Updated July 18, 2023
A Pennsylvania special warranty deed provides a method of transferring property from one person, or persons, to another in Pennsylvania. Instead of granting a full warranty on the transfer, this type of deed provides a special or limited warranty whereby the seller (known as the “grantor”) agrees to defend the buyer (or “grantee”) against any claims made through the seller. This means the grantor states they have not transferred any interest in the property while they have had the property. However, there is no guarantee as to transfers that may have occurred before the grantor possessed the property.
Laws – Title 21, Chapter 1 – Deeds and General Provisions
Certificate of Residency (PDF or Microsoft Word) – Must be attached.
Realty Transfer Tax Statement of Value (Form REV-183 EX) (61 Pa. Code § 91.112) – Must be affixed to the deed.
Statutory Language – 21 P.S. § 6
Recording (21 P.S. § 351) – Must be filed and recorded with the County Recorder’s Office (View County List).
Signing (21 P.S. §§ 10, 351) – The grantor’s signature must not be witnessed for the deed to be effective. However, county recorder offices throughout the state will reject a deed for recording without a formal acknowledgment by a notary public.
HOW TO WRITE
Download; PDF, Microsoft Word, OpenDocument
I. Pennsylvania Document Preparation
(1) Contact Information For Preparer. A record of this instrument’s Preparer (the Reporter of information) should be dispensed as the first item of information. Locate the first set of empty lines then satisfy this requirement with a record of your name and mailing address as the Party who prepares this paperwork with information so that the Grantor may sign it.
II. Pennsylvania Property Identification
(2) Parcel Of Pennsylvania Property. The Parcel ID Number that was assigned to this real property during its last Pennsylvania assessment should be presented.
III. Indenture Date Of Effect
(3) Calendar Date. The date when this statement is made to become effective should be distributed across the three formatted lines introducing the first statement.
IV. Pennsylvania Grantor
(4) Pennsylvania Grantor Name. The identity of the Pennsylvania Property Owner using this deed to transfer his or her ownership and status with the real property requires a presentation in the indenture statement made. Record the name of the Pennsylvania Grantor immediately after the word “Between.”
(5) Pennsylvania Grantor Address. Deliver the street address of the Pennsylvania Grantor’s home where requested.
V. Pennsylvania Grantee
(6) Pennsylvania Grantee. The Party who will take over the Grantor’s property ownership is the Pennsylvania Grantee of this real property. His or her name should be produced so that he or she can receive this ownership using this indenture instrument once it is filed.
(7) Pennsylvania Grantee Home Address.
VI. Payment Consideration For Pennsylvania Property
(8) Written Report Of Payment. The exact dollar amount the Pennsylvania Grantor was paid for this property must be written out.
(9) Numerical Entry Of Payment. Produce a numerical entry of the payment submitted for the Pennsylvania property in the parentheses.
VII. Pennsylvania Property Description
(10) County Of Pennsylvania Property. Identify the Pennsylvania County where the real property is geographically found.
(11) Pennsylvania Property Description. Consult the Pennsylvania County Recorder’s Office where the last deed for this property was registered or the last filed deed for this property then deliver a reproduction from the legal description on file with the County Recorder’s Office (or in the last deed that was registered) to the space provided.VIII. Current Pre-Filing Deed Information.
(12) Pennsylvania Deed Type. The type of deed that was registered for the Pennsylvania real property with the County Recorder’s Office should be indicated to further define the current standing of the property.
(13) Previously Issued Deed Effective Date. Review the last deed issued for the Pennsylvania property and transcribe its effective date to this document.
(14) Pennsylvania County Of Recording. Identify the County where the recording of the Pennsylvania property’s last filed deed was made.
(15) Pennsylvania Volume And Page. The Pennsylvania County Recorder’s Office will store the filing for this property in a specific place. Record the volume of the registry where the filing information is currently held as well as the page number it can be reviewed.
(16) Grantor In Possession. The identity of the Grantor should be reproduced as the last person that was able to use the deed on file to gain, possess, and legally transfer his or her ownership over the Pennsylvania real property.
VIII. Notarized Pennsylvania Grantor Signature
(17) Act Of Signing. The signing of this document will only be accepted by the Pennsylvania County Recorder’s Office if the Grantor(s) delivers his or her signature with the guidance of a Notary Public. Two spaces have been provided for this signature (in case there are two Pennsylvania Grantors). Every Grantor producing his or her signature must satisfy this notarization requirement.
(18) Pennsylvania Notarization Requirement. The final spaces available can only be satisfied by the Notary Public who was present at the time of the Pennsylvania Grantor’s signing. The Notary Public will be able to complete this area with information defining how the signing occurred so that it may be considered a reliable record of the Grantor’s actions.
IX. Pennsylvania Certificate Of Residency
(19) Pennsylvania Grantee Statement. The Pennsylvania Grantee must make a deliberate statement as to his or her identity and residential address. This declaration will require a record of his or her name and home address.
(20) Pennsylvania Grantee Signature Date. The certificate must be attached to a specific date. The Pennsylvania Grantee must produce the date he or she signs this document at the time of signing.
(21) Pennsylvania Grantee Signature Process. In order for this certificate to be considered a valid declaration of the Pennsylvania Grantee, he or she will need to sign it while a Notary observes then print his or her name.
(23) Notarization Of Pennsylvania Grantee Signature. The Pennsylvania Grantee signature will be supported with the notarization process. This process can only be conducted, proven, and reported on by the Notary Public observing the Grantee’s actions at the time of signing.
