Arizona writes the quitclaim deed into its statutes: "For the consideration of ____, I hereby quit claim to A.B. all my interest in the following real property," plus a legal description (A.R.S. 33-402). The grantor signs, a notary acknowledges it, and the county recorder takes it for a flat $30. There is no witness requirement. The deed also needs either an Affidavit of Property Value or an exemption written on its face.
That affidavit is the one thing that decides whether an Arizona deed gets recorded on the first try. The rest is a single sentence and a notary stamp.
This is general information, not legal advice. A real estate attorney in your state can confirm how it applies to you.
If you want the general version first, read how a quitclaim deed works.
What does an Arizona quitclaim deed look like?
Section 33-402 says "the following or other equivalent forms varied to suit circumstances are sufficient." Item one is the quitclaim: the consideration, the words "I hereby quit claim to," the grantee's name, "all my interest in the following real property," and a description. Item three, the warranty deed, is the same sentence with "and I warrant the title against all persons whomsoever" added. The only difference between the two is that clause, and quitclaim deed vs warranty deed walks through what it means for the buyer.
Add the practical pieces the recorder reads: a caption such as "Quitclaim Deed," the grantee's name and mailing address, the legal description, and the grantor's name typed under the signature. Under 11-480 every instrument needs a caption stating its nature, must be an original, legible, no larger than 8.5 by 14 inches and in print no smaller than ten point, with original signatures.
Does an Arizona quitclaim deed need a notary or witnesses?
A notary, no witnesses. Section 33-401(B) says every deed "must be signed by the grantor and must be duly acknowledged before some officer authorized to take acknowledgments." Section 33-401(D) adds that a recorded deed with a defect in the acknowledgment is treated as duly acknowledged from the date it was recorded, so a small notary slip does not undo it. That is no reason to be sloppy, because the recorder checks it first.
What is the Affidavit of Property Value?
The statute calls it an affidavit of legal value, and the Department of Revenue form is usually called the Affidavit of Property Value. Under 11-1133 each deed must have it appended at recording, signed by buyer and seller or their agents, listing:
- Names, mailing addresses and phone numbers of both sides, and the address for the tax statement.
- The legal description, the situs address if any, and the date of sale.
- The total consideration, the down payment and the type of financing.
- The assessor's parcel number, the relationship of the parties and the use of the property.
If it is not complete, the recorder "shall refuse to record" the deed, unless the deed carries an exemption note. For a gift or a deed with no stated price, "value" under 11-1131 is the estimated price the property would bring on the open market between a willing buyer and seller.
Which Arizona quitclaim deeds are exempt from the affidavit?
Section 11-1134 has the list, and for family transfers of vacant land the wording matters. Exempt, with no affidavit:
- A quitclaim deed to quiet title, or "otherwise executed for no monetary consideration" (A)(4).
- A deed of gift (A)(7).
- A deed that confirms or corrects a deed already recorded (B)(2), and a legal name change (B)(14).
- A transfer from an owner to itself or a related entity to split or consolidate parcels (B)(13), and a member-to-LLC or LLC-to-member transfer for nominal consideration (B)(7)(c).
- Transfers between spouses, parent and child, grandparent and grandchild, or siblings for nominal consideration (B)(3), but only for residential property.
That last limit is the catch. If you are moving vacant land to a sibling for $10, the family exemption in (B)(3) is written for residential property, so use the gift or no-consideration exemptions in (A)(4) and (A)(7) if they honestly fit, or file the affidavit. The deed has to name the exemption: 11-1134(C) requires the instrument to note "the specific exemption that is claimed" on its face. A line such as "Exempt under A.R.S. 11-1134(A)(7)" does it.
How much does it cost to record a quitclaim deed in Arizona?
$30 per instrument, set by 11-475(A)(1). The $2 real estate transfer fee in 11-1132 is folded into that $30, so it is not an add-on. Pima County's recorder lists a flat $30.00 for any document, with its fees last revised 4/15/2022. I found no separate transfer tax in the sections I read. A $20,000 sale and a $200,000 sale cost the same $30 to record; the number to budget for beyond that is the notary. See quitclaim deed cost for how other states compare.
Get the top of page one right. Section 11-480(C) reserves a top margin of at least two inches on the first page for the recorder's stamp, and the left three and a half inches of it may carry the requester's name and the return address. If page one lacks that space, 11-480(C) has you attach a separate sheet with the title that does. The half-inch side and bottom margins are softer: under 11-480(B) a shortfall is not grounds for rejection, but text inside the margin may not give notice.
Three Arizona traps for a quitclaim deed
Co-owners become tenants in common. Under 33-431, a grant to two or more people creates a tenancy in common unless the deed expressly says joint tenancy with right of survivorship. Spouses can take as community property with right of survivorship if the deed says so. Write what you mean.
A trustee grantee triggers a disclosure. If you deed land to a trust, 33-404 requires the names and addresses of the beneficiaries, and a deed without them is voidable within two years after recording.
A "sale" by quitclaim still needs the seller's disclosure in rural Arizona. Section 33-422 requires a seller of five or fewer parcels in an unincorporated area to give the buyer an affidavit of disclosure at least seven days before transfer and to record it with the deed. The statute speaks of a seller, so a true gift does not trigger it, but a sale does, no matter which deed form you use.
What a quitclaim does not do in Arizona
It does not clear title, remove a lien or warrant anything. A recorded deed also does not satisfy a mortgage; quitclaim deed and mortgage covers what the lender can do. And an unrecorded deed gives no notice to a later buyer for value under 33-411, so record it right away.
If you want to sell rather than transfer, Arizona land prices is the place to see what comparable parcels brought. A cash buyer typically closes in 7 to 21 days and the title company runs the affidavit and the deed, where a listing on rural Arizona land can run six to eighteen months. You can sell land in Arizona to us directly. The same deed rules for other states are in quitclaim deed forms by state.
FAQs
How much does it cost to record a quitclaim deed in Arizona?
$30 per instrument under A.R.S. 11-475, with the $2 transfer fee inside it. Pima County lists $30 flat.
Does Arizona require a notary on a quitclaim deed?
Yes. 33-401(B) requires the deed to be signed and acknowledged before an authorized officer. It does not require witnesses.
Do I need an Affidavit of Property Value for a quitclaim deed?
Unless the deed is exempt under 11-1134, yes. A deed for no monetary consideration or a deed of gift is exempt, and the deed has to say which exemption applies.
Is there a transfer tax on a quitclaim deed in Arizona?
I found none in the statutes I read. You pay the $30 recording fee, which includes a $2 transfer fee.