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How to change the name on your house deed
Life is full of changes. Marriage, divorce, or a gender transition are just a few reasons you might find yourself with a new name. But updating your records doesn’t stop with your driver’s license and bank accounts. If you’re a homeowner, you’ll also need to change the name on your house deed to keep everything in tip-top legal shape.
While the process can vary based on where you live, knowing some basics about deeds and common steps for changing the name on a house deed can help you tackle the process with increased efficiency and confidence — everything your “new you” deserves.
In this article:
House deeds and titles, explained
To own a home, you’ll need two legal documents: a house deed and a title to the property. While some folks might use these terms interchangeably, the documents are quite different.
House deed
A house deed is a physical document that proves you own a property. When you buy a home, the seller signs the deed at closing, which transfers ownership to you (congratulations). Then, your title company or real estate attorney will file the deed with the appropriate local authorities. It’s usually a local court or the county assessor’s office. The exact filing location in your area depends on where you live.
Typically, filing the deed isn’t something you need to worry about when buying a home. Your title company or real estate attorney usually handles this process on your behalf. It’s all part of that pile of papers you sign at closing.
On the deed, you’ll find all the important legal details about your property, including the following:
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Full name(s) of the grantor (seller) and grantee (buyer)
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A legal description of the property
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Property lines
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Legal language transferring ownership
After closing a home, two different parties could hold the deed to your new home. If you own the house outright — that is, without a mortgage — you’ll hold the deed. If you’ve financed your home with a mortgage, you and your lender both have the deed.
Either way, the deed gives you the right to sell your property. If your lender is also on the deed, they’ll get the cash proceeds from the sale to cover the outstanding balance on your mortgage. Whatever’s left over goes in your pocket.
Learn more: House deed — Definition, types, and how to get one
House title
While a home deed is a physical document, a home’s title describes an owner’s claim to property rights reserved exclusively for owners. For example, the deed grants you physical ownership of a property. The title gives you the right to own, use, and exercise an owner’s control over the property — like building a shed, making repairs, moving your furniture inside, and sleeping there at night.
So, imagine you hold either a deed or the title to a property, but not both. Without a deed proving ownership, you can’t sell or gift your property to a loved one. But without a title, you can’t do everything with a house that makes it a “home” — like living there. Whew. The more you know, right?
Dig deeper: How a property title search works
Reasons to change the name on your house deed or title
Just as it’s crucial to hold the deed and title to a property, it’s equally important to have the correct names on both. There are several reasons why your name might change over your years of homeownership, prompting the need to alter the name on the house deed or title.
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Marriage or divorce often involves a legal name change, which could mean your house deed and title need to be updated. You also may want to add or remove your spouse’s name.
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Other legal name changes, including voluntary ones like those accompanying gender transition, mean you’ll need to update your house deed and title.
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Misspellings can happen for different reasons, but correcting them on your deed or title is essential.
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A property owner’s death can also prompt a name change on the deed and title in some cases.
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If you inherit a property, it’s important to change the name on the deed to reflect the new ownership.
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Adding someone to the deed, like your children, could benefit your estate planning goals.
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Certain estate planning steps, like creating a revocable living trust, will require updating the name on the deed.
Learn more: 6 options for handling your mortgage when getting a divorce
How to change your name on the deed for your house
As we mentioned, the exact process of changing the name on a home deed will depend on where you live. However, knowing the basic steps can help you prepare and create a smoother process as you legally shift from one name to another.
1. Update your legal I.D.
If you’ve legally changed your name, your first step is to update your government-issued identification. Your driver’s license, Social Security number, and passport should all be updated with your new name before starting the process to change the name on your deed and title.
A pro tip? Start at the Social Security office since your Social Security number is linked to many other processes (like your bank accounts and identity verification processes). You can visit ssa.gov and start the process by requesting a card replacement.
2. Schedule a chat with your lender
If you have a mortgage, a call to your lender can quickly get you up to speed on what’s required to change the name on your deed. Your lender will let you know what forms you need to complete and proof you may need to provide to substantiate your name change, like a marriage certificate, court documents, or divorce decree.
If you need to change the name on your house title as well, your mortgage lender can guide you through connecting with the title company used when you closed on your home. Together, you and your title insurance company can easily complete the necessary steps to update your name across the board.
Learn more: How does title insurance work?
3. No mortgage? Check local resources.
If you own your home outright, a simple web search can connect you with the office that handles name changes on house deeds. A web search for “change name on property deed [your county name] county” is a good start. The search results will probably come up with resources at the county recorder, county clerk, or county assessor’s office.
From there, you can contact the necessary office and see what you need to get the ball rolling on a name change.
4. File a quitclaim deed or grant
If you’re still curious about how to change the name on your home deed, it could be as simple as filing one document: a quitclaim deed.
A quitclaim deed is a document that legally permits the transfer of property from one person to another. Basically, the grantor (you, old name) transfers the property to you (new name). Easy, right?
Quitclaim deeds can be handy solutions for several name change scenarios, like voluntary legal name changes and fixing typos on the deed.
5. Check back in with your lender and title company
Once you’ve filed the appropriate paperwork to update your deed, it’s time to send the documentation to your lender and title company. After your documentation gets squared away with both parties, be sure to ask if they need you to send the updated deed to anyone else associated with your mortgage, like the local tax assessor’s office or a private mortgage insurance (PMI) company.
6. Notify your homeowner’s insurance provider
After updating your name with your title company and lender, give your homeowner’s insurance company a ring. Updating your name here ensures that your policy matches your new name and documentation related to your home matches across the board.
7. Update your records with the tax assessor’s office
If your lender hasn’t already done so, you’ll need to update your name with your local tax assessor’s office. This final step ensures that your property tax records and deed information match.
Changing your name on a house deed FAQs
Is it better to be on the mortgage or the deed?
It’s always better to be on a home’s deed versus just the mortgage. The deed legally shows ownership and gives you several rights that someone merely on a home’s mortgage doesn’t have, including selling or transferring the property to another party. If your name is only on the mortgage, you’re legally obligated to pay the mortgage loan but don’t necessarily have a legal claim to the property.
Do you own the house if your name is on a mortgage?
You don’t necessarily own a home because your name is on the mortgage. Your name must be on the deed to have a legal ownership stake in a home. Someone on a home’s mortgage is legally required to repay the loan, but only those whose names are on the home’s deed have the right to sell or transfer the property.
How much does it cost to change the name on your house deed?
The cost of changing the name on your deed depends on where you live. For example, you might live in a county that requires you to file the change with the county assessor or a place that sends you to the county recorder. If you need to go to the county recorder, different counties charge different recorder fees. All in all, it’s common to spend $50 to $200 to update the name on your property deed.
This article was edited by Laura Grace Tarpley.
