Kirkland Deed Records Lookup
Kirkland deed records are maintained by the King County Recorder's Office, the official recording authority for all property documents in the city. Since Kirkland is located in King County, any deed, mortgage, lien, easement, or land instrument tied to a Kirkland property is filed and preserved through that office. You can search Kirkland deed records online through the King County records search portal, which covers documents recorded since August 1991, or use the King County Parcel Viewer to look up property details and links to recorded instruments by address or parcel number.
Kirkland Overview
King County Recorder's Office for Kirkland
All deed records for Kirkland properties are filed with the King County Recorder's Office. The recorder holds the official repository of real property documents for the county, including deeds, deeds of trust, liens, easements, plats, and surveys. Under Washington law, recording a deed in King County gives public notice of the transaction and establishes priority under RCW 65.08.070. The party who records first generally has legal priority over a prior unrecorded transfer of the same Kirkland property.
The King County Recorder is located at the King County Administration Building in Seattle. While the office serves the entire county from that location, most recording work for Kirkland properties is handled through e-recording services used by title companies and escrow agents. E-recording allows documents to be submitted digitally with same-day or next-day turnaround for most standard instruments.
| Office | King County Recorder's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 500 Fourth Avenue, Room 311 Seattle, WA 98104 |
| Phone | (206) 296-1570 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | kingcounty.gov/en/dept/records-licensing/recorders-office |
Kirkland City Hall is located at 123 Fifth Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033, and can be reached at 425-587-3000. City Hall handles city permits, zoning, and planning records, but property deed records are exclusively maintained by the King County Recorder. The city and county systems are separate, so start with the county for deed research.
Searching Kirkland Deed Records
King County's online records search covers documents recorded since August 1, 1991. You can search by property owner name (grantor or grantee), document type, recording date range, or parcel number. Results show the instrument type, recording date, parties, and a link to the document image. Viewing images is free. Unofficial copies can be printed or saved at no charge through the online portal.
The King County Parcel Viewer is also useful for Kirkland property research. It is a free mapping tool that lets you search by address or parcel number. Once you find the parcel, it displays the legal description, assessed value, recent sales, building details, and links to the recorded deed history in the recording system. The Parcel Viewer connects to the Assessor's property report, GIS information, and tax records, giving you a full picture of the property without needing to know the exact document number in advance.
Kirkland's city website also offers a property search tool at kirklandwa.gov that covers permit history, tax assessments, and planning records by address or parcel number. This city tool is separate from the deed record system, but useful when you want to see permits issued for a specific Kirkland address alongside the deed records held at the county.
Kirkland's public records request system handles city-held documents under the Washington Public Records Act, while deed records are maintained separately by the King County Recorder's Office.
Deed Record Types in Kirkland
Kirkland deed records include several document types that appear frequently in the King County recording system. The three main deed types in Washington are the Statutory Warranty Deed, the Bargain and Sale Deed, and the Quitclaim Deed. Each has a specific use case and level of warranty. Most residential property sales in Kirkland use a Statutory Warranty Deed, which provides the most complete guarantees for the buyer under RCW 64.04.030.
Quitclaim Deeds under RCW 64.04.050 convey only what the grantor actually holds, without any warranty. These appear often in Kirkland deed records when property is transferred between family members, moved into a trust, or when a prior deed needs a correction. The absence of a warranty does not mean there is a title problem. It simply means the parties chose not to include one.
Bargain and Sale Deeds under RCW 64.04.040 offer a middle level of protection. The grantor warrants the title only for the period they held the property. Banks and lenders typically use these after foreclosure. You will also find deeds of trust among Kirkland deed records. Washington uses deeds of trust rather than traditional mortgages for most home loans. The deed of trust creates a lien on the property, and a reconveyance is recorded when the loan is paid off. Both appear in the public record.
Note: Washington law requires deeds to contain a written legal description, not just an address or parcel number. This requirement comes from RCW 64.04.020 and case law going back to Martin v. Seigel, 35 Wn.2d 223.How Deed Recording Works in Kirkland
Washington State recording standards under RCW 65.04 apply to all deeds filed in King County for Kirkland properties. Every document must be legible, on paper no larger than 8.5 by 14 inches, with a three-inch top margin on the first page and one-inch margins on all other pages and sides. The first page must include the document title, grantor and grantee names, a return address, abbreviated legal description, and Assessor's parcel number if applicable.
The purpose of these requirements is to allow the recorder to image and index documents consistently across all 39 Washington counties. Once a deed is recorded, it is assigned a recording number and becomes part of the official public record. Recording constitutes legal delivery under RCW 65.08.095. That means filing for record serves as official delivery of the deed for legal purposes, even if the physical document is not handed directly to the grantee.
Before any deed can be recorded in Kirkland, the parties must complete a Real Estate Excise Tax affidavit. This document states the sales price or the grounds for any tax exemption. REET is Washington's transfer tax on real estate sales, and it applies to most Kirkland property transfers. The affidavit is submitted with the deed at the time of recording.
Kirkland City Public Records
The City of Kirkland handles public records requests for city-level documents under the Washington Public Records Act at RCW 42.56. The city clerk's office responds to requests within five business days. City-held records include planning files, code enforcement records, GIS layers, building permits, fire records, and police records. These are separate from deed records but can be relevant when researching the full history of a Kirkland property.
The City of Kirkland's official website at kirklandwa.gov provides access to planning records, permits, and property search tools that supplement the deed records held by the King County Recorder's Office.
Requests for Kirkland public records can be submitted online, by email, by mail, or in person at City Hall. The city cannot charge for inspecting records, but may charge for copying. Standard copy fees under state guidelines are $0.15 per page for photocopies. If records are available on the city's website, staff will typically direct you there first to save time and costs.
King County Deed Records
Kirkland is in King County, and the King County Recorder's Office is where all deed records for the city are filed and preserved. For more about the county recording system, document types, and how to request copies, visit the King County deed records page.
Nearby Cities
These cities neighbor Kirkland and use King County recording for their deed records.