Graham Deed Records

Graham deed records are filed and maintained by the Pierce County Auditor's Office in Tacoma. When property in Graham is sold, refinanced, or transferred, the deed gets recorded there and becomes part of the permanent public record. You can search those records online by parcel number, owner name, or site address to find ownership history, liens, easements, and other documents tied to any piece of land in Graham. This page covers how the system works, which office handles recordings, what document types you will find, and how to get copies when you need them.

Pierce County Auditor's Office for Graham

All deed records for Graham properties are maintained by the Pierce County Auditor's Office. The Auditor serves as the official recording authority for real property documents in Pierce County under Washington State law. When a property in Graham changes hands, the deed must be recorded here to be legally effective against third parties. The office indexes and stores these documents permanently so that anyone can search ownership history or check title on a parcel.

The Recording Department sits in Tacoma and handles a wide range of document types: deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, easements, liens, plats, surveys, and more. Graham is an unincorporated community in Pierce County, and all property conveyance documents for Graham addresses pass through this same office. Staff can help you locate documents, pull copies, and provide certified versions when needed. The Assessor-Treasurer Information Portal also provides comprehensive property information including assessed values and tax records tied to any Graham parcel.

Note: Bring a valid photo ID when visiting the office in person. The Recording Department is open during standard business hours and does not require an appointment for most records requests.

How to Search Graham Deed Records

The Pierce County Auditor offers an online search tool for recorded documents. You can look up Graham deed records by parcel number, site address, or owner name. The Assessor-Treasurer Information Portal ties property tax data to the same parcel IDs used in the recording system, so you can move between the two systems when researching a property. Documents from 1984 to present are searchable online. Older records may require a visit to the county office or a written request.

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov holds historical land records for Pierce County that may predate the county's online system. For Graham properties with long ownership histories, the Digital Archives is worth checking. You can search by name across multiple record collections including land records, plats and surveys, and real property record cards. The collection at Pierce County is documented at digitalarchives.wa.gov/Collections/TitleInfo/27 and includes a broad range of document types from acknowledgements and affidavits to warranty deeds and tax deeds.

The Washington State Digital Archives provides access to historical land records and deed documents for Pierce County properties, including older Graham area transactions that predate the county's current online system.

To search online, start with the parcel number if you have it. The parcel number ties directly to the recorded document index and will return the most accurate results. If you don't have the parcel number, search by owner name or property address. Most deed searches involve entering the last name of the grantor or grantee and scanning the result list for matching entries. The system shows document type, recording date, and document number.

Types of Deed Records in Graham

Pierce County records a wide range of document types for Graham properties. Knowing which type was used in a past transaction tells you a lot about how title was transferred and what promises the seller made.

The Statutory Warranty Deed is the most common type in standard sales. It carries full covenants, meaning the seller guarantees clear ownership and promises to defend the title against future claims. The Bargain and Sale Deed provides more limited protection, covering only the seller's period of ownership. Banks often use this form after foreclosure. The Quitclaim Deed conveys whatever interest the grantor holds with no covenants at all. It is used to add or remove a spouse from title, resolve disputes, or clear up ambiguous ownership situations. Pierce County also records Special Warranty Deeds, Sheriff's Deeds, Trustee's Deeds, Transfer on Death Deeds, and Tax Deeds, all of which show up in Graham property histories.

Other recorded documents tied to Graham parcels include deeds of trust, which are the loan security instruments lenders file when a mortgage is made. Full Reconveyances are recorded when those loans are paid off. Easements grant use rights to neighbors or utility companies. Liens record claims against the property for unpaid debts, contractor work, or court judgments. Notices of Trustee's Sale flag properties in the foreclosure process. All of these documents are indexed in the Pierce County system and searchable online or in person.

Pierce County's recording system tracks all document types filed against Graham properties, from standard warranty deeds to notices of trustee's sale and tax deeds.

Recording and Copy Fees for Graham Properties

Washington State sets recording fees by statute under RCW Chapter 36.18. Fees include a base recording charge plus surcharges that fund statewide housing programs. The Pierce County Auditor collects these fees at the time a document is submitted for recording, whether by mail, in person, or through an electronic recording service.

Copy fees for recorded documents are $1.00 per page for standard copies. Certified copies cost $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. If you want a certified copy of a deed or deed of trust for a Graham property, you can request it in writing, by phone, or by visiting the Recording Department at 2401 S 35th St in Tacoma. Documents that do not meet the formatting standards in RCW 65.04 may be returned or assessed a non-standard surcharge, so it is worth reviewing those requirements before submitting.

Note: Real estate excise tax affidavits must accompany every deed before it can be recorded. These affidavits state the sale price or the reason for exemption and become part of the public record alongside the deed.

Online Access to Graham Deed Records

Pierce County provides online access to recorded documents through its public search portal. The system covers documents recorded from 1984 to present. You can search by name, document type, parcel number, or recording date and view index data for most documents without charge. The Assessor-Treasurer Information Portal adds a layer of context by linking property tax records, ownership details, and assessed values to the same parcels. Both tools are available online and do not require a login to perform a basic search.

For older records, the Washington State Digital Archives is the main backup. The Archives covers Pierce County land records in a searchable collection that includes documents predating the county's current online system. If you are tracing ownership of a Graham property back more than a few decades, the Digital Archives may have records that fill in the gaps. The collection includes land corner records, plat documents, and other historical recordings that are not always part of the county's active database.

Under Washington's Public Records Act, RCW Chapter 42.56, deed records are open to anyone. You do not need to give a reason to access them. The county cannot ask why you want to see a record. This open access is a core part of Washington's property recording system and applies to Graham deed records just as it does to any other location in the state.

Pierce County Deed Records

Graham is located in Pierce County, and all deed records for Graham properties are maintained at the Pierce County Auditor's Office. The county page has more detail on the recording office, search tools, fees, and resources available across the full Pierce County system.

View Pierce County Deed Records

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Graham and also have deed records filed through Pierce County or a neighboring county recorder.