An Indiana quitclaim deed passes whatever interest the grantor holds and promises nothing about title. It must be written, signed and acknowledged (IC 32-21-1-13), end with a "prepared by" line and a Social Security redaction statement, carry the grantee's tax-bill address, and be endorsed by the county auditor before the recorder will accept it. Recording is $25 in the counties we checked. If the quitclaim is a sale, add a $20 sales disclosure fee and a $10-per-parcel auditor transfer fee.
No county schedule we read listed a per-dollar transfer tax on deeds. The money in Indiana is flat fees, and the delays are paperwork: the auditor's stamp, the assessor's sales disclosure stamp, and two printed statements at the bottom of the deed.
This is general information, not legal advice. An Indiana real estate attorney can confirm how it applies to your parcel.
For what a quitclaim does in any state, start with what a quitclaim deed does. This page covers the Indiana rules on top.
What does an Indiana quitclaim deed need to say and who signs it?
Indiana does not print a quitclaim form in the code. IC 32-21-1-13 says a conveyance of land "shall be made by a deed that is written" and "subscribed, sealed, and acknowledged by the grantor." The statute lists no witnesses. If you use one, IC 36-2-11-16 wants the witness's name printed under the signature too.
The acknowledgment can be taken by more people than a notary. IC 32-21-2-3(a) lists a judge, a court clerk, the county auditor, the county recorder, a notary public and several others. In practice most deeds use a notary, and recorders check the notary block: county of residence, seal, commission expiration date and the notary's printed name under the signature (Noble County's checklist cites IC 33-42-2-9).
A deed signed or notarized outside Indiana is exempt from the prepared-by and Social Security lines below, but not from the auditor's endorsement.
Which two lines at the bottom of an Indiana deed get it rejected?
IC 36-2-11-15 requires two statements at the end of the instrument:
- Prepared by. "This instrument was prepared by (name)." The name of the person, and the government agency if any, who drafted the deed.
- Social Security affirmation. A statement under penalty of perjury that the preparer took reasonable care to redact each Social Security number in the document. It sits immediately before or after the prepared-by line.
Next to them goes the grantee's address. IC 32-21-2-3(b) says a conveyance recorded after June 30, 2007 must include the mailing address for tax statements, and a street or rural route address if that mailing address is a P.O. box. The statute puts it at the end of the deed, next to the two statements above.
Hancock County's list of why it bounces deeds includes exactly these: a missing prepared-by line, a missing Social Security affirmation, an incomplete notary block, bad margins, a missing legal description and a missing or wrong fee. Other signature rules from IC 36-2-11-16: the name beneath each signature must be printed, and it must match the name in the body and the acknowledgment character for character. Under IC 36-2-11-16(b), the signature may not be written over the printed name so that either becomes illegible, though the recorder has discretion if the connection is still clear.
Noble County also lists layout rules from IC 36-2-11-16.5: a two-inch blank space at the top and bottom of the first and last page, half-inch side margins, and at least 10-point type.
Why does the county auditor have to see the deed first?
IC 36-2-11-14 says the recorder may record a conveyance of land only if the auditor has endorsed it "duly entered for taxation subject to final acceptance for transfer," "not taxable," or "duly entered for taxation." So the order is: assessor (if a sales disclosure is needed), then auditor, then recorder. A deed that reaches the recorder without the stamps comes back.
The auditor's office also collects a transfer fee. Monroe County lists it as $10.00 per parcel (per legal description) on any deed that transfers property.
When do I need Sales Disclosure Form 46021?
The sales disclosure form, State Form 46021, is filed under IC 6-1.1-5.5. The parties complete it, take it to the county assessor to review, and then file it with the auditor along with the deed.
Whether a quitclaim triggers it depends on what the quitclaim is doing. IC 6-1.1-5.5-2 defines a conveyance document to include "a quitclaim deed serving as a source of title" that transfers an interest for valuable consideration, plus compulsory transfers such as foreclosure, divorce, court order and probate, and partitions between co-owners. It excludes "quitclaim deeds not serving as a source of title." A corrective quitclaim is the classic example of the second kind. A gift to a child is a gray zone, so ask your county assessor before you file.
The $20 filing fee applies when the transfer is for valuable consideration (condition 1 on the form). Compulsory transfers, partitions between co-owners and transfers to a charity or government are disclosed without the fee. The fee was $10 until July 1, 2021, when HEA 1271 doubled it. Monroe County collects it through the auditor.
How much does it cost to record a quitclaim deed in Indiana?
Indiana moved to flat document fees. Monroe, Shelby and Starke counties all list $25.00 for a deed, with $5.00 for each page larger than 8 1/2 by 14 inches; Shelby and Starke date their schedules January 1, 2021. Monroe's page cites IC 36-2-7-10 and says recording is no longer priced by page count.
For one parcel in Monroe County:
- Family transfer, no sales disclosure: $25 recording plus $10 auditor transfer, or $35.
- Sale by quitclaim with a sales disclosure: $25 plus $10 plus the $20 filing fee, or $55.
Our quitclaim deed cost page lines these up against other states.
Does a quitclaim deed fix a mortgage or a title problem in Indiana?
No. It moves the grantor's interest, subject to whatever is already on the property. The lender's lien stays; see quitclaim deed and mortgage. And a buyer paying real money will want a warranty deed and a title policy, for the reasons in quitclaim vs warranty deed.
If the goal is just to sell an Indiana parcel without the stamp-and-disclosure shuffle, we buy land in Indiana for cash, handle the deed and the sales disclosure form, and typically close in 7 to 21 days. The offer is below retail; the paperwork is ours.
Other states differ on everything above. See quitclaim deed forms by state for the rest.
Next door in Ohio the auditor also transfers first; compare the Ohio quitclaim deed rules.
Frequently asked questions
Does an Indiana quitclaim deed have to be notarized?
It has to be acknowledged. IC 32-21-2-3(a) allows a judge, court clerk, county auditor, county recorder, notary and others, but a notary is the usual choice and recorders check the notary block for seal, county and commission date.
What is the prepared-by statement on an Indiana deed?
It is the line "This instrument was prepared by (name)" required by IC 36-2-11-15, paired with a Social Security redaction affirmation. Missing either one is a standard reason for a county recorder to reject a deed.
Do I need a sales disclosure form for a quitclaim deed in Indiana?
If the quitclaim is a source of title and transfers an interest for valuable consideration, yes (IC 6-1.1-5.5-2). A quitclaim that is not a source of title is excluded. Compulsory transfers such as divorce or probate are disclosed without the $20 fee.
How much does it cost to file a quitclaim deed in Indiana?
$25 to record in Monroe, Shelby and Starke counties, plus $10 per parcel at Monroe's auditor, plus $20 if a sales disclosure fee applies. Check your own county's schedule; it can differ.