Polk County Special Warranty Deed Form

Polk County Special Warranty Deed Form
Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.

Polk County Special Warranty Deed Guide
Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Polk County Completed Example of the Special Warranty Deed Document
Example of a properly completed form for reference.
All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees
Immediate Download • Secure Checkout
Additional Iowa and Polk County documents included at no extra charge:
Where to Record Your Documents
Polk County Recorder
Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2251
Hours: 7:30am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday
Phone: (515) 286-3160
Recording Tips for Polk County:
- Documents must be on 8.5 x 11 inch white paper
- Both spouses typically need to sign if property is jointly owned
- Request a receipt showing your recording numbers
- Bring extra funds - fees can vary by document type and page count
- Recording fees may differ from what's posted online - verify current rates
Cities and Jurisdictions in Polk County
Properties in any of these areas use Polk County forms:
- Alleman
- Altoona
- Ankeny
- Berwick
- Bondurant
- Clive
- Des Moines
- Elkhart
- Grimes
- Johnston
- Mitchellville
- Polk City
- Runnells
- Sheldahl
- Urbandale
- West Des Moines
Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Polk County
How do I get my forms?
Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Polk 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 Polk County?
Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk County?
Recording fees in Polk County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (515) 286-3160 for current fees.
Questions answered? Let's get started!
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)
Important: Your property must be located in Polk County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.
This Special Warranty Deed meets all recording requirements specific to Polk County.
Our Promise
The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Polk 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 Polk 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 - ( 4578 Reviews )
Timmy S.
December 18th, 2019
The form gave me a perfect place to start. I was looking for something regarding time-shares, so the form was not perfect, but the register of deeds worked with me to get it right. I would not have even been able to start without the form from deeds.com
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Bonnie A.
March 3rd, 2020
I little struggle downloading the forms at first but support helped. After that it was a breeze, happy with everything.
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Shirley S.
June 11th, 2025
Laborious process to gain access; need to indicate PRIINT when complete and inform that if page is backspaced, entered info disappears, necessitating starting all over again. There is only one “A” provision, when some documents have several more. Space is too limited in some instances to provide what is necessary for recording. Thank you
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Patrick P.
March 14th, 2020
Great service! I found out how easy it was for me to record a deed. I saved about $200 using deeds.com. The sample form really helped. Thanks!
Thank you!
Elbert M.
July 19th, 2021
I found The blank documents easy to use and the instructions informative and simple to follow. Thanks
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Michelle I.
April 19th, 2022
I'm happy to have found your service. Very pleased.
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Teresa R.
February 13th, 2020
Zero problems, ended up with quality documents. Will use again.
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DONALD S.
March 11th, 2020
Using the Administrators Deed, pay attention to "Exhibit A". The blank will allow you to type a full legal description BUT it will not save it. Use "Exhibit A" to type the legal description. The form was great and I filed it this morning with no problems.
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Emmy M.
August 20th, 2020
I loved using this process to record my deeds. it was fast and everytime I sent a message I received a response very quickly. I am so glad they have this option. for the extra $15 to have the convenience to do it from home and not worry about finding parking, etc. so well worth it!
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JESSICA B.
June 25th, 2020
easy to move through the site and create an account.
Thank you!
Iryna D.
March 31st, 2020
Exelent work!
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Lahoma G.
February 3rd, 2021
Got it very fast !! Thanks
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Jorge F.
October 15th, 2021
It would be helpful for documents to be in word format as well and for PDF version not to be locked.
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Ingrid K.
December 18th, 2020
Prompt efficient service.
Thank you!
tim g.
May 3rd, 2019
that is what I was looking for thanks
Thanks Tim, glad we could help.