Shelby County Contract for Deed Form (Alabama)

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

Contract for Deed Form

Shelby County Contract for Deed Form

Fill in the blank Contract for Deed form formatted to comply with all Alabama recording and content requirements.
Included Shelby County compliant document last validated/updated 3/24/2025

Contract for Deed Guide

Shelby County Contract for Deed Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the Contract for Deed form.
Included Shelby County compliant document last validated/updated 7/2/2025

Completed Example of the Contract for Deed Document

Shelby County Completed Example of the Contract for Deed Document

Example of a properly completed Alabama Contract for Deed document for reference.
Included Shelby County compliant document last validated/updated 11/11/2024

Annual Accounting Statement Form

Shelby County Annual Accounting Statement Form

Fill in the blank form, used for fiscal year reporting.
Included Shelby County compliant document last validated/updated 4/25/2025

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

Probate Court: Recording

County Courthouse - 112 N Main St / PO Box 825, Columbiana, Alabama 35051

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

Phone: 205-669-3720

Local jurisdictions located in Shelby County include:

  • Alabaster
  • Birmingham
  • Calera
  • Chelsea
  • Columbiana
  • Harpersville
  • Helena
  • Maylene
  • Montevallo
  • Pelham
  • Saginaw
  • Shelby
  • Siluria
  • Sterrett
  • Vandiver
  • Vincent
  • Westover
  • Wilsonville
  • Wilton

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 Contract for 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 Alabama 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 Contract for 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 contract for deed, also known as a land contract or installment sale agreement, is an alternative financing arrangement for buying property, where the seller finances the purchase rather than the buyer obtaining a loan from a third-party lender. In Alabama, as in other states, this type of contract involves the buyer making payments directly to the seller over a period until the full purchase price is paid, after

1. Seller Financing: The primary function of a Contract for Deed is to provide an alternative financing option where the seller acts as the lender. The buyer makes payments directly to the seller over an agreed-upon period instead of obtaining a loan from a bank or mortgage company.

2. Transfer of Ownership: Unlike traditional real estate transactions where ownership is transferred immediately upon the close of the sale, in a Contract for Deed, the legal title remains with the seller until all payments under the contract have been completed. This deferred transfer of title is a distinctive feature of this type of agreement.

3. Possession and Use: Although the legal title remains with the seller, the buyer usually takes possession of the property right after the contract is signed. The buyer can use the property, live in it, or even improve it during the term of the contract.

4. Payment Structure: The payments made under a Contract for Deed often resemble those of a standard mortgage, including principal and interest, and are typically made in monthly installments. This contract also includes a balloon payment option if applicable to your situation.

5. Protection for Both Parties: The contract specifies the obligations and rights of both the buyer and the seller, providing protections for each: THE PURCHASER CAN CURE A DEFAULT in the Note by bringing all past due payments on the Note and penalties, if any, current. If the Note is subject to foreclosure, the Purchaser would, most likely, be required to pay the entire balance due under the Note to protect the Purchaser's interest in the Property.

6. Flexibility: Contracts for Deed can be customized to suit the financial situations and agreements between individual buyers and sellers, Use this Contract for residential property, rental units, and condominiums.

Sections 40-22-1 through 40-22-12 of the Code of Alabama 1975 pertain to the recordation of conditional sale contracts, which include contracts for deed or installment sale agreements. These provisions outline the legal requirements for recording such contracts to ensure they are valid and enforceable, as well as to provide public notice of the buyer's interest in the property.

1. Requirement for Recordation: Mandatory Recording: To be enforceable against third parties, a conditional sale contract must be recorded in the office of the judge of probate in the county where the property is located. This recording provides public notice of the buyer's equitable interest in the property.

2. Timeframe: The contract must be recorded within a specific timeframe (often within 30 days of execution) to ensure it is properly indexed and accessible for public record.

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 Contract for 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 - ( 4563 Reviews )

JAMES D.

July 10th, 2025

Slick as can be and so convenient.rnrnWorked like a charm

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MARY LACEY M.

June 30th, 2025

Great service! Recording was smooth and swiftly performed. Deeds.com is an excellent service.rn

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Robert F.

June 30th, 2025

Breeze.... It feels silly to hire an attorney to do this for just one beneficiary. Thanks.

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James L.

February 15th, 2022

The process to obtain online forms was simple and straight forward and uncomplicated.

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Arthur L.

October 31st, 2020

The directions were clear, I typed the deed out and it was successfully recorded and mailed back to me in less than a week.

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Kurt P.

November 20th, 2020

I like the basics. The one thing I would recommend changing would be, something that tells me I have actually have submitted my package, or that I can leave at any time without needing to click on a "Submit" button.

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Jimmy P.

November 7th, 2021

Works well. Very satisfied.

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Thank you!

Robert H.

March 17th, 2021

Just what I needed to file in Orange County.
East to use and reasonably priced. Will use again if needed.

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Angela B.

July 22nd, 2020

The site made everything very easy to understand and access. I was able to get everything I needed and the cost was reasonable.

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Paul A.

March 27th, 2020

Your service is awesome!

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Norma C.

September 4th, 2019

Great service and process for recording deeds quickly and easily. Also impressed with prompt replies to messages providing clear and specific instructions/guidance.

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Robert S.

July 22nd, 2020

Process was easy to follow and worked as advertised. Thought the price was a little high.

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Chris M.

May 9th, 2024

The personal attention and the ease of use is beyond any other service I have used. rnThank you for making my work so much easier.

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Kyle E.

November 8th, 2023

Works great thank you for saving us driving time!!

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Susan A.

April 23rd, 2021

The warranty deed form, the explanation and the example were well worth the price, as they gave me more confidence I was filling the deed out correctly. I cross referenced all of it with the county registrars website and the previous warranty deed.

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