King County, Washington • Recorder deeds and records guide • reviewed September 19, 2026
King County WA Recorder: Deeds, Official Records, Copies, Recording Fees and Search Steps
The King County Recorder records real estate deeds, mortgages, plats, surveys, liens, marriage records and other official documents.
Use the Recorder when you need to search recorded documents, record a deed, request a certified copy, check recording fees, use eRecording or sign up for recording alerts.
Use the King County Assessor for parcel numbers, address search and property value details. Use King County Treasury Operations for tax bills and payments.
Start here
King County Recorder Quick Facts
Records real estate deeds, mortgages, plats, surveys and other public records.
Suite 204, Seattle, WA 98104, at the King County Customer Service Center.
Phone hours are listed as 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays.
Weekdays, closed on King County holidays. Recording ends at 3:30 p.m.
Most documents recorded on or after this date are available online.
Pre-August 1991 recorded documents are handled through King County Archives.
Common recording fee category, plus $1 for each additional page.
Listed Recorder fee, plus $1 for each additional page.
Recorded deed or certified copy → Recorder. Parcel number or property value → Assessor. Property tax bill or payment → Treasury Operations.
Office role decoder
Recorder vs Assessor vs Treasury Operations
King County Recorder’s Office
Use for: recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, surveys, plats, certified copies, REET, eRecording and recording alerts.
Address: 201 S. Jackson St., Suite 204, Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206-477-6620
Email: KCROCust@kingcounty.gov
Open Recorder OfficeKing County Assessor
Use for: parcel number, address search, assessed value, property characteristics and eReal Property report.
Best first tool: Parcel Viewer or eReal Property.
The Recorder records documents. It does not appraise property or maintain the parcel-value report.
Open property information toolsKing County Treasury Operations
Use for: property tax statements, payments, due dates, balances and delinquent tax questions.
A recorded deed may change ownership records, but it does not replace checking current property tax status.
Open property tax servicesSearch workflow
How to Search King County Recorder Deeds and Official Records
King County’s Landmark Records Search is the official online database for Recorder records.
You can search by name, document type, book and page, consideration, parcel ID, recording date, recording number, legal description or Torrens number.
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Open Landmark Records Search.
Use the official King County search, not a paid third-party record site.
Open Landmark Records Search -
Choose the best search type.
Use name search for deeds and mortgages when you know the grantor or grantee.
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Use the parcel ID when you have it.
Enter the King County parcel number without spaces or hyphens when searching by parcel.
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Use the recording number when available.
This is the fastest route when a title report, deed or prior document already gives the recording number.
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Open the matching result carefully.
Confirm document type, recording date, names and parcel details before ordering copies.
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Save the recording number.
You will need it for certified copy orders, Archives questions and future title research.
Try fewer name fields, remove punctuation, use a wider recording date range, search by parcel ID, search prior owners or check King County Archives for older records.
Copies and certifications
How to Request Recorded Document Copies
King County lets users request certified or uncertified recorded-document copies online, by phone, by mail or in person.
Certified copies ordered online are mailed so the official seal is preserved.
Use this when you need a copy for reference but not official certification.
For legal-size or smaller recorded documents, plus $1 for each additional page.
Phone orders are listed for weekdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
After opening copy requests
Search the document first, open the image, choose Add to Cart, then select certified or uncertified copy at checkout.
If ordering by mail, include the document number, names, recording year, copy type, exact payment and mailing address.
Recording workflow
How to Record a Deed or Real Estate Document in King County
King County accepts documents in person, by drop box, by mail and by eRecording.
Most recorded documents are usually available through online search within seven to ten business days after deposit.
In person: visit the King County Customer Service Center at 201 S. Jackson St., second floor.
Drop box: deposit documents in the Recorder’s Office drop box outside the Customer Service Center building.
Mail: send documents with check, cashier’s check or money order to the Recorder’s mailing address.
eRecording: frequent submitters can submit electronically through a third-party submitter or King County Agent Account.
Recorder staff can check formatting, legibility, indexing information and fees. They cannot choose your document type, fill out forms, provide templates or determine legal correctness.
Fees
King County Recorder Fees Homeowners Commonly Need
Plus $1 for each additional page.
Common document category, plus $1 for each additional page.
State, county and municipal government liens, plus additional-page fee.
Listed Recorder fee for name-change orders.
Veterans can record Form DD214 at no charge.
May apply when a document does not meet standard formatting requirements.
A cover sheet is treated as an additional page and can add the $1 additional-page charge.
After opening payment information
Identify your document type, count pages, check whether a cover sheet is required, and separate recording fees from any other county fee.
For mail or drop box submissions, make payment payable to the King County Recorder and do not send cash.
Formatting
Document Formatting Checks Before You Record
Washington recording standards matter because the Recorder must create a readable public record.
A document can be delayed, rejected or charged extra if it does not meet formatting and legibility rules.
First page: make sure the required indexing information appears clearly.
Margins: use the Washington formatting guidance before printing or signing.
Legibility: text, seals, drawings and signatures must be readable after imaging.
Cover sheet: use the Washington State Recorder’s Cover Sheet when required.
Non-standard request: some non-standard documents may need a signed request and added fee.
Legal help: use an attorney, escrow or title company if you are unsure how to draft the document.
Real estate excise tax
REET: What Deed Filers Should Know
Washington law requires Real Estate Excise Tax paperwork before many real-property conveyance documents can be recorded.
King County says excise taxes assessed on a conveyance must be paid before recording the conveyance documents.
When it matters: deeds and other transfers of real property commonly trigger REET review.
What to prepare: sale or transfer details, parcel number, grantor, grantee and exemption basis if claimed.
Who prepares it: the submitter is responsible for preparing the document package.
Where to ask: use the Recorder’s REET page before submitting a transfer document.
Address and parcel search
How to Find a Parcel Number Before Searching Recorder Records
If you only have a street address, start with King County Parcel Viewer.
Parcel Viewer lets you search by address, parcel number or condo name, then links to the Assessor’s eReal Property report.
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Open Parcel Viewer.
Use the map or search box to find the property.
Open Parcel Viewer -
Search by address.
Enter the street address and select the matching parcel.
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Save the parcel number.
Use the 10-digit parcel number for Landmark parcel search and RANS registration.
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Open eReal Property if needed.
Use the Assessor report for property details, values and links to district reports.
Recording alerts
Recording Activity Notification System (RANS)
King County’s RANS is a free email notification service for recorded land records that match your registered name or parcel number.
It does not prevent fraud. It only notifies you when a matching recording appears.
Register names: include name variations and business names tied to the property.
Register parcel: enter the first ten digits of the parcel number with no symbols, spaces or dashes.
Confirm email: King County says a confirmation email should arrive within ten minutes.
Watch alert subject: matching recordings arrive as “Landmark Recorded Document Notification.”
If you get an alert: use the recording number to open the document in Landmark Records Search.
Restrictive covenants
Restrictive Covenant Modification in King County
Washington law allows property owners to address unlawful discriminatory restrictive covenants found in older property documents.
King County provides a restrictive covenant modification process and states that filing the modification through King County Records and Licensing costs nothing.
Gather details: recording number, recording date, current owner names, legal description and parcel number.
Use the proper form: choose the individual or non-individual modification form.
Sign with a notary: do not sign before reaching the notary.
Submit to Recorder: record the completed and notarized document with the Recorder’s Office.
Older records
What If the Deed Is Older Than August 1991?
King County says documents recorded before August 1, 1991 are on microfilm and available from King County Archives.
Archives may be the correct route for older deeds, older title-chain research and historical recorded documents.
If you find a newer deed in Landmark, read it for references to older recording numbers. Those older references can help Archives locate earlier documents.
Visit in person
King County Recorder Office Map and Arrival Tips
King County Recorder’s Office
201 S. Jackson St., Suite 204
Seattle, WA 98104
Location: King County Customer Service Center, second floor, Pioneer Square.
Hours: 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. weekdays.
Recording cutoff: recording ends at 3:30 p.m.
Arrival tip: bring the recording number for copies, or the signed original document and payment for recordings.
Decision path
What Should You Do Next?
I need a deed copy: search Landmark, open the document image, add it to cart and choose certified or uncertified copy.
I only know the address: use Parcel Viewer first, save the parcel number, then search Landmark by parcel or owner name.
I need to record a deed: review recording fees, formatting rules and REET requirements before mailing, drop box, counter service or eRecording.
I need an older deed: check King County Archives if the document was recorded before August 1, 1991.
I worry about deed fraud: register for RANS by name and parcel number, then review any alert quickly.
I need legal title advice: contact an attorney, escrow company or title company. The Recorder cannot determine legal correctness.
Important caution
Independent Information, Legal Caution and Public-Records Notice
This page is independent informational content. It is not the official website of King County, the King County Recorder, the Assessor, Treasury Operations or any Washington government agency.
This article is not legal advice, title advice, tax advice or a substitute for an official recorded document, title report or legal opinion.
Recording fees, rules, forms, service hours and portal functions can change. Verify current details directly with the responsible King County office before recording or paying.
Public property records should not be used for employment screening, tenant screening, credit eligibility, insurance underwriting or any FCRA-regulated consumer-reporting purpose.
FAQs
King County Recorder FAQs
How do I search King County Recorder deeds?
Open Landmark Records Search and search by name, parcel ID, recording number, document type, book and page, recording date, legal description or Torrens number.
Can I search King County recorded documents by address?
The Recorder search is not the best address-search starting point. Use King County Parcel Viewer by address first, then use the parcel number or owner name in Landmark Records Search.
What years are available online?
King County says most documents recorded on or after August 1, 1991 are available online. Older records are on microfilm through King County Archives.
How do I get a certified copy of a deed?
Search the document in Landmark, add it to the cart and choose certified copy at checkout. Certified copies ordered online are mailed to preserve the official seal.
How much does a certified recorded document copy cost?
For legal-size or smaller recorded documents, the listed fee is $3 for the first page and $1 for each additional page.
How much does it cost to record a deed in King County?
King County lists “all other documents” at $303.50 plus $1 for each additional page. Some document types have separate fees.
Can the Recorder prepare my deed?
No. Recorder staff cannot choose document types, fill out forms, provide templates or determine legal correctness.
What is RANS?
The Recording Activity Notification System is a free King County email alert service for recorded land records matching a registered name or parcel number.
Does RANS prevent deed fraud?
No. King County describes RANS as a notification tool only. It does not block or prevent recordings.
Who handles King County property tax bills?
King County Treasury Operations handles property tax bills and payments. The Recorder handles recorded documents.
Official resources