Updated May 31, 2022
A Pennsylvania general warranty deed is a secure deed used to convey title and a seller’s (grantor’s) interests in a property to a buyer (grantee). The deed serves as a warranty from the seller that the title is clean. Once completed and properly executed, the deed must be filed with the Register of Deeds.
Laws – Title 21, Chapter 1 – Deeds and General Provisions
Signing Requirements (21 P.S. §§ 10, 351) – Though a grantor’s signature must not be witnessed for the deed to be effective, many county recorder offices will reject a deed for recording without a formal acknowledgment by a notary public.
Notices and Disclosures
- Certificate of Residency (Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word) – Must be attached to the warranty deed.
- Realty Transfer Tax Statement of Value (Form REV-183 EX) – Must be attached to the warranty deed (61 Pa. Code § 91.112).
- Statutory Form – Must have the specific statement, “will warrant generally the property hereby conveyed” (21 P.S. §§ 1, 5).
Recording the Deed
- Per 21 P.S. § 351, the deed must be filed with the County Recorder’s Office (View County List).
- The register has created a guide for recording the deed.