Yes, you can notarize a deed or quitclaim deed online, and in fact it always needs to be notarized – nearly every county recorder’s office will reject an unnotarized deed outright, since notarization is what makes the document eligible for recording in public land records. Some states, like Florida, also require two witnesses in addition to the notary. Electronic notarization handles this the same way as any other document, typically in about 10 minutes for $25, though the recording step afterward still requires its own separate submission to the county recorder’s office.
Does a Deed Need to Be Notarized?
Yes, always. Unlike many of the documents covered elsewhere in this series, a deed genuinely does require notarization in every state – there’s no optional-but-recommended nuance here. A deed transfers legal ownership of real property, and county recorder’s offices universally require a notarized signature before they’ll accept it into the public land records at all, regardless of the transaction’s size or the parties involved.
This makes deeds one of the more straightforward document types in terms of the underlying requirement, even though the state-specific details around witnesses and recording procedures still vary meaningfully. If you’re used to the more nuanced “sometimes required” answer that applies to wills or promissory notes, a deed is refreshingly simple by comparison: notarization is not optional, full stop, regardless of the property’s value or where it’s located.
A quitclaim deed follows the same rule as any other deed type. It transfers whatever ownership interest the grantor actually has (without guaranteeing clear title, unlike a warranty deed), but the notarization requirement itself doesn’t change based on which type of deed you’re using. Quitclaim deeds are especially common between family members, in divorce settlements, or when adding or removing a name from a property title, precisely because they’re simpler than a full warranty deed transaction and don’t require the same title-guarantee negotiations between the parties involved.
How Do You Notarize a Deed or Quitclaim Deed Online?
To notarize a deed through remote online notary service, the grantor (and any additional required parties) complete the process during a live video session with a commissioned notary, the same core process as any other document with a few property-specific details to watch for along the way.
1. Confirm your state and county accept remotely notarized deeds for recording, since a small number of county recorder offices haven’t updated their own acceptance policies even in states where RON is broadly authorized for other document types.
2. Complete the deed’s legal description and party information accurately, since even small errors in a property’s legal description can cause a recording rejection that has nothing to do with the notarization itself, forcing you to redo both the paperwork and the notarization.
3. Upload the unsigned deed to your online notarization platform.
4. Verify your identity with a government ID scan and a knowledge-based or biometric check, the same standard verification used for any other document type.
5. Join a live video session with a notary commissioned in a state that authorizes remote online notarization.
6. Sign the deed on camera, along with any required witnesses joining the same session if your state requires them, all coordinated within the same live appointment rather than separate sittings.
7. Receive your notarized deed, ready to submit to your county recorder’s office for filing and entry into the public record, either electronically or by mail depending on your county’s specific process.
Do You Need Witnesses in Addition to a Notary for a Deed?
In most states, no – notarization alone satisfies the requirement for a deed to be recorded. A handful of states add specific requirements beyond standard notarization, and it’s worth checking yours directly rather than assuming your deed only needs a notary based on what you’ve heard about another state’s process from a friend or a general online search.
| State | Notable Requirement |
| Florida | Requires two witnesses in addition to the notary for a deed to be valid for recording |
| California | Some counties require a thumbprint in the notary’s journal for real estate deeds, on top of standard notarization |
| Most other states | Notarization alone (no additional witness requirement) is typically sufficient for a deed to be recorded |
These extra requirements exist for the same underlying reason notarization itself is mandatory for deeds: real property transfers carry enough legal and financial weight that states want additional safeguards against fraud, forged signatures, or disputes about whether a transfer was genuinely intended by the person named as the grantor.
What Happens After Your Deed Is Notarized?
A notarized deed isn’t the final step in transferring property – it still needs to be recorded with the county recorder’s or clerk’s office where the property is located to become part of the public record. Skipping or delaying this step is a real risk, not just a bureaucratic afterthought.
• Recording confirms the transfer publicly, protecting the new owner’s interest against later claims and putting the world on notice of the change in ownership, including future buyers, lenders, and title companies who search the record before any subsequent transaction.
• Recording fees vary by county and are separate from your notarization cost, typically charged per page or as a flat filing fee set by that specific county’s recorder’s office, so budgeting for both costs separately avoids surprises.
• Some counties accept electronic recording (e-recording) directly, while others still require an in-person or mailed submission of the physical notarized document, so confirm your county’s specific process before you finish your notarization.
Skipping the recording step after notarization is a common and costly mistake – a notarized but unrecorded deed can leave the transfer legally vulnerable, since the public record still shows the previous owner until recording is complete, which can create real complications if that previous owner has other creditors or legal claims in the meantime that might attach to the property before recording finalizes the new ownership.
How Much Does It Cost, and Where Do You Get a Deed Template?
BlueNotary charges a flat $25 to notarize a deed or quitclaim deed, with sessions typically taking about 10 minutes, regardless of the property’s value or the deed’s length. This flat rate applies the same way whether you’re transferring a modest residential lot or a much larger commercial property, and there’s no additional per-page charge for longer legal descriptions.
BlueNotary’s quitclaim deed page provides guidance and a template starting point if you’re preparing a quitclaim deed from scratch.
See the full notarization process walkthrough, or start remote online notarization directly.
Not sure whether your state or county requires witnesses in addition to notarization for your deed? Email BlueNotary directly at [email protected] and the team will help you out.
Ready to notarize your deed? Notarize This Document Online Now at sessions run about 10 minutes for $25, with more than 20,000 certified notaries available to connect live.
FAQ Section
1. Does a deed need to be notarized?
Yes, always. County recorder’s offices universally require a notarized signature before accepting a deed into the public land records.
2. Can I notarize a quitclaim deed online?
Yes, in states that authorize remote online notarization, following the same core process as any other notarized document.
3. Do I need witnesses to notarize a deed?
Usually not, though some states, including Florida, require two witnesses in addition to the notary for a deed to be valid for recording.
4. Is notarization enough to transfer property, or do I need to do something else?
Notarization alone isn’t enough. The deed also needs to be recorded with the county recorder’s or clerk’s office to become part of the public record.
5. What’s the difference between a quitclaim deed and other deed types?
A quitclaim deed transfers whatever ownership interest the grantor has without guaranteeing clear title, unlike a warranty deed, but notarization requirements are the same either way.
6. How much does it cost to notarize a deed online?
BlueNotary charges a flat $25 per document, with sessions typically taking about 10 minutes.
