A Maine quitclaim deed is a written document that transfers the grantor's interest in a property to the grantee, no more than the grantor holds.[1] Unless the deed is acknowledged and recorded in the county registry of deeds, it binds only the grantor, the grantor's heirs and devisees, and people with actual notice of it.[2] A property owner can use these deed templates to transfer ownership to a relative. A buyer should still review the title first, because quitclaim deeds pass only what the grantor holds.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Maine law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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A quitclaim deed in Maine passes the grantor's interest, may follow a statutory form, and must be acknowledged and recorded to be effective against most outside parties. Four sections of Title 33 of the Maine Revised Statutes set these requirements.
Under § 161, a deed of release or quitclaim of the usual form conveys the estate the grantor has and can convey by a deed of any other form.[1] In plain words, the grantor passes on whatever they hold. The grantee gets nothing beyond that.
Section 765 sets out a statutory form called the "Quitclaim Deed With Covenant." Here is what the statute says about it.
A deed in substance following the form entitled "Quitclaim Deed With Covenant" shall when duly executed have the force and effect of a deed in fee simple to the grantee, his heirs and assigns forever, with covenant on the part of the grantor, for himself, with the grantee, his heirs and assigns forever, that at the time of the delivery of such deed the grantor covenants with the grantee, his heirs and assigns, that he will warrant and forever defend the premises to the said grantee, his heirs and assigns forever, against the lawful claims and demands of all persons claiming by, through or under him.
In plain words, a deed that uses the statutory form carries a promise to defend the property against claims made by, through or under the grantor.[4] The form on this page is the plain version. It quit claims the property without covenant, representation or warranty.
Section 775 sets out the statutory short forms themselves, including the Quitclaim Deed With Covenant and the Quitclaim Deed Without Covenant, also called a Release Deed.[5]
Before a deed can be recorded in a Maine registry of deeds, the signer must acknowledge it, which means confirming it before an authorized officer. Section 203 names who can take the acknowledgment.[3]
Section 201 covers a conveyance of an estate in fee simple, fee tail or for life (a life estate). It is not effectual against anyone but the grantor, the grantor's heirs and devisees, and people with actual notice of it. That changes only when the deed is acknowledged and recorded in the registry of deeds within the county where the land lies.[2]
If the land is in two or more counties, record the deed in the registry of deeds of each county. Where a county has two or more registry districts, record it in the district that is legal for such record.[2]
A real estate transfer tax is imposed on each deed that transfers Maine real property, half on the grantor and half on the grantee (36 M.R.S. § 4641-A). The register of deeds computes and collects it when the deed is offered for recording (36 M.R.S. § 4641-B), and Section 4641-C lists the exemptions.[6]
A deed offered for recording must be accompanied by a declaration of value on the form the State Tax Assessor prescribes, unless one of that section's exemptions applies (36 M.R.S. § 4641-D).[7]
Fill in the deed in the order the form presents it. Page 1 holds the parties, the date and the property, page 2 the parcel information and legal description, page 4 the signature lines and page 5 the acknowledgment. You can complete the downloaded PDF in the online PDF editor save the file, or print it and write by hand. Print the names as they appear on the recorded title to the property.
Once the acknowledgment is complete, file the deed for recording with the registry of deeds as described above.
These answers cover how a quitclaim deed transfers property ownership under Title 33 of the Maine Revised Statutes. Each answer relies on the cited statute, and any statement of ordinary practice is labeled as practice rather than law.
A quitclaim deed in Maine is a deed of release that conveys the estate the grantor has and can convey by a deed of any other form.[1] The grantee receives whatever the grantor can convey, without any added warranty.
A plain quitclaim deed passes the estate as it stands.[1] The statutory Quitclaim Deed With Covenant adds a covenant to warrant and defend the property against lawful claims of anyone claiming by, through or under the grantor.[4]
A property owner commonly uses a quitclaim deed to transfer ownership of the property when the parties already know the title history. That is common practice, not a legal requirement. Typical cases include:
Because the deed passes only what the grantor holds, it carries no promise about the title. A buyer who wants a guarantee should review the Quitclaim Deed With Covenant, in which the grantor promises to defend the title.[4]
It must be acknowledged and recorded in the registry of deeds within the county where the land lies.[2] If the land is in two or more counties, it is recorded in each of them.
Yes. Before a deed is recorded in a registry of deeds, it must be acknowledged. Inside Maine, that means before a notary public or an attorney admitted to practice in Maine.[3]
Other Quitclaim Deed Forms by State
General information, not legal or tax advice.
Each marker in the text links to the matching source below. Every source opens the statute on the Maine Legislature website. This page gives general information only.
