A Virginia quitclaim deed is a written deed in which the grantor releases all of their right, title and interest in real estate to the grantee. The grantor is the party giving up the interest, and the grantee is the party receiving it.[1] It conveys nothing more than the interest the grantor holds at that time. The free FormsPal Virginia quitclaim deed form is ready to fill out online or to download as a PDF or Word file.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Virginia law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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Two sections of the Virginia Code govern a quitclaim deed. Section 55.1-363 gives the statutory words that make a deed a quitclaim and says what it passes. Section 55.1-600 covers the signature, the acknowledgment and recording. The sections below explain each rule in plain words.[1][2]
Va. Code Ann. § 55.1-363 gives a short statutory form for a quitclaim. This is what it says:
Whenever any deed uses the words: "The said grantor (or the said ______) releases to the said grantee (or the said ______) all his claims upon the said lands," such deed shall be construed as if it set forth that the grantor (or releasor) has remised, released, and forever quitted claim and by these presents does remise, release, and forever quitclaim to the grantee (or releasee) and his heirs and assigns all right, title, and interest whatsoever, both at law and in equity, in or to the lands and premises granted (or released) or intended to be granted (or released), so that neither he nor his personal representative, heirs, or assigns shall at any time thereafter have any type of claim, challenge, or demand on the lands and premises or any part thereof.
In plain words, a quitclaim deed transfers all of the grantor's right, title and interest in the real estate described, unless the deed itself limits the grant. A deed that follows the statutory form is enough to convey that interest. An equivalent instrument that makes the parties' transaction plain is not invalid for want of the statutory wording.[1]
If you want a ready-made deed, use our free fillable quitclaim deed form for Virginia. It is organized around these parts:
Under Va. Code Ann. § 55.1-600, the deed must carry an original signature. In plain words, the grantor, the party from whom the interest passes, signs the deed.[2]
To be recorded, the signature must also be acknowledged by the signer, or proved by two witnesses. An acknowledgment is the signer's formal confirmation that the signature is theirs.[2]
Our form has a signature block for each grantor, with two witness lines, and a notary acknowledgment block for each grantor. The grantee appears on the form by name and address only, so the form has no signature line for the grantee.
Under Va. Code Ann. § 55.1-600, the circuit court of a county or city, or its clerk, records a signed deed. The deed must first be acknowledged or proved by two witnesses.[2] The statute reads:
Except when it is otherwise provided, the circuit court of any county or city, or the clerk of any such court, or his duly qualified deputy, in his office, shall record any such writing as to any person whose name is signed thereto with an original signature, when it shall have been acknowledged by him, or proved by two witnesses as to him in such court, or before such clerk, or his duly qualified deputy, in his office
Record the deed with the circuit court clerk for the county or city where the property is located. Until it is recorded there, the deed is void as to purchasers for value without notice and as to lien creditors (Va. Code Ann. § 55.1-407(A)).[3]
In the first clause that names the parties, underline or capitalize each individual party's surname and identify each party as grantor or grantee. Unless a cover sheet is submitted, the clerk may reject a deed that does not do this (Va. Code Ann. § 17.1-223(A)).[4]
The circuit court clerk charges a recording fee set by statute, and a state recordation tax applies to every deed that the law does not exempt. The deed is recorded only when the fee and any tax are paid, so check the current amounts with the clerk first (Va. Code Ann. §§ 17.1-275, 58.1-801, 17.1-223).[5]
After recording, the clerk may return the deed to the grantee, or to another address you clearly show on the deed or on a cover sheet (Va. Code Ann. § 17.1-223(A)).[4]
To prepare a Virginia quitclaim deed, fill in the form, have the grantor sign it, and have the signature acknowledged or proved by two witnesses so the deed can be recorded.[2] The steps below follow the order of our PDF, from the Prepared By line on page 1 to Exhibit A on page 6.
Fill in the form with the FormsPal online builder above, or complete the downloaded PDF with our online PDF editor.
Before you sign, read the finished deed once more. Check that each name, the county and the parcel number match your records for the real estate.
A Virginia quitclaim deed raises a few common questions. The answers below come from the Virginia Code sections listed at the end of this page, and they explain the deed in plain words.
A quitclaim deed passes all of the grantor's right, title and interest in the property described, and nothing more. It conveys only the interest the grantor holds at that time.[1]
Virginia describes a quitclaim by what it does. A deed in which the grantor releases to the grantee all claims upon the land is construed as if it said the grantor remised, released and forever quitclaimed all right, title and interest, at law and in equity.[1] The signing and recording rules are in the sections above.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the Va. Code Ann..
