Titles & Deeds

    Special Warranty Deed

    A deed in which the grantor warrants the title only against defects that arose during the grantor's own period of ownership.

    A special warranty deed warrants the title only against defects that arose while the grantor owned the property. It does not protect the buyer against problems that existed before the grantor took title.

    It offers less protection than a general warranty deed, which covers the entire chain of title, and more than a quitclaim deed, which warrants nothing.

    On the exam

    Special warranty covers only the grantor's ownership period. General warranty covers the whole chain.

    Exam trap

    A special warranty deed is not the most protective deed. Only the general warranty deed covers defects from before the grantor's ownership.

    Tested in

    Titles and Deeds (7% of the exam)

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    This definition is Florida real estate exam-prep education, not legal, tax, or professional advice. Verify current rules against the official source before relying on them for a real transaction. Back to the full glossary.