Stephenson County Special Warranty Deed Form (Illinois)
All Stephenson County specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:
Special Warranty Deed Form
Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.
Included Stephenson County compliant document last validated/updated 11/28/2024
Special Warranty Deed Guide
Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.
Included Stephenson County compliant document last validated/updated 10/3/2024
Completed Example of the Special Warranty Deed Document
Example of a properly completed form for reference.
Included Stephenson County compliant document last validated/updated 10/7/2024
The following Illinois and Stephenson County supplemental forms are included as a courtesy with your order:
When using these Special Warranty Deed forms, the subject real estate must be physically located in Stephenson County. The executed documents should then be recorded in the following office:
Stephenson County Clerk and Recorder
50 West Douglas, Suite 500, Freeport, Illinois 61032
Hours: 8:30 to 4:30 Monday through Friday
Phone: (815) 235-8289
Local jurisdictions located in Stephenson County include:
- Cedarville
- Dakota
- Davis
- Eleroy
- Freeport
- German Valley
- Kent
- Lena
- Mc Connell
- Orangeville
- Pearl City
- Ridott
- Rock City
- Winslow
How long does it take to get my forms?
Forms are available immediately after submitting payment.
How do I get my forms, are they emailed?
Immediately after you submit payment, the Stephenson County forms you order will be available for download directly from your account. You can then download the forms to your computer. If you do not already have an account, one will be created for you as part of the order process, and your login details will be provided to you. If you encounter any issues accessing your forms, please reach out to our support team for assistance. Forms are NOT emailed to you.
What does "validated/updated" mean?
This indicates the most recent date when at least one of the following occurred:
- Updated: The document was updated or changed to remain compliant.
- Validated: The document was examined by an attorney or staff, or it was successfully recorded in Stephenson County using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Stephenson County?
Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Stephenson County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.
Can the Special Warranty Deed forms be re-used?
Yes. You can re-use the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have more than one property in Stephenson County that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in Stephenson County.
What are supplemental forms?
Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by Illinois or Stephenson County. These could be tax related, informational, or even as simple as a coversheet. Supplemental forms are provided for free with your order where available.
What type of files are the forms?
All of our Stephenson County Special Warranty Deed forms are PDFs. You will need to have or get Adobe Reader to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.
Do I need any special software to use these forms?
You will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.
Do I have to enter all of my property information online?
No. The blank forms are downloaded to your computer and you fill them out there, at your convenience.
Can I save the completed form, email it to someone?
Yes, you can save your deed form at any point with your information in it. The forms can also be emailed, blank or complete, as attachments.
Are there any recurring fees involved?
No. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.
A special warranty deed is a legal document used to transfer, or convey, rights in real property from a grantor (seller) to a grantee (buyer). Also referred to as a limited warranty deed, this type of deed provides significant liability protection for the grantor (seller), and less protection for the grantee (buyer). In a special warranty deed, the grantor only warrants against defects in the title during his or her ownership, and that he or she has an actual right to the title, and is authorized to sell it. Unlike a deed with full warranty, however, it does not guarantee that there are no other claims on the title of the property before the grantor owned the property, nor does it bind the grantor to defend against them. Because of the risk of unknown claims on the title, special warranty deeds are less common than traditional warranty deeds for residential real estate transactions.
A special warranty deed, once acknowledged, should be recorded in the recorder's office in the county where such lands are located. If it is acknowledged in Illinois, acknowledgements may be taken before a notary public, United States commissioner, county clerk, or any court, judge, clerk, or deputy clerk of such court. When they are taken before a notary public or United States commissioner, they must be attested by his or her official seal; and if taken before a judge or clerk of a court, the acknowledgements must be attested by the seal of the court (765 ILCS 5/20).
A lawful deed includes the grantor's full name and marital status, as well as the grantee's full name, marital status, mailing address, and vesting. Vesting describes how the grantee holds title to the property. For Illinois residential property, the primary methods for holding title in co-ownership are tenancy in common, joint tenancy and tenancy by entirety. A grant of ownership of real estate to two or more persons creates a tenancy in common, unless a joint tenancy or tenancy by the entirety is specified. (765 ILCS 1005/1, 1005/1c.).
As with any conveyance of real estate, special warranty deeds must comply with all state and local recording standards, including a complete legal description of the parcel. Recite the source of title to establish a clear chain of title, and detail any restrictions associated with the property.
Include all relevant documents, affidavits, forms, and fees with the along with the deed for recording as well. Pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/31-10, documents conveying real property are subject to a documentary transfer tax. An Illinois Real Estate Transfer Declaration is required (35 ILCS 200/31-25), unless an exemption is claimed. See 35 ILCS 200/31-45 for a list of exemptions.
A Notarial Record Form is also required, unless an exemption is claimed. A list of exempt conveyances can be found on page 1 of the Notarial Record Form (5 ILCS 312/3-102). Some Illinois counties require a Plat Act Affidavit of Metes and Bounds pursuant to 765 ILCS 205/1 with all deeds, assuring that the land has not been divided or identifies specific types of division according to the plat act. Contact the local recorder for additional details about supplemental document requirements.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Consult an attorney with questions about special warranty deeds or for any other issues related to the transfer of real property.
(Illinois Special Warranty Deed Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)
Our Promise
The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Stephenson County recording requirements for formatting. If there's an issue caused by our formatting, we'll make it right and refund your payment.
Save Time and Money
Get your Stephenson County Special Warranty Deed form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.
4.8 out of 5 - ( 4445 Reviews )
Dennis F.
December 20th, 2024
The release of mortgage form was OK, and accepted at the recorder's office, but there were some problems. Many of the fields to type in were too small to accept the data, and I could not find a way to change the field size or use a smaller font. Otherwise I was satisfied.
Your feedback is a crucial part of our dedication to ongoing improvement. Thank you for your insightful comments.
Frazer W.
December 19th, 2024
Deeds.com does a great job getting our legal documents filed with the D.C. Recorder of Deeds.rnrnFrazer Walton, Jr.rnLaw Office of Frazer Walton, Jr.
Your appreciative words mean the world to us. Thank you.
Ann D.
December 16th, 2024
I found what my lawyer recommended and was able to download it easily.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Buster T.
April 19th, 2022
Very comprehensive - lots of additional forms and instructions.
Top-notch!
Thank you!
Alex J.
August 6th, 2020
Very simple to use. I am a private homeowner with no experience in such things and it was very easy to do which was quite a relief. Thank you.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Stefan L.
May 5th, 2022
Great templates and very efficient
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Judith C.
February 3rd, 2021
very happy so far. Haven't gone to record deeds yet so am in good hopes everything will be in good order. Time saver!!!
Thank you!
David G.
September 2nd, 2020
Fill in the blanks portions are so limited, it makes it almost impossible to use.
Sorry to hear that David. Your order and payment has been canceled. We do hope that you find something more suitable to your needs elsewhere.
Armando B.
October 23rd, 2021
This was so simple to get around your web site. Guide was easy to follow. Great experience. Would use again.
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Julie A.
November 23rd, 2021
This process was so easy. I am pleased with efficiency and ease of it all.
Thank you!
William V.
July 18th, 2021
I finally got it. Thanks,
William Vickery
Thank you!
Susann T.
November 4th, 2020
I have been very happy with the prompt assistance that I have received from deeds.com! How refreshing this is when so often good customer service seems rare these days!
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
JOHN P.
January 20th, 2019
I thought your service would comply with my request quicker.
Looks like it took 4 minutes to complete your order, sorry it took so long.
William C.
August 28th, 2019
Great service and fast also
Thank you!
Robert F.
December 1st, 2021
Great, quick and easy to use
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!