Cook County Gift Deed Form
Last validated August 4, 2026 by our Forms Development Team
Cook County Gift Deed Form
Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.
Cook County Gift Deed Guide
Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.
Cook County Completed Example of the Gift Deed Document
Example of a properly completed form for reference.
All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees
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Additional Illinois and Cook County documents included at no extra charge:
Where to Record Your Documents
Downtown Office Chicago Court Building
Chicago, Illinois 60602
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. M-F
Phone: (312) 603-5050
Markham Court Building
Markham, Illinois 60426
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F (Note: ALL DOCUMENTS must be recorded at the Clerk's downtown office)
Phone: (708) 210-4448
Rolling Meadows Court Building
Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F (Note: ALL DOCUMENTS must be recorded at the Clerk's downtown office)
Phone: (847) 818-2070
Bridgeview Court Building
Bridgeview, Illinois 60455
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F (Note: ALL DOCUMENTS must be recorded at the Clerk's downtown office)
Phone: (708) 974-6397
Recording Tips for Cook County:
- Leave recording info boxes blank - the office fills these
- Both spouses typically need to sign if property is jointly owned
- Recorded documents become public record - avoid including SSNs
Cities and Jurisdictions in Cook County
Properties in any of these areas use Cook County forms:
- Alsip
- Arlington Heights
- Bedford Park
- Bellwood
- Berkeley
- Berwyn
- Blue Island
- Bridgeview
- Broadview
- Brookfield
- Burbank
- Calumet City
- Chicago
- Chicago Heights
- Chicago Ridge
- Cicero
- Country Club Hills
- Des Plaines
- Dolton
- Elk Grove Village
- Elmwood Park
- Evanston
- Evergreen Park
- Flossmoor
- Forest Park
- Franklin Park
- Glencoe
- Glenview
- Glenwood
- Golf
- Hanover Park
- Harvey
- Harwood Heights
- Hazel Crest
- Hickory Hills
- Hillside
- Hines
- Hoffman Estates
- Hometown
- Homewood
- Justice
- Kenilworth
- La Grange
- La Grange Park
- Lansing
- Lemont
- Lincolnwood
- Lyons
- Markham
- Matteson
- Maywood
- Melrose Park
- Midlothian
- Morton Grove
- Mount Prospect
- Niles
- Northbrook
- Oak Forest
- Oak Lawn
- Oak Park
- Olympia Fields
- Orland Park
- Palatine
- Palos Heights
- Palos Hills
- Palos Park
- Park Forest
- Park Ridge
- Posen
- Prospect Heights
- Richton Park
- River Forest
- River Grove
- Riverdale
- Riverside
- Robbins
- Rolling Meadows
- Schaumburg
- Schiller Park
- Skokie
- South Holland
- Steger
- Stone Park
- Streamwood
- Summit Argo
- Techny
- Thornton
- Tinley Park
- Westchester
- Western Springs
- Wheeling
- Willow Springs
- Wilmette
- Winnetka
- Worth
Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Cook County
How do I get my forms?
Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Cook 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 Cook County?
Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable formatting requirements used for recording in Cook County, including margin requirements, font requirements, and other layout standards. This guarantee applies to formatting, not to the legal sufficiency of information entered by the user or the suitability of a form for a particular transaction.
Can I reuse these forms?
Yes. You can reuse the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have multiple properties in Cook 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 Cook County?
Recording fees in Cook County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (312) 603-5050 for current fees.
Questions answered? Let's get started!
Gifts of Real Property in Illinois
Gift deeds convey title to real property from one party to another with no exchange of consideration, monetary or otherwise. Often used to transfer property between family members or to gift property as a charitable act or donation, these conveyances occur during the grantor's lifetime. Gift deeds must contain language that explicitly states that no consideration is expected or required. Ambiguous language or references to any type of consideration can make the gift deed contestable in court.
A lawful gift deed includes the grantor's full name and marital status, as well as the grantee's full name, marital status, vesting information, and mailing address. Vesting describes how the grantee holds title to the property. Generally, real property is owned in either sole ownership or co-ownership. For Illinois residential property, the primary methods for holding title are tenancy in common, joint tenancy, and tenancy by the entirety. An estate conveyed to two or more unmarried persons is considered a tenancy in common, unless otherwise specified (765 ILCS 1005/1). A conveyance to a married couple vests as tenancy by entirety unless otherwise specified (765 ILCS 1005/1c).
As with any conveyance of realty, a gift deed requires a complete legal description of the parcel. Recite the source of title to maintain a clear chain of title, and detail any restrictions associated with the property. In Illinois, if the signer is not personally known to the notarial officer, a witness must acknowledge and sign the deed (765 ILCS 5/24). All signatures must be original.
In Illinois, most conveyances of real property are subject to a Real Estate Transfer Tax and require a Real Estate Transfer Declaration (Form PTAX-203). However, because a gift deed transfers real property from one party to another with no exchange of valuable consideration, this type of conveyance is exempt from the tax and does not require a declaration (35 ILCS 200/31-45e). Record the completed gift deed with the recorder's office where the subject property is located. Contact the same office to confirm recording fees and accepted forms of payment.
With gifts of real property, the recipient of the gift (grantee or donee) is not required to declare the amount of the gift as income, but if the property accrues income after the transaction, the grantee is responsible for paying the requisite state and federal income tax [1].
In Illinois, there is no state gift tax. Gifts of real property in Illinois are, however, subject to the federal gift tax. The person or entity making the gift (grantor or donor) is responsible for paying the federal gift tax; however, if the donor does not pay the gift tax, the donee (grantee) will be held liable [1]. For questions regarding state and federal tax laws, consult a tax specialist.
In accordance with federal law, individuals are permitted an annual exclusion of $15,000 on gifts. This means that gifts valued below $15,000 do not require a federal gift tax return (Form 709). Even so, donors should consider filing one for many gifts of real property [2].
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Contact an Illinois lawyer with any questions about gift deeds or other issues related to the transfer of real property.
[1] http://msuextension.org/publications/FamilyFinancialManagement/MT199105HR.pdf
[2] https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/frequently-asked-questions-on-gift-taxes
(Illinois Gift Deed Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)
Important: Your property must be located in Cook County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.
This Gift Deed meets all recording requirements specific to Cook County.
Our Promise
The documents you receive here are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable Cook County recording format requirements. If there is a rejection caused by our formatting, we will correct the issue or refund your payment. This guarantee applies to document formatting only and does not extend to information entered by the user, the selection of the form, or the legal effect of the completed document.
Save Time and Money
Get your Cook County Gift 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.
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