---
title: HB 1497. Georgia Home Title Protection and Deed Fraud Prevention Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1497
cite_as: HB 1497, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1497
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1497.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1497/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73855
date: 2026-03-06
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1497.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1497
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-03-03
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Mary Ann Santos
- Long Tran
- Spencer Frye
- Dale Washburn
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1497/2025
upstream_id: 2128614
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- deed fraud
- property title
- quitclaim deeds
- real estate law
- homeowner protection
---
# HB 1497. Georgia Home Title Protection and Deed Fraud Prevention Act; enact
## Text
House Bill 1497
By: Representatives Santos of the 117th, Tran of the 80th, Frye of the 122nd, and Washburn
of the 144th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to recording of deeds and other real property transactions, so as to
provide for a statement form regarding the effect of quitclaim deeds; to provide for a short
title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Home Title Protection and Deed
Fraud Prevention Act."
SECTION 2.
Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 44 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to recording of deeds and other real property transactions, is amended by revising
Code Section 44-2-14, relating to requirements for recordation, as follows:
"44-2-14.
(a) Except for documents electronically filed as provided for in Chapter 12 of Title 10, and
in other Code sections in this part, before any deed to realty or personalty or any mortgage,
bond for title, or other recordable instrument executed in this state may be recorded, it shall
be an original instrument and shall be attested or acknowledged as provided by law.
However, nothing in this Code section shall dispense with another witness where an
additional witness is required. This Code section shall not apply to transactions covered
by Article 9 of Title 11.
(b) No affidavit prepared under Code Section 44-2-20 and no instrument by which the title
to real property or any interest therein is conveyed, created, assigned, encumbered,
disposed of, or otherwise affected shall be entitled to recordation unless the name and
mailing address of the natural person to whom the affidavit or instrument is to be returned
is legibly printed, typewritten, or stamped upon such affidavit or instrument at the top of
the first page thereof.
(c) If an instrument or affidavit is titled or recorded without compliance with
subsection (b) of this Code section, such noncompliance does shall not alone impair the
validity of the filing of recordation or of the constructive notice imparted by filing or
recordation.
(d) Subsection (b) of this Code section does not apply to the following:
(1) An affidavit or instrument executed before July 1, 1994;
(2) A decree, order, judgment, or writ of any court;
(3) A will; or
(4) Any plat.
(e) Any instrument that conveys an ownership interest in real property without any
warranty as to the owner's title to the property, including a quitclaim deed, shall at the top
of the first page of the instrument contain a statement in boldface capital letters in
substantially the following form:
'THIS DOCUMENT TRANSFERS OWNERSHIP OF THE REAL PROPERTY
DESCRIBED HEREIN AND THE GRANTOR SHALL NO LONGER HOLD ANY
OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN SUCH PROPERTY, EXCEPT AS MAY BE
OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR HEREIN, AFTER THIS DOCUMENT IS PROPERLY
EXECUTED AND RECORDED IN THE REAL ESTATE RECORDS OF THE CLERK
OF SUPERIOR COURT OF THE APPROPRIATE COUNTY.'"
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would require quitclaim deeds and similar property transfer documents to carry a bold warning explaining that the person signing away the property gives up all ownership rights once the deed is recorded.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law already sets rules for what must appear on deeds and other documents before a county clerk can record them, including a return address requirement. This bill, called the Georgia Home Title Protection and Deed Fraud Prevention Act, adds a new requirement aimed at quitclaim deeds and any similar instrument that transfers property without guaranteeing the seller actually holds clear title.
Under the bill, these documents must display a bold, capitalized statement at the top of the first page telling the signer that they are giving up their ownership interest in the property once the document is properly signed and recorded with the clerk of superior court. The bill also makes a small wording fix to an existing subsection about noncompliance with recording rules. It does not set penalties or an effective date beyond the standard process of becoming law.
### What it does
- Adds a new requirement that quitclaim deeds and other no-warranty property transfer documents include a bold, all-capital warning statement on the first page.
- Specifies the exact wording of the warning, explaining that the grantor loses ownership once the document is executed and recorded.
- Changes the word 'does' to 'shall' in the existing rule about what happens when a document is recorded without a proper return address, a minor technical fix.
- Gives the overall bill the short title 'Georgia Home Title Protection and Deed Fraud Prevention Act.'
### Who it affects
People who sign or receive quitclaim deeds and similar property transfers, county clerks of superior court who record real estate documents, real estate attorneys and title companies who prepare these instruments, and homeowners at risk of deed fraud schemes.
### Why it matters
Quitclaim deeds are sometimes used in scams where a homeowner is tricked into signing away their property without understanding they are giving up all ownership rights. A clear, bold warning on the document itself could help people recognize what they are signing before recording makes it final.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 names the short title, the 'Georgia Home Title Protection and Deed Fraud Prevention Act.'
- Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. ยง 44-2-14 to add new subsection (e), requiring a specific bold warning statement on quitclaim deeds and similar instruments before recording.
- Section 2 also changes 'does' to 'shall' in subsection (c), clarifying that noncompliance with the return-address rule alone does not invalidate recording.
- Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-03-03)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-03-06)
- Sponsors: Mary Ann Santos, Long Tran, Spencer Frye, Dale Washburn
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73855
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1497.md?full=1