Transfer on Death Deed for the District of Columbia

In the District of Columbia, a transfer on death deed is signed before a notary, then recorded with the county before the owner's death. In the District of Columbia, the Recorder of Deeds records it for $25 flat, regardless of page count.

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Enter your information as the property owner (transferor). If the property is jointly owned, you’ll add the second owner below.

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Choose “Jointly owned” if two people are on the title (e.g. spouses as joint tenants or tenants by the entirety). Both owners must sign.

I am the sole ownerJointly owned with one other person

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District of Columbia prescribes no form. The deed must state that the transfer to the designated beneficiary is to occur at the transferor's death.

A District of Columbia transfer on death deed is recorded with the DC Recorder of Deeds and must be on record before the owner's death to take effect. The deed must be recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds before the transferor's death. D.C. Code 19-604.09(c).

Co-owners may sign one deed together. The deed is signed by every owner whose interest it transfers.

District of Columbia lapses the share of a beneficiary who dies before the owner. The deed can name a successor beneficiary to take in that case. If a beneficiary does not survive the owner, that beneficiary's interest lapses (D.C. Code 19-604.13(a)(2)). The alternate beneficiary designated in this deed for that beneficiary, if any, takes the interest instead, because the deed's own terms control (D.C. Code 19-604.13(a)).

The beneficiary takes the property subject to the mortgages, liens and other encumbrances on it at death. The deed moves this parcel alone; a revocable living trust set up with SimplyTrust carries the rest of the estate.

Recording a Transfer on Death Deed in District of Columbia

A transfer on death deed for the District of Columbia property is recorded with the Recorder of Deeds at 1101 4th Street Southwest, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20024. Phone: 1-202-727-5374. Hours: 8:30 AM-4:00 PM (deeds recorded 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM).

Recording costs $25 flat, regardless of page count; a 2-page TOD deed records for $30; TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax. Page count, cover sheets, and any local transfer-tax add-ons can change the final amount, so confirm the total with the Recorder of Deeds before submitting. District of Columbia accepts e-recording through CSC, Simplifile and ePN.

Before recording, a District of Columbia transfer on death deed needs notary acknowledgment. The deed must be recorded before the owner's death to take effect.

Legal Sources

(3)·Updated October 16, 2026

SimplyTrust Editorial

D.C. Code 19-604.01 to 19-604.19
DC Code 42-1218 (ROD fee schedule); DC Code 42-1211(a) ($5 surcharge)
otr.cfo.dc.gov

Data sourced from District of Columbia statutes and official state code and Recorder of Deeds primary sources (3 pages reviewed). How we research.

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