Deed Records in Kittitas County

Kittitas County deed records are kept by the County Auditor in Ellensburg. The Auditor serves as the official custodian of all recorded real property instruments in the county, including deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and plats. If you need to search deed records for properties in Kittitas County, the Auditor's office is the place to start. The Washington State Digital Archives also holds historical land records from the county, and the county's own system provides online access to more recent recordings. This page explains how deed records work in Kittitas County and how to get what you need.

Kittitas County Auditor's Office

The Kittitas County Auditor is the elected official responsible for maintaining the county's permanent property records. As the recorder, the Auditor's duties include receiving real property documents such as deeds, real estate contracts, and liens, entering them into the official public record, and maintaining them in perpetuity. Each document gets a date, time, and unique auditor's file number. An index is created and an image of the document is captured. These records are then available for public inspection under the Washington Public Records Act, RCW 42.56.

Kittitas County was organized in 1883 from part of Yakima County, with Ellensburg as the county seat. The county spans from the Cascade crest eastward into the Kittitas Valley, covering a mix of rural ranch land, forest parcels, and residential properties around Ellensburg. All deed records for properties anywhere in the county, regardless of city or unincorporated status, are filed at the Auditor's office.

Searching Kittitas County Deed Records

For online access to historical Kittitas County deed records, the Washington State Digital Archives is the main resource. The Central Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives, reachable at (509) 963-2136 or by email at cebrancharchives@sos.wa.gov, can assist researchers with specific records not yet digitized or with older documents stored in the physical archive. The Digital Archives platform lets you search across collections by name and document type.

The Kittitas County Auditor's office in Ellensburg provides in-person access to the full property records database. Staff can help look up deeds by grantor name, grantee name, or auditor's file number. The county also has online search access to more recently recorded documents. Third-party property records aggregators note that documents dealing with real estate transfers are also filed with the Auditor and entered into the transfer record, with plat and transfer records maintained to show the ownership of all parcels for taxation purposes.

When searching deed records in Kittitas County, having the grantor or grantee name and an approximate recording date will make the search faster. A parcel number from the county assessor is also useful. The Assessor's office and the Auditor's office work together, since transfer records feed into the assessor's ownership database.

The Washington State Digital Archives holds Kittitas County land records including indexes and images, accessible online and through the Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg.

Recording Fees in Kittitas County

Kittitas County follows the recording fee schedule set by the Washington State Legislature. As of January 1, 2024, the standard fee for recording most documents, including warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds, is $303.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. Deeds of trust carry a $304.50 first-page fee. These fees are mandated statewide under RCW 36.18 and RCW 36.22, and include a housing affordability surcharge. Non-standard documents not meeting the required formatting specifications carry an emergency non-standard fee of $50 in addition to the base recording fee.

Documents must meet all state formatting requirements to be accepted for recording. The first page needs a three-inch top margin and one-inch margins on sides and bottom. Minimum font size is 8 point. No attachments may be affixed to the document. Documents that fail to meet these standards will be returned for correction, which can delay recording. The Auditor's office can only verify formatting, not interpret documents or provide legal advice.

Note: Confirm fees with the Kittitas County Auditor before submitting documents for recording, as the legislature may update the fee schedule.

Deed Record Types in Kittitas County

Kittitas County deed records cover a broad range of real property instruments. Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds are the most commonly filed deed types. Under Washington law, a Statutory Warranty Deed under RCW 64.04.030 provides the strongest buyer protections, with the grantor warranting against any title defects. A Quitclaim Deed under RCW 64.04.050 transfers only what the grantor holds, with no title guarantees. Both types require a proper legal description, a notarized grantor signature, and compliance with Washington formatting rules under RCW 65.04.

In addition to standard deeds, Kittitas County records real estate contracts, deeds of trust, easements, liens, mortgages, reconveyances, assignments, and subordination agreements. Agricultural and ranch properties in Kittitas County may also have water rights documents and mineral rights filings on record. Transfer on death deeds have been increasingly used in recent years, allowing property to pass directly to a named beneficiary without probate.

Washington's "race to record" principle under RCW 65.08.070 makes the time of recording legally important. The first party to record a properly executed deed takes priority over any earlier but unrecorded conveyance of the same property. This rule is central to how property transactions work in Kittitas County and across Washington State.

State Resources for Kittitas County Deed Research

The Washington State Digital Archives provides a free online portal for searching historical government records, including land records from Kittitas County. The platform is maintained by the Washington Secretary of State and allows searches by name, date, and document type across all available county collections. For Kittitas County records, the Central Regional Branch of the State Archives in Ellensburg is the primary physical repository for older documents.

The Washington State Archives also provides an "Ask an Archivist" service that can help researchers who are unsure where to locate specific older property records. If the document you need is not yet digitized, the archivist can point you to the right branch or collection. This service is free and can save significant time for complex title research projects.

The Washington State Association of County Auditors represents Kittitas County's Auditor along with all other county auditors in Washington. The WSACA sets statewide recording standards, provides professional training, and works with the legislature on recording fee and access policy issues. Their guidelines ensure Kittitas County deed records follow the same uniform practices used across all 39 counties.

Cities in Kittitas County

Kittitas County includes Ellensburg, Cle Elum, South Cle Elum, Kittitas, and Roslyn. All deed records for properties in these communities are filed with the Kittitas County Auditor at 205 W. 5th Ave. in Ellensburg.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Kittitas County. Property near county lines may involve recording in more than one county in some circumstances.