PublicLegal Deed Form – Only $9.99
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Maine Warranty 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.
Maine recording note.
Maine deeds require notary acknowledgment, not witnesses. Record with the proper county Registry of Deeds, use the full legal description, account for tiered transfer tax and nonresident-seller REW withholding, and confirm mortgage, RON, and elective-share issues before relying on the deed.
What Is a Maine Warranty Deed?
A Maine warranty deed transfers Maine real estate with the statutory warranty covenants in 33 MRS section 763: lawful seisin in fee, freedom from encumbrances, good right to sell and convey, and warranty and defense against lawful claims.
When to Use a Warranty Deed in Maine
- Buying or selling Maine real estate when statutory warranty protection is intended.
- Working with a buyer, lender, title company, or title insurer that expects warranty-deed protection.
- Using the Maine deed path when the grantor is willing to provide broader warranty covenants.
Maine Recording Notes
- Signing: The grantor signs the deed. Maine generally does not require a non-owner spouse to sign solely because the property is a homestead, but elective-share avoidance and recorded divorce lis pendens issues can require legal review.
- Notarization: The grantor's signature must be acknowledged before a notary public or other authorized officer before recording.
- Witnesses: Maine does not require attesting witnesses for an ordinary acknowledged warranty or quitclaim deed.
- Recording: Record the deed with the county Registry of Deeds where the property is located. Aroostook County has separate Northern and Southern District registry offices.
- Transfer Tax: Maine real-estate transfer tax is generally split between grantor and grantee. A base $2.20 per $500 applies to all value transferred, and for transfers on or after November 1, 2025, an additional $3.80 per $500 applies to value over $1,000,000.
- RETT / REW: A Real Estate Transfer Tax Declaration is generally required unless an exemption applies. Nonresident sellers in qualifying sales may be subject to Maine REW withholding.
- Legal Description: Use the full legal description from a prior deed or recorded plan. A street address or tax parcel number alone is usually not enough.
- Mortgages: A deed does not release the borrower from a mortgage note, remove a mortgage lien, or avoid a due-on-sale clause without lender consent.
Warranty Deed vs Other Maine Deeds
A Maine warranty deed gives broader covenants than a quitclaim/release deed. Maine quitclaim wording can mean a quitclaim with covenant or a no-covenant release deed, so the actual form wording matters. Maine does not have a separate grant-deed category.
Frequently Asked Questions
What covenants does a Maine warranty deed provide?
A Maine warranty deed under 33 MRS section 763 includes covenants that the grantor is lawfully seized in fee, the premises are free of encumbrances, the grantor has good right to sell and convey, and the grantor and heirs will warrant and defend against lawful claims.
Does Maine require witnesses for a deed?
No. Maine requires acknowledgment before a notary or other authorized officer, but it does not require attesting witnesses for an ordinary warranty or quitclaim deed.
How does Maine transfer tax work?
Maine real-estate transfer tax has a base rate of $2.20 per $500 and, for transfers on or after November 1, 2025, an additional $3.80 per $500 on value over $1,000,000. Exemptions and REW withholding should be checked carefully.
Does Maine require a spouse to sign a deed?
Maine generally does not require a non-owner spouse to sign solely because property is a homestead, but elective-share avoidance and recorded divorce lis pendens issues can require legal review.
Who provides this deed form?
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.
Does this deed release a mortgage or clear liens?
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.
"What does ILRG guarantee?"
ILRG provides self-help deed forms and download support. PublicLegal-authored deed forms are provided for customers to complete with their 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.