Idaho Quitclaim Deed

Why People File a Quitclaim Deed in Clearwater County

Just Got Married

Adding your new spouse to the title after a wedding is one of the most common reasons people file here — it's a straightforward paperwork step, not a real estate transaction.

Going Through a Divorce

Divorce is one of the most common reasons people end up here — removing a former spouse from the title, once the settlement is final.

Inherited Property

Families dealing with an inherited property often end up here — a quitclaim deed can move title into an heir's name once the estate matters are settled.

Gifting to Family

Parents gifting property to their kids, or adding a family member to the title, typically use a quitclaim deed to make it official with the county.

About the Clearwater County Auditor, Clerk and Recorder

Clearwater County was carved out as its own county on February 27, 1911, after having been part of Shoshone County and later annexed for a time by Nez Perce County. It takes its name from the Clearwater River, itself a translation of the Nez Perce term Koos-Koos-Kai-Kai ('clear water'). The county's economy shifted from gold mining — which drew prospectors in the 1860s but yielded relatively little ore — to logging, or 'green gold,' as railroads reached timber towns like Pierce, Weippe, and Elk River and fed a wave of sawmills across the district. The recorder's own records run continuously from 1911 to the present.

Cities and Communities Served

Recording jurisdiction runs countywide, not by city limits — if the property sits anywhere within Clearwater County, this is the Clearwater County Auditor, Clerk and Recorder that will accept the deed. That includes:

Incorporated cities: Orofino, Pierce, Weippe, Elk River.

Office Details

Address: 150 Michigan Ave, Orofino, ID 83544 (mailing: P.O. Box 586, Orofino, ID 83544)

Phone: 208-476-5615

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (the office closes at 4:00 p.m. on Fridays in December)

Recording Fee: Set by Idaho state statute rather than by the county — fees vary by document type and page count and are published on a separate county fee page. Not based on the property's sale price or value.

E-recording: Simplifile

Official Website Get Directions

How to File a Document

  1. Sign in Front of a Notary: Idaho law requires a deed to be acknowledged before a notary public before the Clearwater County Auditor, Clerk and Recorder can record it (Idaho Code § 55-805). The deed is actually valid between you and the person you're transferring to as soon as it's signed and delivered — the notarized acknowledgment is what makes it eligible for recording, which is the step that protects you against someone else claiming the property later.
  2. Give the Grantee's Full Mailing Address: Idaho requires the deed itself to state the complete mailing address of the person receiving the property, not just their name. This is a simple detail that's easy to miss and a common reason a deed gets sent back.
  3. Attach a Full Legal Description, Not Just an Address: A street address alone isn't enough — Idaho deeds need the property's actual legal description (the metes-and-bounds, government survey, or platted-lot description used in the county's own records). You can usually copy this directly from the deed that transferred the property to you.
  4. Consider Online Notarization if an In-Person Visit Is Hard: Idaho has allowed remote online notarization since 2020, so if getting to a notary's office in person is difficult, a signer may be able to complete the acknowledgment through video with an Idaho-commissioned online notary instead.
  5. Record with the County Recorder: Bring, mail, or (where the county supports it) e-file the signed and notarized deed with the Clearwater County Auditor, Clerk and Recorder for the county where the property sits. Idaho charges a flat recording fee set by state statute and based on the document and page count, not a percentage of the property's value — and unlike some states, Idaho has no separate real estate transfer tax or transfer declaration form to file alongside the deed.

Still Have Questions About Filing With the Clearwater County Auditor, Clerk and Recorder?

Ask below and get an instant answer on Idaho quitclaim deeds.

Other Counties in Idaho

Filing somewhere else in the state? Here are a few other county pages:

See all Idaho counties

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