Washington property deeds
Deed rules are state law, and Washington's differ from its neighbours in ways that decide whether your document records or comes back. Here is the whole picture: which deeds exist here, how they have to be signed, what the recorder wants on the page, and what it costs.
- Recording office
- County Auditor (Recording Division)
- Witnesses
- Notary only
- Transfer tax
- Graduated: 1.1% up to $525
- First-page margin
- 3″ top
- Recording fee
- ~$304 first page
- E-recording
- Generally available
Deeds Washington recognizes
| Deed | What it does | Available? |
|---|---|---|
| Quitclaim deed | Transfers whatever interest you have in a property, with no promises about the title. | Yes |
| General warranty deed | Transfers ownership with the strongest title guarantees the law allows. | Yes |
| Special warranty deed | Transfers ownership, but only guarantees the title for the period you owned it. | Yes |
| Transfer-on-death deed | Names who inherits your property, skips probate, and changes nothing while you're alive. | Yes |
| Lady bird deed | An enhanced life estate deed: you keep total control for life, and the property passes automatically at death. | No |
| Life estate deed | You keep the right to live in the property for life; named remaindermen own it after you. | Yes, less common |
| Gift deed | Transfers property to someone as an outright gift, for no payment. | Yes, less common |
Washington does not recognize lady bird deeds. Recording one here wouldn't achieve what you want.
How a deed has to be signed in Washington
Washington requires the grantor's signature to be acknowledged before a notary public. No witnesses are required.
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Notarization | Required for every signature |
| Witnesses | None |
| Preparer statement | Customary, not required |
| Grantee address on the deed | Required |
| Prior deed reference | Optional |
| Spousal joinder | Both spouses must join to convey community real property (RCW § 26.16.030). |
Washington document formatting rules
County auditors in Washington expect 8.5 × 11 inch paper with a 3-inch top margin on the first page and 1-inch margins elsewhere. Type must be at least 8 point. That top margin is the recorder's stamp area. Writing into it is the most common formatting rejection there is.
- Washington requires a 3-inch top margin on the first page, 1-inch side and bottom margins, and 1 inch at the top of subsequent pages (RCW § 65.04.045).
- The first page must carry a formatted cover block: document title, grantor, grantee, legal description, assessor's parcel number, and reference numbers.
Washington transfer tax and recording fees
Washington charges Real estate excise tax (REET) at Graduated: 1.1% up to $525,000, 1.28% to $1,525,000, 2.75% to $3,025,000, 3% above, plus local REET of up to 0.5%. Customarily paid by the grantor. A REET affidavit must be filed with EVERY deed, including exempt gifts. The Treasurer stamps it before the Auditor will record.
Common exemptions: gifts with no consideration and no debt assumed, transfers between spouses or domestic partners, transfers to or from a revocable trust, and inheritance and community property agreements.
A form has to travel with the deed
Washington requires Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit with most recorded deeds, including gifts and other exempt transfers. Recorders reject packages that are missing it.
Recording fees run about $304 for the first page plus roughly $1 per additional page. Washington adds large statutory surcharges; first-page totals above $300 are now typical.
How to hold title in Washington
- Sole ownership. One person owns everything.
- Tenancy in common. Separate, divisible shares with no survivorship. A deceased owner's share goes to their heirs.
- Joint tenancy with right of survivorship. Equal shares; the survivor takes the whole property automatically.
- Community property. Property acquired during marriage belongs to both spouses equally.
What the law presumes for married couples
Property acquired during marriage is presumed community property (RCW § 26.16.030).
Where to record a deed in Washington
Deeds are recorded with the County Auditor (Recording Division) in the county where the property is located. Washington has 39 counties. Most offices accept e-recording through a submitting service, which is usually same-day.
King · Pierce · Snohomish · Spokane · Clark · Thurston · Kitsap · Yakima · Whatcom · Benton. all Washington recording offices
Why deeds get rejected in Washington
- Washington's first page must include a formatted cover block: document title, grantor and grantee names, an abbreviated legal description, the assessor's parcel number, and any reference numbers. Missing any element means a non-standard fee or rejection.
- A Real Estate Excise Tax affidavit must be filed with every deed, including a $0 family gift, and stamped by the Treasurer before the Auditor records it.
- Washington recording fees are the highest in the country. Statutory surcharges push a simple one-page deed past $300 in most counties.
- Washington is a community property state; both spouses must sign to convey community real property.
- Washington recognizes transfer-on-death deeds under RCW ch. 64.80.
From $39. Every Washington rule above is applied automatically, and you read the finished document before you pay.
Common questions
You sign a deed, have it notarized, and record it with the County Auditor (Recording Division) in the county where the property sits. Which deed depends on what you're doing: a quitclaim for family transfers and adding or removing a name, a warranty deed for a sale, and a transfer-on-death deed for probate avoidance.
No. Washington does not require an attorney to prepare or record a deed. Use one when ownership is disputed, when the owner has died and the estate has not been probated, when the estate is large enough to owe tax, or when Medicaid planning is involved.
About $304 for the first page plus roughly $1 per additional page. Washington also charges real estate excise tax (reet) at Graduated: 1.1% up to $525,000, 1.28% to $1,525,000, 2.75% to $3,025,000, 3% above, plus local REET of up to 0.5%.
Yes. The statute is RCW ch. 64.80. It must be recorded before the owner's death to be effective.
Keep reading
- Washington quitclaim deedTransfers whatever interest you have in a property, with no promises about the title.
- Washington general warranty deedTransfers ownership with the strongest title guarantees the law allows.
- Washington special warranty deedTransfers ownership, but only guarantees the title for the period you owned it.
- Washington transfer-on-death deedNames who inherits your property, skips probate, and changes nothing while you're alive.
- Washington recording officesWhere to file in each county, with fees and contact details.
- Compare all 51 jurisdictionsWitness rules, transfer taxes, and recording fees side by side.
Deedly is not a law firm
We provide self-help software and state-specific statutory forms; you make your own decisions about your property. Using Deedly does not create an attorney-client relationship, and nothing here is legal advice. If your situation is complex or contested, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.