Which Michigan Deed Do I Need?
Five deeds, one chart, and a plain-English answer for the six situations people actually call us about.
Quick Answer
What are the different types of deeds in Michigan and when do you use each one?
Michigan uses four main deeds. A warranty deed gives the buyer the strongest promise that title is clear and is standard in an arm's-length sale. A covenant deed (limited warranty) promises only that the seller did nothing to damage title while they owned it. A quitclaim deed transfers whatever interest the grantor has with no promises at all, and is used for adding or removing a name, divorce transfers, family transfers, and funding a trust. A Lady Bird deed — an enhanced life estate deed — keeps full control during your lifetime and passes the property at death without probate. Michigan has no transfer-on-death or beneficiary deed; the Lady Bird deed fills that role. Every Michigan deed must be notarized, carry the exact legal description and the grantee's address, and be recorded with the county register of deeds, and a Property Transfer Affidavit is due to the assessor within 45 days.
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How to choose in five steps
Decide whether the transfer happens now or at death
If you want the property to move only when you pass away while you keep full control today, you are looking at a Lady Bird deed or a trust — not a quitclaim deed. If ownership needs to change today, keep going.
Decide whether money is changing hands
A real sale to someone who is not family calls for a warranty deed and a title search, so the buyer gets a promise the title is clear. A family or nominal transfer usually uses a quitclaim deed.
Check who is on the mortgage
No deed changes a mortgage. If the goal is getting someone off the loan, that takes a refinance or a lender release, and the deed is only half the job.
Check the tax consequences
Most transfers uncap the property's taxable value, though transfers between spouses and certain close relatives who keep residential use are excluded. State transfer tax is $3.75 per $500 and county transfer tax is $0.55 per $500 in most counties, with a long list of exemptions that must be stated on the deed.
Pull the recorded deed before anything is drafted
The new deed has to repeat the exact legal description from the recorded deed. A description copied off a tax bill is the single most common reason a Michigan register of deeds rejects a document.
Michigan deeds side by side
| Deed | Promise about title | Typical use | Avoids probate? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warranty deed | Full — the grantor defends title against all claims | Arm's-length sale of a home or land | No |
| Covenant deed (limited warranty) | Partial — only for the grantor's own period of ownership | Estate sales, some investor sales | No |
| Quitclaim deed | None | Add or remove a name, divorce, family transfer, trust funding, name corrections | No |
| Lady Bird deed (enhanced life estate) | Depends how it is drafted; usually quitclaim-style | Pass the house at death while keeping full control now | Yes, for that property |
| Transfer-on-death deed | Not available in Michigan | Used in other states; use a Lady Bird deed here | N/A |
Fees and tax rates change. Confirm the current recording fee with your county register of deeds and current transfer tax rates and exemptions with the Michigan Department of Treasury before you record. Reviewed September 22, 2026.
Key Terms
- Grantor
- The person transferring the property.
- Grantee
- The person receiving the property. Their address must appear on the deed.
- Legal description
- The lot, survey, or metes-and-bounds description identifying the parcel.
- Uncapping
- The reset of taxable value to state equalized value after a transfer of ownership, unless an exemption applies.
- Enhanced life estate
- A life estate that keeps the power to sell, mortgage, or change the beneficiary — the mechanism behind a Lady Bird deed.
People Also Ask
Not sure which one fits?
Send us the recorded deed and tell us what you are trying to accomplish. We review every matter first, then quote in writing — nothing is purchased online.
Not a law firm. We provide document preparation assistance only — no legal advice. Full disclaimer.
Reviewed and updated by the Clear Path document team. Informational only — not legal advice.