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District of Columbia deed packet
A District of Columbia warranty deed transfers real estate with the grantor's title warranties. Download the editable Word deed and step-by-step completion and recording checklist.
Is this the right deed type? A warranty deed includes the grantor's full title warranties — the broadest title protection of the standard deed types.
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.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WARRANTY DEED.
Recording and return information: a house recording-stamp band, plus Square / suffix / Lot / Surveyor reference and A&T Lot if assigned. Record with the District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds. DC has one office and no counties.
Party information: grantor and grantee names, mailing addresses, marital or partner status, and vesting. Existing tenancy-by-the-entirety owners sign as grantors. DC has no homestead deed-joinder rule.
Consideration: a replaceable consideration prompt (nominal $10 recital or the actual consideration), plus the FP7/C (ROD 1) pointer. This packet does not include official tax blanks and is not for a DC co-op.
Page 2 continues: “grants and conveys” and “warrants generally,” plus express seisin and right to convey, quiet enjoyment, a grantor-act-limited encumbrance covenant, and further assurances. Ordinary acknowledged deeds must be signed and sealed and need no witnesses.
About this District of Columbia form
An District of Columbia warranty deed is a legal instrument that transfers real estate ownership while providing the highest level of protection to the buyer. The seller (grantor) legally guarantees that they hold clear title, have the right to convey it, and that the property is free of undisclosed liens. If a title defect from the property's history is discovered later, the buyer can hold the seller liable.
An District of Columbia warranty deed holds the seller financially responsible for any past title defects, providing the buyer with maximum protection. In contrast, a quitclaim deed offers zero protection, as the seller only transfers their current interest without any guarantees.
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.
In D.C., a warranty deed provides full title guarantees — the seller promises the title is clean and agrees to defend the buyer against any future claims. A quitclaim deed transfers only whatever interest the seller currently holds, with no guarantees. For arms-length property sales in D.C., warranty deeds are standard, and most lenders will not accept a quitclaim deed for financed purchases.
D.C. applies tiered recording taxes. For properties valued over $2 million, the rate is 1.45%, and for properties over $5 million, it rises to 2.9%. These higher rates function similarly to a "mansion tax" and apply to all deed types, including warranty deeds, based on the property's consideration or fair market value.
You must take the original, notarized deed to the Recorder of Deeds 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.
1.1-2.9% (deed recording tax). Additional local recording fees also apply when filing the deed.
Yes, you can draft your own deed as long as it strictly adheres to District of Columbia's legal requirements for formatting, legal description, and notarization.
A warranty deed includes the grantor's warranty covenants — generally a promise that the grantor owns the property and will defend the title against claims, subject to any exceptions stated in the deed. It offers the grantee broader title protection than a quitclaim deed.
Warranty deeds are commonly used in arm's-length sales and other transfers where the grantee wants full title warranties from the grantor. Lenders and title insurers generally expect them for ordinary purchases.
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.