Land records · Parcel maps · October 4, 2026
What Is a Quitclaim Deed? Land Records Basics
What is a quitclaim deed: it transfers whatever interest the grantor has without title warranties—how to read one against a parcel map and recorded plat.
What is a quitclaim deed? In plain terms, it is a recorded instrument where the grantor transfers whatever ownership interest they have in a parcel—without promising that the title is clear, marketable, or free of claims. That “whatever I have” language is why quitclaims show up often in family transfers, divorces, and title cleanups, and why buyers and lenders usually want something stronger for a financed purchase. This guide explains how a quitclaim sits in the land-records stack and how to match it to a parcel map—not legal advice for your transaction.
What a quitclaim transfers—and what it does not promise
A quitclaim deed conveys the grantor’s present interest in the described property. It does not typically warrant that the grantor owns the whole fee, that boundaries are correct, or that liens and easements are absent. Contrast that with common warranty-style deeds that include covenants about title quality. County recording still makes the quitclaim part of the public chain of title once it is accepted and indexed—but the form of deed and the quality of title are different questions.
To see how any deed’s legal description is written, start with how to read a property deed. If you need the recorded image itself, see how to get a copy of my deed.
Where quitclaims commonly show up
- Intra-family and marital transfers. Adding or removing a spouse, moving a home into a trust, or settling a divorce often uses a quitclaim because the parties already know each other and are not buying through a stranger sale.
- Clearing a cloud. Someone with a possible residual interest may quitclaim so the record owner’s title looks cleaner to a future buyer or insurer.
- Not a survey fix. A quitclaim does not move fences or iron pins. Boundary location still depends on the legal description, the plat, and often a licensed survey—see lot and block vs metes and bounds.
Match the quitclaim to a parcel map
- Pull the recorded quitclaim (book/page or instrument number) and note the legal description and any cited plat.
- Open the county viewer from our county GIS map directory and find the parcel by address or APN—see what is an APN number.
- Confirm the map polygon and owner/tax fields roughly match the parties and description on the deed. Tax maps approximate; they are not a survey—see survey plat vs tax map.
- If the deed cites a lot and block, open the recorded plat and check labels—see how to find a recorded plat and how to read a plat map.
Viewer basics live in how to use a county GIS viewer. Easement language on the same parcel can still limit use after a quitclaim—vocabulary help is in easement vs right of way.
What a quitclaim is not
A quitclaim is not a boundary survey, not a title insurance policy, and not proof that taxes or mortgages are paid. Recording changes who appears in the chain for the interest conveyed; it does not automatically update every assessor field overnight, and it does not settle an encroachment on the ground. Before you build, fence, or finance, ask a title professional or attorney in your state whether a quitclaim is the right instrument—and whether a survey is still required.
What is a quitclaim deed FAQ
Does a quitclaim deed prove clear title?
No. It transfers whatever interest the grantor has without the usual title warranties. Title quality, liens, and surveys are separate questions—ask a title professional or attorney in your state.
Is a quitclaim the same as a warranty deed?
No. Warranty-style deeds typically include covenants about title. A quitclaim generally does not. Both can be recorded; they promise different things.
Will the GIS map update after I record a quitclaim?
Not always overnight. Assessors and GIS layers can lag. Use the recorded instrument as the legal trail, and treat the parcel viewer as a finder that may still show the prior owner briefly.
Does a quitclaim fix a fence or boundary dispute?
No. It moves an ownership interest on paper. Locating lines on the ground still needs the legal description, plat, and often a licensed survey.