Search Deed Records in Spokane County

Spokane County deed records are kept by the Spokane County Auditor's Recording Department at 1116 West Broadway Ave. in Spokane. You can search recorded documents online for free through the county's portal, or visit the office in person to view records on public computers. The recording department handles all real estate documents, liens, maps, and surveys filed in the county. If you need to find a warranty deed, quitclaim deed, or other land record in Spokane County, the online search tool covers documents recorded after 1960 with full index information and images.

Spokane County Auditor Recording Department

The Spokane County Auditor serves as the official "Custodian of Records" under the Revised Code of Washington. That means all real estate documents filed in the county go through this office. The department records deeds, liens, mortgages, plats, surveys, military discharges, and related land documents. They index each document, maintain the records permanently, and make them available for public inspection. You can learn more about the full scope of their work at spokanecounty.gov/299/Recording.

State law under RCW 65 and RCW 36 sets the rules for what gets recorded and what fees apply. The auditor's staff cannot give legal advice on your documents. Their job is to check that fees are paid, the document title is present, indexing info is complete, and the format meets state standards. If a document doesn't meet those standards, it gets returned for correction. That responsibility falls on whoever prepared or submitted the document.

The office is also where you go for marriage licenses, county business licenses, and process server licenses. For deed records and land documents specifically, their recording counter handles receipt, review, and official filing.

Search Spokane County Deed Records Online

Spokane County provides free online access to recorded documents through its official search portal. The system covers land records, maps, plats, and marriage licenses. You can search by name, document number, date range, or legal description. Document images are available for records going back to 1960. For anything earlier, you would need to visit the office and use microfilm.

The Spokane County Recording Department page at spokanecounty.gov explains how the office works and what documents they handle, including deeds, liens, maps, and surveys.

The online search tool at recording.spokanecounty.org lets you look up documents without creating an account. You can view index information and document images once you find the record you need. Deeds of trust and some other documents may not be viewable online because they contain personal identifiers like Social Security numbers. Those records are available at the public computers in the office lobby.

The Spokane County online recording search gives you free access to document indexes and images for land records filed after 1960, including deeds, easements, and plat records.

Documents recorded prior to June 3, 1996 use a ten-digit recording number with volume and page references. Newer documents use a seven-digit recording number. If you are searching older records, keep that numbering difference in mind. Birth and death records from 1890 to 1907 were also recorded in Spokane County and can be accessed through the Washington State Digital Archives.

Note: The index of recorded documents is public, but not all document images are available online due to privacy restrictions on certain document types.

What Deed Records Cover in Spokane County

When someone buys or sells property in Spokane County, the deed gets recorded with the county auditor. Recording serves a clear purpose under state law: it puts the public on notice that the transaction happened. Under RCW 65.08.070, the party who records first has priority in a dispute over the same property. That principle, called "race to record," is well established in Washington law.

Washington recognizes three main deed types. A Statutory Warranty Deed under RCW 64.04.030 gives buyers the strongest protection, with the seller promising they own the property free of undisclosed encumbrances. A Bargain and Sale Deed under RCW 64.04.040 offers more limited warranties covering only the period the seller held the property. A Quitclaim Deed under RCW 64.04.050 transfers whatever interest the grantor has with no warranties at all. Each type gets indexed and filed the same way at the county level.

Beyond deeds, the Spokane County Auditor records liens, easements, mortgages, deeds of trust, plat maps, surveys, real estate contracts, and other instruments that affect real property. Maps and plats are also available online through the recording portal. All of these documents make up the public land record for any parcel in the county.

Under RCW 65.08.095, recording an instrument also constitutes legal delivery of the document. That means filing for record has real legal significance beyond just making a document public. Once a deed is recorded, it cannot be revoked without also recording a revocation in the same office.

Document Format and Recording Requirements

Washington State sets strict formatting rules for all documents submitted for recording. These rules apply in every county, including Spokane. The standards are set under RCW 65.04 and RCW 36.18. Documents that don't meet the standards get returned to the submitter uncorrected.

Key format requirements include: paper no larger than 8.5 by 14 inches, font size of at least 8 points, ink that produces a legible image, and no taped or stapled attachments on the face of the document. The first page must have a 3-inch top margin and 1-inch margins on all other sides. That first page must also show the return address, document title, names of grantors and grantees, an abbreviated legal description, and the assessor's parcel number.

If the first page of your document doesn't have the required 3-inch top margin, you can attach a cover sheet to meet the indexing requirements. Using a cover sheet adds $1 to the recording fee. If the document has serious formatting issues and you need an emergency non-standard cover sheet to avoid reformatting, that costs $50 plus the $1 cover sheet fee on top of normal recording fees. The simpler and cleaner the document format, the smoother the recording process goes.

Note: County auditor staff cannot advise you on how to prepare your deed. Consult a real estate attorney or title company if you have questions about document preparation.

Spokane County Recording Fees

Recording fees in Washington are set by state law and apply uniformly across all 39 counties. As of January 1, 2024, the standard fee to record a deed or other real estate instrument is $303.50 for the first page, plus $1.00 for each additional page. That base fee includes a $183 housing affordability surcharge and a $100 Covenant Homeownership surcharge, both of which fund statewide housing programs. A deed of trust costs $304.50 for the first page due to an additional $1 archive fee.

Copies of recorded documents cost $1.00 per page for uncertified copies. Certified copies are $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. If you need a copy of a recorded map or plat, those cost $5.00 for the first page and $3.00 for each additional page of the same survey. The fee structure is governed by RCW Chapters 36.18 and 36.22.

Before recording a deed in Spokane County, the parties must also complete a real estate excise tax affidavit. This form states the sale price or the grounds for any exemption. Under state law, any conveyance of real property is potentially subject to excise tax. Typical home sales under $525,000 incur a combined rate of about 1.60 percent. Sales of higher value see progressively higher rates. Transfers by inheritance are generally exempt. The affidavit must be signed and submitted before the deed can be recorded.

Historical Deed Records for Spokane County

Spokane County has records going back well into the 1800s. Documents recorded after 1960 are available digitally through the online search portal. Records from before 1960 exist on microfilm at the county auditor's office. If you need those older records, you would need to visit in person or contact the office to ask about their research options.

The Washington State Archives also holds historical records from county governments across the state. The Eastern Regional Branch, which covers Spokane and surrounding counties, may have documents transferred from the county that predate the online system. Researchers working on chain of title for older properties sometimes need to check both the county auditor's office and the state archives to find everything they need.

The Washington State Digital Archives is another option for historical research. That system includes land records, plat records, real property cards, and other documents digitized from county and state collections. Birth and death records from 1890 to 1907 that were originally recorded in Spokane County are also accessible there rather than through the county health department.

Cities in Spokane County

Spokane County includes several cities and communities. All deed records for the county are filed with the Spokane County Auditor, regardless of which city the property is located in.

Other communities in Spokane County include Cheney, Medical Lake, Airway Heights, Liberty Lake, Millwood, and many unincorporated areas. All property deed records for these areas are kept at the Spokane County Auditor's office.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Spokane County. Each maintains its own deed records through its county auditor's office.