Shelby County Contract for Deed Form

Last validated February 6, 2026 by our Forms Development Team

Shelby County 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.

Document Last Validated 1/9/2026
Shelby County Contract for Deed Guide

Shelby County Contract for Deed Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the Contract for Deed form.

Document Last Validated 2/6/2026
Shelby County 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.

Document Last Validated 1/16/2026
Shelby County Annual Accounting Statement Form

Shelby County Annual Accounting Statement Form

Fill in the blank form, used for fiscal year reporting.

Document Last Validated 2/3/2026

All 4 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees

Immediate Download • Secure Checkout

Important: Your property must be located in Shelby County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

Where to Record Your Documents

Probate Court: Recording

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

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

Phone: 205-669-3720

Recording Tips for Shelby County:
  • Verify all names are spelled correctly before recording
  • Documents must be on 8.5 x 11 inch white paper
  • Both spouses typically need to sign if property is jointly owned

Cities and Jurisdictions in Shelby County

Properties in any of these areas use Shelby County forms:

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

View Complete Recorder Office Guide

Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Shelby County

How do I get my forms?

Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Shelby County forms will be in your account ready to download to your computer. An account is created for you during checkout if you don't have one. Forms are NOT emailed.

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 I reuse these forms?

Yes. You can reuse the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have multiple properties in Shelby County you only need to order once.

What do I need to use these forms?

The forms are PDFs that you fill out on your computer. You'll need Adobe Reader (free software that most computers already have). You do NOT enter your property information online - you download the blank forms and complete them privately on your own computer.

Are there any recurring fees?

No. This is a one-time purchase. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.

How much does it cost to record in Shelby County?

Recording fees in Shelby County vary. Contact the recorder's office at 205-669-3720 for current fees.

Questions answered? Let's get started!

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.

Important: Your property must be located in Shelby County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

This Contract for Deed meets all recording requirements specific to Shelby County.

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 - ( 4652 Reviews )

STANLEY K.

February 3rd, 2022

I AM DELIGHTED TO BE PARTY TO DEEDS.COM. THE PROCESS IS DOWN-TO-EARTH AND VERY USER FRIENDLY. I MUST SAY THAT JUST THE SAVINGS IN TRAVEL TIME AND MONEY IS IN ITSELF VERY REFRESHING. THIS ON LINE PROCESS IS SO CONVENIENT FOR MY OVERALL EFFORT AND OF COURSE FOR OUR CLIENTS AS WELL. I GOT BACKED UP IN RECORDING WHEN THE VIRUS BEGAN RAGING AND PERSONAL VISITS TO LAND RECORDS BECAME A THING OF THE PAST.I FOUND THE SITE WITH A SUGGESTION FROM DC LAND RECORDS' ASSISTANT BY PHONE. I ONLY WISH I'D KNOWN ABOUT THIS AWESOME SERVICE BEFORE 2020. HATS OFF TO DEEDS.COM!

Reply from Staff

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

WILLIAM H.

April 17th, 2021

i also need a "NOTE" and this trust deed is not exactly what i wanted. it may work but not to well.

Reply from Staff

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

Roberta J B.

February 17th, 2021

User friendly

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Kelly L.

April 15th, 2019

So far so good. Please make the payment method easier after the information has been uploaded and submitted.

Reply from Staff

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

Charlotte F.

September 2nd, 2020

Great follow up and consideration

Reply from Staff

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

Martha B.

January 11th, 2019

Not too hard to do, I did get it checked out by an attorney after I completed it just to be safe. He said it was fine, made no changes.

Reply from Staff

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

Deborah D.

June 1st, 2023

What I thought was gonna be a long drawn out tedious process was literally 10min tops... The help was quick and a load off. Thanks y'all.

Reply from Staff

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

Norma G.

May 9th, 2019

Thank you! This is very helpful

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Edward M.

November 4th, 2021

Thank you for your excellence form services. I can download all the forms easily. If you have the guide on how to fill out all of those forms, that more helpful for me. I don't know how the use E-Recording? Can you tell me how? If my friends ask me about the legal forms services, I will tell them to use your Website. If I wrote some words wrong, please correct them before display publicly.

Reply from Staff

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

Lisa P.

October 23rd, 2020

Your forms are worth the investment. The guide and example were very helpful and thorough.

Reply from Staff

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

Nancy C.

July 14th, 2019

Amazing every that you need right at your fingertips. Extremely easy to navigate and very informative. I would highly recommend this site!!!

Reply from Staff

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

JESUS G.

June 13th, 2020

Easy And fast to use just scan upload and pay the fee and they take care of the rest.

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Debra R.

August 17th, 2021

So easy to follow when preparing a deed. The example places given helped to know how to correctly fill out the form! Very easy! I will use deeds.com again! Thank you!

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Linda T.

November 18th, 2022

All downloaded now I just have to fill them out. Will let you know how it does. Thanks for the service. Linda

Reply from Staff

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

Elbert M.

July 19th, 2021

I found The blank documents easy to use and the instructions informative and simple to follow. Thanks

Reply from Staff

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