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California deed packet
A California grant deed transfers real estate with state-law implied title covenants. Download the editable Word deed and step-by-step completion and recording checklist.
Is this the right deed type? A grant deed transfers ownership with limited implied warranties — narrower than a warranty deed, broader than a quitclaim.
This download includes 2 documents in editable Word format. Complete them on your own computer, then print, sign, and record.
Packet is delivered in Word format; no blank PDF of the deed is included.
A simple three-step workflow; the packet guides you through each one.
Gather the current deed or title record and the exact legal description of the property before you start.
Complete the blank deed and follow the included state guidance for signing, acknowledgment, and related requirements.
Confirm your county recorder's cover sheets, transfer forms, fees, and local practices, then submit the executed deed.
See page 1 of the actual blank form and review a plain-language outline of what appears on page 1. The complete formatted packet is delivered after checkout.
GRANT DEED.
Recording and return information: recording-requested-by, return-to, and mail-tax-statements fields, alongside the space reserved for the county recorder.
Parcel number: the Assessor's Parcel Number (APN), with the note that the Documentary Transfer Tax declaration is made under Rev. & Tax. Code § 11911.
Recording and party information: the county and city (or unincorporated area) where the property is located; grantor and grantee names, mailing addresses, marital status, vesting, and signing capacity; street address and tax-statement mailing address.
Consideration: the stated consideration for the transfer.
Grant conveyance — implied limited covenants: the grantor conveys the property with California's statutory implied covenants (Civ. Code § 1113) — no prior conveyance of the property, and freedom from encumbrances made by the grantor.
About this California form
A California grant deed is a legal document used to transfer real estate ownership. It includes implicit guarantees that the grantor has not already sold the property to someone else and that the property is free of encumbrances placed during the grantor's period of ownership, except those disclosed. It does not warrant the entire historical chain of title.
A grant deed guarantees the title against encumbrances made only during the current owner's tenure, whereas a full warranty deed covers the entire history of the property. Both offer significantly more protection than a quitclaim deed.
PublicLegal-authored self-help deed form. Provided for customers to complete with their own transaction information and submit to the proper local recording office. Recorder offices and state agencies may require separate supplemental forms, taxes, fees, or cover sheets, and requirements vary by jurisdiction and transaction. Review the product notes and confirm local recording requirements before relying on any completed deed.
ILRG provides self-help deed forms and download support. Attorney-reviewed PublicLegal-authored deed forms are provided for you to complete with your own transaction information. Deed recording requirements, supplemental forms, transfer taxes, title-company practices, and legal suitability vary by jurisdiction and transaction. If you are not 100 percent satisfied after purchasing from us, contact us for a refund.
Yes, if the property is a marital homestead or subject to community property rules, California law dictates that both spouses sign the deed to release their rights.
You must take the original, notarized deed to the County Recorder in the jurisdiction where the property is physically located and pay the required recording fee.
No, a deed only transfers the property title. It does not eliminate your financial obligation to pay an existing mortgage. You remain responsible for the loan unless the lender explicitly agrees to a refinance or assumption.
Yes, California has county-level transfer taxes (typically ~$1.10 per $1,000 of value). LA County and some cities charge additional local transfer taxes. These fees apply when filing the deed.
Yes, you can draft your own deed as long as it strictly adheres to California's legal requirements for formatting, legal description, and notarization.
A grant deed generally transfers ownership with limited implied covenants — commonly that the grantor has not previously conveyed the property to someone else and that the property is free of undisclosed encumbrances at signing, except any the deed itself discloses or excludes. Exact implied covenants depend on state law.
A warranty deed typically warrants title against claims from any point in the property's history, while a grant deed's implied covenants are limited — they do not warrant the property's entire history. Exact scope varies by state and by the deed's own terms.
The packet includes the blank state-specific deed in editable Word format plus a separate completion instructions and checklist document. A completed sample PDF may be offered as an optional add-on.
Recording offices review formatting, execution requirements such as notarization, and any required supplemental forms or fees, which vary by county. The included instructions cover the general process; confirm your county's current requirements before you record.
Grant deeds are a recognized conveyance form in California, though local practice and title-company preferences can differ. Confirm the preferred instrument with your title company or recording office for your transaction.