West Virginia Forms

Ritchie County Transfer on Death Deed Form

Ritchie County Transfer on Death Deed Form

Ritchie County Transfer on Death Deed Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.

Document Last Validated 8/19/2025
Ritchie County Transfer on Death Deed Guide

Ritchie County Transfer on Death Deed Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Document Last Validated 8/4/2025
Ritchie County Completed Example of the Transfer on Death Deed Form

Ritchie County Completed Example of the Transfer on Death Deed Form

Example of a properly completed form for reference.

Document Last Validated 8/14/2025

All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees

Immediate Download • Secure Checkout

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

Where to Record Your Documents

Ritchie County Clerk
Address:
115 E Main St, Rm 201
Harrisville, West Virginia 26362

Hours: 8:00 to 4:00 M-F

Phone: (304) 643-2164 Ext 221

Recording Tips for Ritchie County:
  • White-out or correction fluid may cause rejection
  • Double-check legal descriptions match your existing deed
  • Documents must be on 8.5 x 11 inch white paper
  • Avoid the last business day of the month when possible
  • Leave recording info boxes blank - the office fills these

Cities and Jurisdictions in Ritchie County

Properties in any of these areas use Ritchie County forms:

  • Auburn
  • Berea
  • Cairo
  • Ellenboro
  • Harrisville
  • Macfarlan
  • Pennsboro
  • Petroleum
  • Pullman
  • Smithville

View Complete Recorder Office Guide

Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Ritchie County

How do I get my forms?

Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Ritchie 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 Ritchie County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Ritchie 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 Ritchie 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 Ritchie County?

Recording fees in Ritchie County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (304) 643-2164 Ext 221 for current fees.

Questions answered? Let's get started!

The West Virginia legislature voted to join with 13 other states and adopt the Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act (URPTODA). The law is found at 36-12-1 et seq in the Code of West Virginia, and went into effect on June 5, 2014. This act allows owners of real property in West Virginia to control the distribution of what is often their most significant asset, their real estate, by executing and recording a transfer on death deed (TODD).

Transfer on death deeds are non-testamentary, which means ownership of the property passes to the beneficiary without including it in a will or a need for probate (36-12-7). Still, sensible estate planning dictates that the will and the TODD should not be in conflict.

West Virginia's version of the URPTODA sets out the specific requirements for lawful transfer on death deeds:

- The capacity required to make or revoke a transfer on death deed is the same as the capacity required to make a will (36-12-8, 41-1-2).
- The transferor must be least eighteen years old; and
- Be mentally competent
- It must contain the essential elements and formalities of a properly recordable inter vivos deed, such as warranty or quitclaim deed (36-12-9(1))
- It must state that the transfer to the designated beneficiary is to occur at the transferor's death (36-12-9(2))
- It must be recorded before the transferor's death in the office of the clerk of the county commission in the county where the property is located (36-12-9(2)).

During the owner's life, the beneficiary has no rights to the property. Instead, it remains in the transferor's absolute control. This includes the freedom to sell or transfer it to someone else, and to modify or revoke the intended transfer on death (36-12-12). The option to revoke is why these deeds do not require notice to the beneficiary or consideration for the owner (36-12-10).

The beneficiary gains rights to the property ONLY when the owner dies, according to 36-12-13. Note, however, that the beneficiary must be alive at the time of the transferor's death or the interest returns to the estate (36-12-13(a)(2)). To prevent this from happening, the owner may identify one or more contingent beneficiaries (36-12-2(2)). All beneficiaries take title subject to any obligations (contracts, easements, etc.) associated with the property when the transferor dies (36-12-13(b)).

With the new transfer on death deeds, real property owners in West Virginia have a convenient, flexible tool for managing one aspect of a comprehensive estate plan. TODDs may not be appropriate for everyone, though. Since each situation is unique, contact an attorney with specific questions or for complex circumstances.

(West Virginia TODD Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)

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

This Transfer on Death Deed meets all recording requirements specific to Ritchie County.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Ritchie 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 Ritchie County Transfer on Death 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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