Des Moines Deed Records
Des Moines deed records are maintained by the King County Recorder's Office in Seattle. All property transfers in Des Moines, including home sales, refinances, and other conveyances, result in recorded documents that enter the permanent public record with the King County Auditor. This page explains how to search Des Moines deed records online or in person, what types of documents exist, and how the King County recording system handles property documents for this South King County city.
Des Moines Overview
King County Recorder for Des Moines Properties
The King County Recorder's Office is the official custodian of deed records for Des Moines and all other King County communities. Washington law designates county auditors as the custodians responsible for receiving, indexing, preserving, and providing public access to all recorded real estate documents. The Recorder's Office is located in the King County Administration Building at 500 Fourth Avenue, Room 430, Seattle. You can reach them by phone at (206) 477-6620.
Des Moines sits along the Puget Sound shoreline in south King County, between Seattle to the north and Federal Way to the south. The King County Recorder handles deed records for the entire county, including property transactions in Des Moines. The online records database covers documents recorded since August 1, 1991, and provides free public access to index data and document images. For older Des Moines property records, the King County Archives and the Puget Sound Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives are available resources.
| Office | King County Recorder's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | King County Administration Building 500 Fourth Avenue, Room 430 Seattle, WA 98104 |
| Phone | (206) 477-6620 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | kingcounty.gov/recorders-office |
The King County Parcel Viewer allows searches by address or parcel number. If you only have a Des Moines street address, the Parcel Viewer can identify the parcel number and legal description, then link you to the recorded document index for that specific parcel. This is often the fastest starting point when you do not know the grantor or grantee name.
How to Search Des Moines Deed Records
King County provides free online access to its recorded document index for all documents recorded since August 1991. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, document type, recording date range, or document number. The search returns index data with links to document images. Most documents from 1991 forward can be viewed online at no charge. Certified copies require a formal request and payment.
The Des Moines City Clerk's office processes public records requests for city-generated documents. The Clerk provides legal notices, processes claims for damages, and maintains official city records per RCW 42.56. It also coordinates with King County for elections. City records include ordinances, council minutes, and city agreements. These are separate from deed records, which are held at the county level.
The Des Moines City Clerk processes public records requests for city documents. Property deed records are maintained separately by the King County Recorder's Office.
For Des Moines deed searches, you need at least one of the following: the property owner's last name, the parcel number, the approximate recording date, or the document number if you have it. The King County online system accepts searches by any of these fields. Results show document type, party names, recording date, and document number. From the results page, you can pull up document images for most records.
Types of Recorded Documents in Des Moines
The King County Recorder maintains many types of property documents for Des Moines. Conveyance deeds are the most common. Washington law provides three main types under RCW Title 64. The Statutory Warranty Deed under RCW 64.04.030 is used in most standard sales and carries full seller guarantees. The Bargain and Sale Deed under RCW 64.04.040 limits warranties and often appears in bank or foreclosure sales. The Quitclaim Deed under RCW 64.04.050 conveys only the grantor's interest with no warranties.
Deeds of trust are also widely recorded in Des Moines as the standard mortgage instrument when lenders finance property purchases. Reconveyances are recorded when those loans are paid off. Easements, liens from contractors or courts, notices of trustee's sale, and lis pendens filings also show up regularly in Des Moines property title chains. Plats and boundary surveys establish the legal boundaries for Des Moines parcels and are also recorded with the county. All of these document types are indexed by grantor and grantee name and are searchable through the King County online system.
Note: Every deed submitted for recording must include a completed real estate excise tax affidavit stating the purchase price or grounds for exemption before the Recorder will accept it. These affidavits are also public records and can be useful when researching the sales history of a Des Moines property.
Des Moines Recording Fees
Washington State recording fees are set by the Legislature under RCW Chapters 36.18 and 36.22 and apply uniformly across all 39 counties. The current fee for recording a deed is $303.50 for the first page plus $1.00 per additional page. A deed of trust costs $304.50 for the first page. The fee includes housing-related surcharges totaling $283 that fund affordable housing programs throughout Washington.
Documents that do not meet formatting requirements under RCW 65.04 may be returned or assessed a $50 emergency non-standard fee when an alternative cover sheet is used. The most frequent issue is insufficient margins. The first page needs a three-inch top margin. All other pages need one-inch margins. The first page must also include the return address, document title, grantor and grantee names, abbreviated legal description, and parcel number.
Online Resources for Des Moines Deed Records
The Des Moines city website provides contact information for city departments and links to King County property resources including the Recorder and Assessor systems.
The King County Recorder's online system is the primary tool for Des Moines deed research. The system covers records from August 1991 forward and provides free image access for most documents. Copy fees are $1.00 per page for standard copies and $3.00 for the first page of a certified copy. For records before 1991, the King County Archives holds older recorded documents. The Archives can be contacted through the county website for access to pre-1991 Des Moines property records.
The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov provides another route for historical research. Its Land Records and Plats and Surveys collections cover properties across Washington, including King County. Real Property Record Cards with photographs from the 1930s and 1940s show buildings throughout the county as they appeared at that time. For Des Moines properties with long ownership histories, the Digital Archives can fill in gaps not covered by the county's online system.
Public Access to Deed Records
Deed records in King County are public. Washington's Public Records Act, RCW Chapter 42.56, gives everyone the right to inspect and copy recorded documents without explaining why. The county must respond to requests within five business days. Deeds are generally exempt from the privacy protections that apply to certain other types of government records.
Walk-in access at the King County Recorder's Office in Seattle is available during business hours. Public computers let you search the document index and view images on-site. Staff can help with searches and copy requests. Mail-in requests are also accepted. Include the document number, type of copy needed (standard or certified), and payment. Social Security numbers are redacted from online document images to protect personal information while still providing full access to property ownership data.
King County Deed Records
Des Moines is part of King County. All deed records for Des Moines properties are maintained by the King County Recorder's Office. The county page provides full detail on the recording system, search options, and resources available across King County.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities also file deed records through King County and other county recording offices.