A billaiming to crack down on deed fraud, House Bill 2080, is advancing in the house with unanimous bipartisan support.
The bill, sponsored by State Representative Selina Bliss, targets deed and title fraud for homeowners and businesses by requiring photo ID for in-person recordings, adding opt-in property owner alerts, strengthening notary safeguards, and increasing penalties for filing forged or fraudulent real estate documents.
“Deed fraud is a direct attack on a person’s home, their savings, and the work of a lifetime,” said Representative Selina Bliss. “HB 2080 adds clear identity checks when documents are recorded in person, keeps private ID information out of public view, and gives property owners an early warning when ownership or mailing records change. It also raises the consequences for filing forged real estate documents and strengthens notary safeguards that deter impersonation. This bill protects homeowners and puts criminals on notice.”
HB 2080 requires anyone recording documents in person at a county recorder’s office or recording kiosk to present valid photo identification. The requirement does not apply to documents submitted by escrow and title professionals, banks and credit unions, Arizona attorneys, or government entities. County recorders may not keep a copy of the identification, and any limited ID information recorded for the transaction is confidential and not subject to public records requests.
HB 2080 also directs county assessors to establish a voluntary opt-in notification system by January 1, 2027, to alert participating property owners when the assessor receives notice of a change in ownership or a change to the owner’s mailing address. The bill expands affidavit of legal value information by requiring buyer and seller phone numbers and allowing additional contact information, including email addresses.
Finally, HB 2080 increases the criminal penalty for knowingly submitting a false claim or forgery involving real property from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 4 felony. The bill also requires notaries to capture a signer’s thumbprint, or another available fingerprint when necessary, in the notary journal for specified real-property documents and powers of attorney, with limited exceptions.
HB 2080 now heads toward a full vote of the House.
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