An Ohio quitclaim deed is a written document that lets the owner of real estate (the grantor) pass whatever interest they hold in the property to another person (the grantee). Under Ohio law, a deed in the statutory form has the force and effect of a deed in fee simple to the grantee. The grantor gives no covenants, which means no promises about the title.[2]
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Ohio law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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A quitclaim deed is one of several deed forms, and it is the one that carries no promises about the title. Most quitclaim deeds name the same few things:
Ohio sets four legal rules that matter for a quitclaim deed. A deed in the statutory form has the effect of a deed in fee simple, and the grantor gives no covenants. The signing is acknowledged before an official, and the deed is recorded with the county recorder. The table lists each rule with its source, and the sections below explain them.
| Rule | What Ohio law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Effect of the statutory form | The deed has the force and effect of a deed in fee simple to the grantee. | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 5302.11[2] |
| No warranties | The deed is without covenants of any kind on the part of the grantor. | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 5302.11[2] |
| Acknowledgment | The signing is acknowledged before a judge or clerk of a court of record in Ohio, a county auditor, a county engineer, a notary public, or a mayor. | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 5301.01[1.1] |
| Recording | The deed is recorded in the office of the county recorder of the county where the property is. | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 5301.25[1.2] |
The rules come from Chapters 5301 and 5302 of the Ohio Revised Code. Chapter 5301 covers how a deed is acknowledged and recorded. Section 5302.11 sets out the statutory deed form and says what a deed in that form does.
Ohio law says the signing of a deed must be acknowledged by the grantor, mortgagor, vendor, or lessor, or by the trustee. In a quitclaim deed, the person signing is the grantor. The acknowledgment is made before one of these officials:[1.1]
The official certifies the acknowledgement and signs the official's name to the certificate of the acknowledgement.[1.1]
Deeds and other written instruments that convey or encumber land must be recorded in the office of the county recorder of the county in which the property is situated.[1.2] The county recorder is the local office that keeps these property records.
Keep copies of the signed deed and any recording confirmation together with your other property papers.
Recording is not what makes the deed valid between the parties. Until the deed is recorded, it is fraudulent as to a later bona fide purchaser who had no knowledge of it at the time of purchase, so an unrecorded deed does not protect the grantee against a later good-faith buyer (Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 5301.25).[1.3]
Section 5302.11 of the Ohio Rev. Code Ann. sets out the statutory deed form. This is what the statute says about a deed that follows it:
A deed in substance following the form set forth in this section, when duly executed in accordance with Chapter 5301. of the Revised Code, has the force and effect of a deed in fee simple to the grantee, the grantee's heirs, assigns, and successors, and to the grantee's and the grantee's heirs', assigns', and successors' own use, but without covenants of any kind on the part of the grantor.
In plain words, such a deed passes the grantor's interest in the property to the grantee as a fee simple, which means full ownership. The statute also says the grantor gives no covenants. A covenant is a promise about the title.[2]
No promises about the title. Because the grantor gives no covenants, a grantee has no promise from the grantor to rely on. Check the title to the property before you accept a quitclaim deed.
To make an Ohio quitclaim deed, complete each part of the form in the order below, sign it, have the signing acknowledged, and record it with the county recorder. Start with our quitclaim deed form. The form builder gives you the most up-to-date Ohio version in seconds. If you download the PDF, you can fill it in online with our PDF editor.
Once the deed is signed and acknowledged, take it to the county recorder of the county where the property is situated.[1.2]
A quitclaim deed in Ohio is a deed that passes the grantor's interest in a property to the grantee without any covenants from the grantor. Ohio's statutory form gives the grantee the force and effect of a deed in fee simple. It does so without covenants of any kind on the part of the grantor.[2]
Yes, it transfers the grantor's interest in the property. A deed in the statutory form, duly executed under Chapter 5301, has the force and effect of a deed in fee simple to the grantee, the grantee's heirs, assigns, and successors.[2]
The main drawback is that the deed comes without covenants of any kind on the part of the grantor.[2] In practice, that has two results:
Checking the title to the property before you accept the deed is a sensible step.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the Ohio Rev. Code Ann.
