San Juan County Deed Records
San Juan County deed records are maintained by the County Auditor in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. The Auditor's recording division is the official custodian of all instruments that affect real property in the county, including deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, plats, and surveys. To search San Juan County deed records or get copies of recorded property documents, the Auditor's office in Friday Harbor is the primary source. The Auditor maintains a searchable public records index and accepts in-person, mail, and online copy requests.
San Juan County Overview
San Juan County Auditor Recording Division
Under RCW 36.22.010, the County Auditor is the "recorder of deeds and other instruments in writing which by law are to be filed and recorded in and for the county." The San Juan County Auditor's recording division maintains the official public record by indexing and organizing all deeds, plats, and surveys for public retrieval. All documents that affect real property in the county must be recorded here to be effective against parties who later acquire an interest in the same property.
San Juan County covers the island county in northwest Washington, including San Juan Island, Orcas Island, Lopez Island, and many smaller islands in the archipelago. Real estate transactions in the islands involve property that can only be reached by ferry or small plane, which makes the recording office in Friday Harbor the single point of entry for all deed records. The recording division also processes real estate excise tax affidavits, which must accompany deeds for sales transactions.
The Auditor's staff maintain original plat maps in the Auditor's Vault. Digital copies of recorded maps go to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. This dual-preservation system protects the integrity of boundary and survey records. For transfers or sales, escrow closes when the recorder labels the document with the official time of recording. That time stamp is the record date for all purposes, including priority between competing claimants.
| Office | San Juan County Auditor - Recording Division |
|---|---|
| Address |
350 Court Street Friday Harbor, WA 98250 |
| Phone | (360) 378-2161 |
| Fax | (360) 378-6256 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | sanjuancountywa.gov/Recording |
How to Search San Juan County Deed Records
The San Juan County Auditor provides a recorded document search tool that lets you look up deed records online. You can search by document number, name, or legal description. This covers deeds, deeds of trust, liens, easements, and other property instruments recorded with the county. For most users, the online search is the fastest way to find what you need without traveling to Friday Harbor.
The San Juan County Assessor, also located at 350 Court St., Friday Harbor, handles property assessment records. The Assessor's database lets you search for property ownership, tax information, deed history, and parcel maps by account number, owner name, or address. The Assessor's information is complementary to the Auditor's deed records, and using both together gives you a complete picture of a property's ownership and tax status.
The San Juan County Recording Division page outlines the types of documents recorded, the Auditor's role under state law, and how to access the public records index for deed research in the islands.
In-person research is available at the Friday Harbor courthouse during regular hours. Because San Juan County is only accessible by ferry or small aircraft, plan your visit accordingly. The Auditor's staff can assist with searches and provide copies. Mail requests are an alternative for people who cannot make the trip. Include the document number or party names and approximate recording date, along with your payment for copy fees.
The Washington State Digital Archives also holds historical land records from San Juan County. The Digital Archives is searchable from any computer. If you need older deeds or records that are not accessible through the county's online system, the Digital Archives may have digitized versions available.
San Juan County Recording Fees
Recording fees in San Juan County are the same as in every Washington county because they are set by state law under RCW Chapter 36.18. The standard fee to record a deed is $303.50 for the first page, plus $1.00 for each additional page. A deed of trust costs $304.50 for the first page. The fees include housing surcharges that fund affordable housing and down-payment programs throughout Washington.
Formatting requirements must be met or additional fees apply. The first page of a document must have a 3-inch top margin and at least 1-inch margins on all other sides. It must contain the document title, grantor and grantee names, legal description, and the assessor's parcel number where applicable. If a document doesn't meet these requirements, a nonstandard cover sheet is needed and a $50 surcharge applies in addition to the normal recording fee.
Certified copies of recorded documents cost $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. Plain uncertified copies are $1.00 per page. Military discharge documents (DD-214) are recorded at no charge as required by state law. Real estate excise tax must also be settled before the Auditor can record a deed for a sale. The tax rate for most home sales in Washington is about 1.60 percent on sales under $525,000, with higher rates for higher-value sales.
Note: Starting July 27, 2025, assignments or substitutions of deeds of trust cost $301.00 for the first page, a major increase from the prior rate. This change applies statewide including San Juan County.
Document Types in San Juan County Records
San Juan County deed records cover a range of instruments that affect real property in the islands. Deeds transfer ownership. In Washington, a deed must be in writing, contain a legal description, be signed by the grantor, and be notarized under RCW 64.04.020. An address is never a sufficient legal description; the deed must reference either a metes and bounds survey description or a lot and block reference from a recorded plat.
Beyond standard ownership deeds, the recording division keeps deeds of trust, reconveyances, mortgages, liens, and land contracts. Easements providing access rights or utility corridors across property must also be recorded to bind future owners. Surveys, short plats, long plats, and condominium maps are examples of the Mylar map records that go into the Auditor's vault. These plat maps are the definitive record of how land has been divided and what legal descriptions apply to individual parcels in San Juan County.
Legal name changes processed through district court are also recorded at the Auditor's office. County-generated documents, including vacation of public roads and annexations affecting property rights, become part of the recording division's permanent record as well. Each of these instruments, once recorded, gives legal notice to the public and cannot be unrecorded.
Accessing San Juan County Deed Records
San Juan County deed records are public records under Washington's Public Records Act at RCW 42.56. Anyone can inspect them. You do not need to explain why you want the records, and you don't need to be a party to a deed or have any ownership interest in the property. The county auditor keeps them as part of its public duties under state law.
The San Juan County official website connects residents and researchers to auditor services, recording information, and online access tools for finding deed records and other official property documents in the islands.
For mail requests, write to the San Juan County Auditor at 350 Court Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. Include the document number or the party names and approximate recording date, along with payment for copy fees. Keep in mind that the county is only accessible by ferry, so mail may take extra transit time. Planning ahead helps if you need records quickly.
The Washington State Archives maintains the Northwest Regional Branch, which holds historical records from northwest Washington counties including San Juan County. If you need records that predate the county's digital system or that aren't accessible through the Auditor's online search, the Northwest Regional Branch may be able to help. Contact the State Archives for assistance with older land records or complex historical title searches.
Cities in San Juan County
San Juan County includes Friday Harbor (the county seat on San Juan Island) and unincorporated communities on the other islands, including Eastsound on Orcas Island and Lopez Village on Lopez Island. All deed records for the county are filed with the San Juan County Auditor in Friday Harbor. None of the communities in San Juan County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.
Nearby Counties
San Juan County is an island county in northwest Washington. The mainland counties closest to the islands are listed below.