Michigan 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.
Michigan recording note. Michigan deeds should use the full legal description and are recorded with the county Register of Deeds. After transfer, the buyer or grantee generally must file Property Transfer Affidavit Form 2766/L-4260 with the local assessor within 45 days; recording the deed is not a substitute.

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What Is a Michigan Warranty Deed?

A Michigan warranty deed transfers Michigan real estate with the five statutory warranty covenants in Michigan's warranty-deed form. It should not be described as a six-covenant deed and should not add a separate further-assurances covenant.

When to Use a Warranty Deed in Michigan

  • Buying or selling Michigan 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 Michigan deed path when the grantor is willing to provide warranty covenants.

Michigan Recording Notes

  • Signing: All current titled owners who are conveying an interest should sign the deed. Michigan dower has been abolished; homestead spouse-joinder rules for mortgages are separate from ordinary deed signing.
  • Notarization: The grantor's signature must be acknowledged before a notary or other authorized officer before recording.
  • Witnesses: Michigan does not require witnesses for ordinary modern deeds.
  • Recording: Record the deed with the county Register of Deeds where the property is located.
  • Property Transfer Affidavit: The buyer, grantee, or transferee generally must file Property Transfer Affidavit Form 2766 / L-4260 with the local assessor within 45 days after transfer. Recording the deed is not a substitute.
  • Transfer Tax / Fees: Michigan state and county transfer taxes are generally $8.60 per $1,000 unless an exemption applies, and some exemptions do not eliminate both state and county tax.
  • 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.
  • Manufactured Homes / Mortgages: A land deed does not by itself transfer an unaffixed manufactured home, release a borrower from a mortgage, or clear liens.

Warranty Deed vs Other Michigan Deeds

A Michigan warranty deed provides statutory warranty covenants. A Michigan quitclaim deed transfers whatever interest the grantor has at delivery, without deed covenants. Michigan does not have a separate statutory grant-deed category.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many covenants does a Michigan warranty deed include?

Michigan's statutory warranty deed includes five covenants: seisin, good right to convey, quiet possession, freedom from encumbrances, and warranty and defense of title. It does not include a sixth further-assurances covenant.

Does Michigan require witnesses for a deed?

No. Ordinary modern Michigan deeds require acknowledgment before a notary or authorized officer, not witnesses.

What is Michigan's Property Transfer Affidavit?

The buyer, grantee, or transferee generally must file Property Transfer Affidavit Form 2766 / L-4260 with the local assessor within 45 days after transfer. Recording the deed is not a substitute.

Does a non-owner spouse need to sign because of dower?

Michigan dower has been abolished. Homestead spouse-signing rules for mortgages are separate from ordinary deed signing, but title and marital facts should still be checked carefully.

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.