Which of the following is NOT required for a deed to be legally valid in Maine?

Correct Answer

C) Recording the deed at the county registry of deeds

Recording a deed at the county registry of deeds is NOT required for the deed to be legally valid between the grantor and grantee. A deed is valid and title transfers upon proper execution, delivery, and acceptance. However, recording is strongly recommended because it provides constructive notice to third parties — such as subsequent buyers or creditors — of the ownership transfer, and protects the grantee's interest against later competing claims. Without recording, a subsequent bona fide purchaser who records first may have superior title under Maine's recording statutes. A valid deed in Maine requires a competent grantor, identification of the grantee, a legal description of the property, the grantor's signature, acknowledgment before a notary, and delivery and acceptance.