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Iowa deed packet

Iowa Warranty Deed

An Iowa warranty deed transfers real estate with the grantor's title warranties. Download the editable Word deed, official Form 57-006 and official DNR Form 542-0960, and step-by-step completion and recording checklist.

  • Updated August 2026
  • Attorney-reviewed
  • Recording guidance included
  • Editable Word format
  • PublicLegal since 1995
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee

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.

Included documents

This download includes 4 documents in Word and PDF formats. Complete them on your own computer, then print, sign, and record.

  • Iowa Warranty Deed (blank form) Core deed document — the recordable instrument Word (.DOCX)
  • Deed completion and recording checklist Guidance — do not record Word (.DOCX)
  • Iowa Declaration of Value (official Form 57-006 + current 57-011 + current-law cover) Required companion — record the official form with the deed when a DOV is required; do not record the cover note in its place PDF
  • Iowa Groundwater Hazard Statement (official DNR Form 542-0960 + current-law cover) Required companion — file the official form with the DOV only if a listed condition is present; do not record the cover note in its place PDF

The blank deed ships in Word format. Official companion forms in this packet ship as PDF.

How your Iowa deed gets completed and recorded

A simple three-step workflow; the packet guides you through each one.

1

Prepare

Gather the current deed or title record and the exact legal description of the property before you start.

2

Execute

Complete the blank deed and follow the included state guidance for signing, acknowledgment, and related requirements.

3

Record

Confirm your county recorder's cover sheets, transfer forms, fees, and local practices, then submit the executed deed.

This packet contains a PublicLegal-authored Iowa deed, not a county-issued form. Record the completed deed with the County Recorder. County, city, or town cover sheets, transfer or tax forms, fees, and filing procedures may apply. Only the documents listed under Included documents are included.
Iowa recording note. A nonexempt Iowa transfer requires a Declaration of Value (Form 57-006). When a DOV is required, use either the deed’s first-page no-known-hazard statement or official DNR Form 542-0960, as the property facts require; DOV-exempt transfers require neither. This packet includes both official forms with current-law cover notes. Iowa deeds require notary acknowledgment, not witnesses. If the property is a married owner’s homestead, the spouse generally must join or specifically relinquish under Iowa Code § 561.13.

Preview the Iowa Warranty 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.

Get Complete Editable Packet — $9.99
Page 1 of the blank Iowa Warranty Deed included in the download
Page 1 of the actual blank Iowa Warranty Deed included in your download.
This outline is not the form itself. Your download includes the complete editable blank form and separate instructions.

About this Iowa form

What Is a Iowa Warranty Deed?

An Iowa warranty deed transfers Iowa real estate with general warranty protection. Iowa's statutory warranty deed language warrants the title against all persons whomsoever, so it should not be described as a limited or special warranty deed unless the actual document is separately revised and relabeled.

When to Use a Warranty Deed in Iowa

  • Buying or selling Iowa real estate when general warranty protection is intended.
  • Working with a buyer, lender, title company, or title insurer that expects warranty-deed protection.
  • Using the Iowa deed path when the grantor is willing to give broad title covenants.

Iowa Recording Notes

  • Signing: The grantor signs the deed. If the property is a married owner’s homestead, the spouse generally must join or specifically relinquish homestead, dower, and distributive-share rights under Iowa Code § 561.13.
  • Notarization: Iowa deeds must be acknowledged before a notarial officer before recording.
  • Witnesses: Iowa does not require witnesses for an ordinary acknowledged deed.
  • Recording: Record the deed with the county recorder where the property is located.
  • Declaration of Value: A nonexempt Iowa transfer requires official Form 57-006. Transfer-tax exemption and DOV exemption are not the same. This packet includes the official form with current Form 57-011 and a current-law cover note. If the exemption is not clearly stated on the deed face, complete Part I.
  • Groundwater Hazard Statement: When a Declaration of Value is required, use either the deed’s first-page no-known-hazard statement or official DNR Form 542-0960, as the property facts require. DOV-exempt transfers require neither. This packet includes the official form. Do not file a blank Groundwater Hazard Statement.
  • Transfer Tax / Fees: Iowa real estate transfer tax is generally $0.80 per $500, or fractional part, on consideration over $500 unless a statutory exemption applies. County recording fees and auditor transfer fees can also apply.
  • Legal Description: Use the complete legal description from a prior deed, title commitment, survey, or other reliable title source. A street address or parcel number alone is usually not enough.

Warranty Deed vs Other Iowa Deeds

A warranty deed gives broader title-warranty protection than a quitclaim deed. A quitclaim deed transfers only whatever interest the grantor has, without warranties. Iowa also has a deed in fee simple without warranty, but Iowa does not have a separate statutory grant-deed category.

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.

100% satisfaction guarantee

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.

Frequently Asked Questions About Iowa Warranty Deed Forms

Iowa Code section 558.19(3) uses the statutory short form: the grantor conveys and warrants the title against all persons whomsoever. That is Iowa’s general warranty. This deed does not add a six-covenant or further-assurances list.

No. Iowa deeds must be acknowledged before a notarial officer, but Iowa does not require witnesses for an ordinary acknowledged deed.

A nonexempt Iowa transfer requires official Form 57-006. This packet includes that form. The DOV-exempt list is not identical to the transfer-tax-exempt list. When a DOV is required, use either the deed’s first-page no-known-hazard statement or Form 542-0960; DOV-exempt transfers require neither.

No. Iowa does not recognize transfer-on-death deeds for real estate.

PublicLegal provides this self-help deed form template for customers to complete with their own transaction information. For transaction-specific legal, title, or recording guidance, consult an attorney, title company, or the local recording office. Recording offices and state agencies may require separate supplemental forms, taxes, fees, or cover sheets.

No. A deed transfers title to real property. It does not release a borrower from an existing mortgage or deed of trust, remove liens, or replace lender consent, payoff, refinance, or assumption requirements.

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.