New Mexico Correction Deed

Use the correction deed to amend a previously recorded warranty, special warranty, or quitclaim deed.

A correction deed explains and corrects an error in a prior instrument, especially if such an error might cloud the title and potentially affect its future transfers. The correction deed passes no title, but reiterates and confirms the conveyance effected by the previously recorded document. Therefore, it must be executed from the original grantor to the original grantee and recorded in order to be legally valid.

The correction deed should reference the prior conveyance by type of error, date of execution, date of recording, as well as by recording number and location. Beyond that, it restates the information given in the prior deed, thus serving as its confirmation. The original instrument remains on record as well.

Deeds of correction are most appropriate for minor errors and omissions in the original deed, such as misspelled names, omission of marital status, or typos in the legal description. More substantial changes, such as adding a name to the title or adding/subtracting a portion of land to the legal description of the property, usually require a new deed of conveyance instead of a mere correction deed. When in doubt, seek legal counsel to determine the most appropriate instrument for a case that involves such a material change.

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