Grant deeds (also referred to as limited warranty deeds) are a type of legal transfer document that gives limited protection to the grantee. The grantor in a grant deed promises that the title being transferred has no unexpected liens, encumbrances, or claims against the property for the time in which the grantor owned the property. The grantor will hire a title company to conduct a title search to provide further proof of ownership, and sometimes, the grantor will pay for title insurance. The key aspect of grant deeds is they do not guarantee that encumbrances on the title did not exist prior to the ownership of the grantor. So, if someone later claims a lien or other interest in the property that existed prior to being purchased by the grantor, the grantee likely will be responsible for that risk, unlike warranty deeds.
[Last updated in February of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]