JK Closing Attorneys, PLLC prepares and records quitclaim and Lady Bird deeds for Highlands County property for a $350 flat fee. Deeds are recorded with the Highlands County Clerk of the Circuit Court (county seat: Sebring). We handle Highlands County deeds entirely online. You never need to visit an office.
Recording a deed in Highlands County
Once your deed is signed, we submit the original to the Highlands County Clerk of the Circuit Court for recording in the Official Records. Recording is what puts the world on notice of the new owner. Highlands County charges Florida's statutory recording fee of $10.00 for the first page and $8.50 for each additional page; our flat fee covers recording for a standard deed.
Like every Florida clerk, the Highlands County Clerk will reject a deed that is missing required details. The most common problem since January 1, 2024 is missing witness post office addresses, which section 695.26, Florida Statutes, now requires under each witness's signature. We prepare every deed with the witness name and address blocks, the "prepared by" statement, the parcel ID, and the legal description pulled from Highlands County records.
Documentary stamp tax in Highlands County
In Highlands County, documentary stamp tax on deeds is $0.70 per $100 of consideration, the same rate as every Florida county except Miami-Dade. Consideration includes money paid and the outstanding balance of any mortgage, in proportion to the share transferred. For example, adding a relative as a 50% owner of a home with a $200,000 mortgage is taxed on $100,000, or $700. A gift of a paid-off property generally owes only the minimum tax.
Two exemptions save Highlands County homeowners the most: a deed of homestead between spouses where the mortgage is the only consideration, and a divorce transfer of the marital home. We calculate the tax during attorney review and tell you before anything is recorded.
How signing works
Florida requires the grantor to sign in front of two witnesses and a notary. Highlands County property owners can choose:
- Remote Online Notarization ($250 add-on): sign by secure video from anywhere, with witnesses provided.
- Mobile notary ($250 add-on): a notary comes to your Florida location.
- Your own notary: sign before any notary and two witnesses, wherever you live, and mail us the original.
What Highlands County owners use our deeds for
- Adding a spouse to the title
- Removing a former spouse after divorce
- Lady Bird deeds to pass a home without probate
- Transfers to children and other family members (check homestead first)
- Transfers to a revocable trust or an LLC
- Corrective deeds that fix names or legal descriptions
Our process
- Order online. Tell us about the Highlands County property and the people involved.
- We pull the records. We retrieve your current deed and legal description, and an attorney reviews homestead, mortgage, and tax issues.
- You sign. Remotely, with a mobile notary, or with your own notary and witnesses.
- We record and deliver. We record with the Highlands County Clerk and email you the recorded deed.
Highlands County Quitclaim Deed FAQ
How much does a quitclaim deed cost in Highlands County?
JK Closing Attorneys charges a $350 flat fee for a quitclaim or Lady Bird deed on Highlands County property. It includes attorney preparation and review, the standard Highlands County recording fee, and recording. Documentary stamp tax (if any) and an optional $250 remote or mobile notary are separate.
Where are deeds recorded in Highlands County, Florida?
Deeds for Highlands County property are recorded in the Official Records maintained by the Highlands County Clerk of the Circuit Court, whose main office is in Sebring. We submit your signed deed for recording and email you the recorded copy.
What is the documentary stamp tax rate in Highlands County?
Highlands County uses the standard Florida rate of $0.70 per $100 of consideration, including any mortgage balance in proportion to the interest transferred. Homestead transfers between spouses and divorce transfers of the marital home can be exempt.
Do I have to come to an office to sign a Highlands County deed?
No. You can sign by remote online notarization, with a mobile notary, or before any notary and two witnesses near you. The signed original is then sent to us for recording.
Charles has spent more than a decade practicing exclusively in Florida real estate closings and leads a firm of 14 offices and 30+ professionals. He supervises every deed prepared through this site. Last reviewed October 28, 2026.