 subscribing witnesses in addition to the notary. A deed missing this will be rejected.
Street address instead of legal description. Use the legal description verbatim from your existing recorded deed (lot/block/subdivision or metes-and-bounds). Street address alone is not sufficient.
Insufficient top margin. Michigan requires 2.5 inches on page 1. Browser default print settings cause rejection.
Forgetting the transfer tax declaration. Even when fully exempt, most states require the deed to cite the exemption code or be accompanied by a transfer tax declaration form.
Not updating the county assessor / appraiser. Recording transfers legal title but tax records may need a separate notification to update ownership for property tax purposes.

When NOT to use a Michigan quitclaim

You're selling to a stranger. A quitclaim gives the buyer no chain-of-title protection. Use a warranty deed (or in some states, a special warranty / grant deed) for arm's-length sales. See our comparison.
There's an existing mortgage with a due-on-sale clause. Most modern mortgages let the lender call the loan when title transfers. Talk to the lender first.
Title is contested or there's a dispute among co-owners. A quitclaim doesn't resolve disputes - it can paper over them and create future problems. Resolve the underlying dispute first.
You're not sure you actually own the interest you're conveying. A quitclaim transfers "whatever you have" - if that's nothing, the grantee gets nothing.

Two ways to do this

Have us handle the whole thing

$199 flat. We draft the Michigan-compliant deed, arrange a video notary or in-person mobile notary, file with your county recorder, and email you the recorded copy. Typically 24-72 hours end-to-end.

Start with ClosingDesk

Or use the free generator below

Fill in the fields and download a Michigan-compliant quitclaim deed PDF. You handle the witnesses + notary and county recording yourself. Free, no email required.

Use the free generator ↓

For estate planning, consider Michigan's Lady Bird deed (enhanced life estate deed) as the dominant tool. Michigan does not have a separate statutory TODD - the Lady Bird is the equivalent.

Free Michigan Quitclaim Deed generator

Fill in the fields below and we'll generate a Michigan-compliant quitclaim deed PDF you can print, sign in front of 2 witnesses and a notary, and take to the County Register of Deeds for recording. Free, no email required.

This guide and the generated form are general information about Michigan deed law, not legal advice. ClosingDesk is a workflow automation service, not a law firm. Michigan-specific issues can have material legal and tax consequences if mishandled. If your situation has any complexity (existing mortgage, contested ownership, divorce in progress, tax planning concerns, parent-child transfers in states with reassessment rules), consult a licensed Michigan real estate attorney before transferring title.