Quitclaim Deed in Davie, FL: Add or Remove a Name (2026)

What does a quitclaim deed do in Davie, Florida?

A quitclaim deed transfers whatever ownership interest you hold in a property to someone else, with no promise that the title is clean. In Davie, Florida it fits low risk transfers between people who already trust each other, such as adding a spouse, moving your home into a living trust, or clearing a name after a divorce. It does not remove anyone from the mortgage, and it gives the new owner no title guarantee.

That last sentence is where most people get hurt. A quitclaim deed is fast and cheap, so it looks like the easy button. Used in the wrong spot it can leave you liable for a loan on a house you no longer own, or hand someone a title problem they cannot insure. Here is how to tell the right use from the expensive mistake.

When a quitclaim deed makes sense

A quitclaim, sometimes written as a quit claim deed, works best when nobody is buying anything and the parties already trust each other. The common Davie situations:

1. Adding a spouse after marriage. You owned the home before the wedding and want your spouse on title, usually as tenants by the entireties for the creditor protection Florida gives married couples.

2. Removing a former spouse after a divorce. The settlement awards the house to one person, and a quitclaim moves the other person off the deed.

3. Moving your home into your own living trust or a family transfer. Estate planning transfers where you control both sides.

4. Fixing a name or a typo on a prior deed, or clearing a possible cloud from an old heir or a prior owner who may still have a sliver of interest.

In every one of these, you already know exactly what interest is changing hands, so the missing title warranty does not sting. That is the opposite of a purchase, where you are paying a stranger and need the protection a warranty deed and a title policy give you. If you are actually buying a home, read how title gets set up correctly in my guide to how to take title on a Davie home, and start with the full buying a home in Davie walkthrough.

The mortgage trap most people miss

Here is what I tell every Davie owner who asks me about a quitclaim after a divorce. The deed and the loan are two separate things. A quitclaim moves the ownership. It does nothing to the mortgage.

If your name is on the note, you stay on the note after you sign the deed away. The bank was not part of your divorce and never agreed to release you. That old loan still shows on your credit, still counts against you when you try to qualify for the next home, and still exposes you if the person who kept the house stops paying. This is the exact situation behind the real complaints you find online, one owner putting it as feeling like the ex is holding their life hostage.

The only real ways off a mortgage are a refinance into the other person’s name alone, a formal loan assumption, or a written release from the lender. A quitclaim is none of those. There is one more wrinkle. Most mortgages carry a due on sale clause, so any change of ownership can let the lender call the full balance. Federal law, the Garn St. Germain Act, protects some transfers from that trigger, including adding a spouse or moving the home into your own living trust. Confirm your specific transfer with your lender before you record anything.

Doc stamps, homestead, and recording in Broward County

A quitclaim is cheap to prepare, but the state and the county still get involved, and this is where a “free” transfer surprises people.

Documentary stamp tax. Florida charges documentary stamp tax of roughly 70 cents for every $100 of consideration on the deed, per Florida Statute 201.02. The catch is what counts as consideration. The Florida Department of Revenue treats any mortgage still on the property as consideration, whether or not the new owner assumes it. So a quitclaim on a home you own free and clear can carry only the minimum tax, while the same deed on a mortgaged home is taxed on the loan balance that rides along. A bigger loan means a bigger bill. Run your exact number with the Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division before you sign. For the seller side of the same tax, see my Davie doc stamps guide.

Homestead. If the home is your Florida homestead, both spouses have to sign a deed that conveys or encumbers it, even if only one spouse is on title. That is a constitutional rule, not a formality. A transfer can also affect your homestead exemption and your Save Our Homes cap going forward, so verify your status with the Broward County Property Appraiser and read how the numbers work in the Davie property taxes guide. The median single family sale price in Davie is $893,000 (single-family median, trailing 178 days ending Sep 30, 2026, based on 189 listings, per BeachesMLS), so the equity sitting behind your name in places like Long Lake Ranches (33330) is real money to protect.

No title warranty, and the insurance gap. A quitclaim conveys only what you actually own, with zero promises. If there is an old lien, a missed heir, or a boundary problem, it transfers right along with the deed. Worse, some owner’s title policies will not cover a defect on an interest taken by quitclaim, so the new owner can be left holding a problem no one insured. Before you rely on a quitclaim for anything beyond a simple family move, understand what a policy does and does not do in my post on owner’s versus lender’s title insurance in Davie.

Recording. To be valid against the world, the deed gets recorded with the county. In Broward that means the parcel or folio number and the legal description, a “prepared by” block with a name and address, two witnesses and a notary, and the blank corner spaces the recorder needs, with the doc stamps paid at recording.

To complete a quitclaim on a Davie single family home:

1. Confirm the transfer will not create a mortgage or tax problem, and check the due on sale clause with your lender.

2. Prepare the deed with the exact legal description and the parcel or folio number from the county record.

3. Sign in front of a notary and two witnesses, with both spouses signing when the home is homestead.

4. Pay the documentary stamp tax and record the deed with Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury.

5. Confirm your homestead and any exemption still apply after the change with the Broward County Property Appraiser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a quitclaim deed remove me from the mortgage in Florida?

No. A quitclaim deed transfers ownership only. It does not touch the loan. If your name is on the note you remain fully liable, and the debt keeps affecting your credit and your ability to buy again. The only ways off a mortgage are a refinance, a lender approved assumption, or a written release from the lender.

Do I owe documentary stamp tax on a quitclaim deed in Davie?

Usually yes, at least the minimum. Florida taxes deeds at roughly 70 cents per $100 of consideration, and any mortgage still on the property counts as consideration even if the new owner does not assume it. A home with no loan carries only the small minimum, while a mortgaged home is taxed on the balance. Confirm your figure with Broward County before recording.

Will a quitclaim deed affect my homestead exemption or Save Our Homes cap?

It can. Your homestead is tied to ownership and residency, so changing who is on title can change your exemption and your Save Our Homes benefit going forward. Florida also requires both spouses to sign any deed on a homestead. Verify your status with the Broward County Property Appraiser before and after the transfer.

Is a quitclaim deed safe for buying a home in Davie?

No. When you buy from someone you do not know, use a warranty deed and an owner’s title policy. A quitclaim gives you no guarantee that the seller even owns the property or that the title is clear, and it can void title coverage on hidden defects. Save the quitclaim for trusted transfers like adding a spouse or moving your home into your own trust.

Can I record a quitclaim deed myself in Broward County?

You can, but the deed still has to meet Florida form rules, carry the correct legal description and parcel number, be signed with two witnesses and a notary, and clear the doc stamp tax at recording. A small mistake in the legal description or the tax can create a title problem that costs far more to fix later. Have the numbers and the language checked before you sign.

Talk to a Davie Real Estate Expert

A quitclaim deed is the right tool in a few clear cases and the wrong one in many others, and the difference usually comes down to the mortgage, the tax, and the title. If you are weighing a transfer on a Davie home, the smart move is a short conversation before you sign, not after. Book a Davie strategy call and we will walk through your specific situation together.

Anthony Spitaleri

Broker Associate, REALTOR® | Coldwell Banker Realty

Creator of Living in Davie, Florida

Davie, Florida | Serving Davie, Weston and surrounding Broward markets

954-235-5783

Florida License BK3281907

@livingindavieflorida

Written by Anthony Spitaleri, Broker Associate, REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Realty and a Davie native. More about Anthony