Shelby County Special Warranty Deed Form (Iowa)

All Shelby County specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:

Special Warranty Deed Form

Shelby County Special Warranty Deed Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.
Included Shelby County compliant document last validated/updated 7/4/2024

Special Warranty Deed Guide

Shelby County Special Warranty Deed Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.
Included Shelby County compliant document last validated/updated 8/15/2024

Completed Example of the Special Warranty Deed Document

Shelby County Completed Example of the Special Warranty Deed Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.
Included Shelby County compliant document last validated/updated 6/12/2024

When using these Special Warranty Deed forms, the subject real estate must be physically located in Shelby County. The executed documents should then be recorded in the following office:

Shelby County Recorder

Courthouse - 612 Court St, Rm 201 / PO Box 67, Harlan, Iowa 51537-0067

Hours: 8:00am to 4:30pm M-F

Phone: (712) 755-5640

Local jurisdictions located in Shelby County include:

  • Defiance
  • Earling
  • Elk Horn
  • Harlan
  • Irwin
  • Kirkman
  • Panama
  • Portsmouth
  • Westphalia

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 Shelby 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 Shelby County using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Shelby County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Shelby 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 Shelby County that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in Shelby County.

What are supplemental forms?

Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by Iowa or Shelby 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 Shelby 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). This type of deed provides more liability protection for the grantor, and less protection for the buyer. In a special warranty deed, the grantor warrants against defects in the title during his or her ownership, and that he or she is authorized to sell it, but does not guarantee freedom from claims on the title originating before the grantor owned the property. Because of this risk, special warranty deeds are less common for residential real estate transactions. Instead, these types of deeds are typically used for foreclosed bank-owned properties and commercial properties that have changed ownership several times.

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 Iowa residential property, the primary methods for holding title in co-ownership are tenancy in common and joint tenancy. A grant of ownership of real estate to two or more unmarried persons is presumed to create a tenancy in common, unless a joint tenancy is specifically created (Iowa Code 557.15). A transfer to a married couple vests as a joint tenancy, unless otherwise stated (Iowa Code 557.15(3)(a)).

As with any conveyance of real estate, a special warranty deed requires 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. Finally, the deed must meet all state and local standards for recorded documents.

The grantor must sign the completed deed in front of a notary. The acknowledgment (notary section), whether made within the State of Iowa, outside the state, outside the United States, or under federal authority, should comply with the provisions of chapter 9b of the Iowa Statutes. Once acknowledged, file it in the recorder's office in the county where the property is located.

Include all relevant documents, affidavits, forms, and fees along with the deed for recording. Most deeds require a separate Real Estate Transfer Groundwater Hazard Statement (Iowa Code Section 558.69). Consult the local recording office to confirm which supplemental materials are necessary for the specific transaction.

This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Contact a lawyer with any questions about special warranty deeds, or for any other issues related to the transfer of real property in Iowa.

(Iowa Special Warranty Deed Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Shelby 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 Shelby 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 - ( 4377 Reviews )

Scott M.

August 21st, 2024

Complete Package rndon't spend good money for a title co. to do this

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

Stephen B.

August 21st, 2024

This was the first time to use the Deeds.com website for preparing my deed document. This was painless and easy to follow the instructions and sample package for filling in the blank boxes document. The city clerk was impressed to review my document and easily filed my deed record without questions. I would recommend anyone to prepare a legal form that is available from the Deeds.com website.

Reply from Staff

Your appreciative words mean the world to us. Thank you.

Desiree R.

August 19th, 2024

very easy to use

Reply from Staff

We are delighted to have been of service. Thank you for the positive review!

Johnnie G.

July 6th, 2020

We had hoped, as this was direct through our State recorder's office, State-specific data would be pre-filled in. Also there is no help when transferring the home title from a Revocable Trust to the living Trustee and new spouse (no example given, no help for which code to use). And the example doesn't match the prior deed revision format submitted by our attorney. So, not the best experience. We may have to get an attorney involved...what we were hoping to avoid

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

Tommy P.

March 16th, 2019

This was simple! Thank you!

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Marina M.

April 16th, 2022

Very easy to choose template and download. The price seems fair. Not sure the section on the deed for 6 witnesses is necessary....

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

MARY LACEY M.

June 25th, 2020

Excellent service! From setting up an account to successfully recording, the instructions were clear and easy to follow. I am very pleased to have this service available, and favorably impressed by our current Maricopa County Recorder for pursuing its availability. Thank you.

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

Sherri S.

March 30th, 2021

Easy to access forms, and reasonably priced. I'll definitely use again in the future.

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

Alan S.

April 28th, 2020

Great job! Fast and easy. Terrific communications.

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

John T.

October 12th, 2023

I have not completed the submission of documents yet but the initial sign up and documents were easily done and trouble free. Will update with results soon

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Shannon D.

November 4th, 2020

Extremely easy site to use. We had our document e-recorded the same day and we didn't have to make a trip downtow!

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Darryl S.

April 16th, 2020

These guys saved the day! Very good at what they do and deliver AS ADVERTISED!! My county's recorder's office was closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recorder's office did not offer the service I needed online. Attempting to close on a home the following day, I was in immediate need of a deed for property that I previously owned to provide to the underwriters for my pending loan. I thought I was dead in the water and would miss my next day closing date. Strolling the internet for options, I came upon DEEDS.COM. After reading the posted reviews, I thought I would give them a try. Within 10 minutes of placing my order, I received ALL the information I requested about the property I previously owned. Thank you DEEDS.COM for the prompt, courteous, and professional service. You guys are ROCK STARS!!! I closed on my new home.

Reply from Staff

Thank you so much for your kinds words Darryl, glad we were able to help.

Marilyn B.

November 1st, 2019

I do not use the internet much and really am not good with it, but your site which my brother told me about was really easy to use. I would recommend your service to others any time. Thanks for making it user friendly.

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

Shane J.

April 21st, 2020

Easy to use and quickly filed documents!

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Peter R.

February 26th, 2020

Great site makes this procedure easy to do,thanks

Reply from Staff

Thank you!