Clark County Deed Records Lookup
Clark County deed records are maintained by the Clark County Auditor's Recording Department in Vancouver, Washington. The Auditor handles all real property recordings for the county, including warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, easements, liens, and plat documents. You can search Clark County deed records online through the county's property portal or visit the Auditor's office in person. Clark County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Washington, and the recording office processes a high volume of real property documents for the Vancouver metro area and surrounding communities.
Clark County Overview
Clark County Auditor Recording Department
The Clark County Auditor's Office Recording Department is led by Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey. The department handles recording of deeds and other documents affecting ownership of property or legal rights in Clark County. The Auditor's office maintains records dating back many decades and provides both online and in-person access to the public. Marriage records can also be obtained through the Auditor's office, while divorce records are held by the County Clerk.
The Clark County Records Office at 1300 Franklin Street handles open records requests across county departments. An open records request is the formal way to access specific government documents that may not be available through the public portal. For deed records specifically, the Auditor's Recording Department is the primary office. Birth and death records are maintained separately by Clark County Public Health at 1601 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., reachable at (564) 397-8092.
Under Washington law, the County Auditor and Deputy Auditors cannot give legal advice or help prepare instruments for recording. The responsibility for properly drafting deeds rests with the document preparer. The Auditor checks documents for proper formatting and required content, but not for legal sufficiency. Always consult an attorney if you have questions about whether a deed accomplishes what you intend.
| Office | Clark County Auditor - Recording Division |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | PO Box 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666 |
| Website | clark.wa.gov/auditor/recording |
| Records Office | 1300 Franklin Street, Vancouver, WA 98660 |
| GIS / Property Maps | clark.wa.gov/gis |
How to Search Clark County Deed Records
Clark County provides an online portal to view property records and recorded documents through the Auditor's website. You can search for recorded land documents by recording number, excise number, parcel number, or name. The GIS system at clark.wa.gov/gis integrates with the Auditor's recorded documents and allows searching by address or parcel number. The GIS maps include property records, road atlas, aerial photos, recorded septic documents, building permits, land use, and recorded subdivisions and plats.
For in-person access, visit the Auditor's Recording Department. Staff can assist with locating deed records, pull copies of specific documents, and guide you through the search process. The Clark County Assessor's records are also useful for identifying parcel numbers and ownership history. Once you have a parcel number, you can search the Auditor's recorded documents system to find the deeds tied to that property.
Most Clark County court records can be viewed online through the Clark County Courts website. The County Clerk is the custodian for court records, including divorce records. The County Clerk's office is at 1200 Franklin Street, Vancouver, WA 98660, phone (564) 397-2292. Deed records and court records are separate systems, so you may need to use both for complete property research.
The Clark County Auditor Recording Department page provides access to the online property portal, recording requirements, and contact information for the office that handles all deed filings in the county.
Clark County Recording Fees
Clark County recording fees are set by the Washington State Legislature and apply uniformly across all 39 counties. The standard fee for recording a deed is $303.50 for the first page plus $1.00 for each additional page under RCW 36.18. A deed of trust (the security instrument for most mortgages in Washington) costs $304.50 for the first page. The fee breakdown includes $9.00 for state and local historical preservation, $10.24 for local recording functions, and $184.26 for state and local affordable housing programs.
Starting July 27, 2025, assignments or substitutions of previously recorded deeds of trust increased to $301.00 for the first page. This change eliminated a prior fee exemption that had allowed these lender documents to be recorded at a much lower cost. If you are a lender or title company submitting assignment documents, expect the higher rate.
The emergency non-standard fee is $50 extra when a document uses a cover sheet because it does not meet the standard formatting requirements. Documents must have a three-inch top margin on the first page, one-inch margins on all sides of all other pages, legible text, minimum 8-point font, and no stapled or taped attachments. Non-certified copies cost $0.50 per page mailed or $0.25 emailed. Certified copies are $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page.
Deed Types and Property Instruments in Clark County
Clark County deed records reflect a wide range of property transactions. The three main deed types used in Washington are the statutory warranty deed under RCW 64.04.030, the bargain and sale deed under RCW 64.04.040, and the quitclaim deed under RCW 64.04.050. Statutory warranty deeds are most common in standard residential sales. Quitclaim deeds are used frequently for gifts between family members, property settlements after divorce, or correcting defects in prior deeds. Banks and lenders often use bargain and sale deeds when selling properties they acquired through foreclosure.
Every deed recorded in Clark County must include a proper legal description of the property. Under Washington case law established in Martin v. Seigel, a street address or parcel number alone is not sufficient. The deed must contain either a metes-and-bounds description or a lot, block, and plat reference. Before any deed can be recorded, the grantor must also complete and sign a real estate excise tax affidavit stating the sale price or claiming an exemption. Real estate excise tax on standard home sales under $525,000 runs at a combined rate of about 1.60% in Clark County.
Recording a deed in Clark County puts the rest of the world on constructive notice that the transaction occurred. Under RCW 65.08.070, the party who records first has priority in any dispute between competing claimants. This rule was confirmed by the Washington Supreme Court in a 2014 case and applies throughout the state. Delay in recording after a real estate closing creates legal risk that is easily avoided by recording promptly.
GIS, Maps, and Property Research Tools
Clark County's GIS system is one of the most useful tools for property research in the county. The interactive GIS provides property records, road atlas, aerial photos, environmental data, recorded septic documents, building permits, land use maps, quarter sections, recorded subdivisions and plats, and administrative boundaries. You can search by address, parcel number, or recording number to locate property information. The GIS data is integrated with the Auditor's recorded documents, so you can move from a map view directly to the deed records for that parcel.
Static GIS maps are also available for roads, zoning and planning, urban growth areas, mineral resources, and voting precincts. Historical aerial photography shows how properties have changed over time. The Washington State Archives and the Digital Archives hold older Clark County land records not available through the county's current online systems.
The Washington State Public Records Referral Guide published by the Secretary of State directs property researchers to County Assessor offices for property valuation records and to County Auditor offices for deed and title records. Both offices maintain distinct but complementary information about any parcel in Clark County.
Cities in Clark County
Clark County includes several major cities in the greater Vancouver area. All deed recordings for property in these cities go through the Clark County Auditor's Recording Department.
Other communities in Clark County include Battle Ground, Washougal, La Center, Ridgefield, and many unincorporated areas. Deed records for all Clark County properties are maintained at the Auditor's Recording Department.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Clark County. Each has its own recording office for deed and property documents.