Find Deed Records in Stevens County

Stevens County deed records are maintained by the Recording Department within the Stevens County Auditor's Office in Colville, Washington. The office holds land records dating back to 1862, with the earliest documents recorded under the Preemption Act of 1841. To search or obtain deed records in Stevens County, you can contact the auditor's office directly, visit in person, or reach out about digital images they can provide upon request. Land deed records have been digitized but are not available through a public online portal at this time.

Stevens County Auditor Recording Department

The Stevens County Auditor's Office in Colville handles recording for the entire county. The recording department takes in real estate documents, liens, maps, surveys, military discharges, and other instruments that must be filed under Washington law. As the official custodian of records, the auditor's office indexes each document, maintains it permanently, and makes it available to the public. You can find more information about the recording department at stevenscountywa.gov.

Land deed records in Stevens County go back to 1862. The county was organized in 1863 from Walla Walla County. Those early records capture some of the first formal property transactions in what was then frontier territory. If you need documents from that era, the auditor's office has digitized many of them, though they aren't available through an online portal. You would need to contact the office directly to request digital images.

The Stevens County Historical Society also holds digital copies of deeds recorded up to 1985. That's a useful supplemental resource if the auditor's office has limited availability for older records. For recent deed transactions, the auditor's office is your primary contact.

How to Access Stevens County Deed Records

The Stevens County Recording Department page provides information on how to submit documents for recording, office hours, and contact details for the auditor's recording staff in Colville.

Stevens County deed records are not available through a free online search portal. To get a deed record, you have a few options. You can visit the office in person at 215 S Oak St in Colville and review records on the office's equipment. You can also call or write to the office and ask for a specific document by name, date range, or parcel information. The office can provide digital images of records upon request, which is a practical option if you can't make the trip to Colville.

For historical deed research, the Washington State Digital Archives is another avenue worth checking. That platform holds digitized collections from county and state offices across Washington. While the primary focus for Stevens County is marriage records and some other document types, land-related collections may also be indexed there. The Eastern Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives, located in Cheney, serves Stevens County and may hold transferred county records that predate what's available at the local office.

The Stevens County official website at stevenscountywa.gov is the starting point for finding county offices, department contacts, and links to recording services and other auditor functions.

Note: Because online access is limited for Stevens County deed records, contacting the office by phone before your visit is a good idea to confirm what's available and how to request copies.

Types of Documents Recorded in Stevens County

The Stevens County Recording Department files a wide range of real estate and land-related documents. Warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, and bargain and sale deeds are the most common deed types. Each transfers property ownership with different levels of warranty from the grantor to the grantee. Under RCW 64.04.020, a valid deed must be in writing, contain a legal description, be signed by the grantor, and have the grantor's signature notarized.

Beyond deeds, the recording department also files mortgages, deeds of trust, easements, liens, real estate contracts, plat maps, surveys, reconveyances, and military discharge records. Each of these documents affects real property in some way and must be officially recorded to be enforceable against third parties. Washington's recording statute, RCW 65.08.070, establishes the race-to-record priority rule, meaning the party who records first generally wins in a dispute over the same property.

A deed must include a legal description of the property, not just a street address or parcel number. Under Washington case law established in Martin v. Seigel, a deed without a proper legal description is not enforceable. The legal description must be either a metes and bounds description from a surveyor or a lot, block, and plat description referring to a recorded plat. That plat would also be on file with the county auditor.

Document Requirements for Recording

Washington State law sets uniform formatting requirements for all documents submitted to any county recording office. These rules come from RCW 65.04 and RCW 36.18 and have been in effect since January 1, 1997. Documents that don't meet these standards are returned for correction. The Stevens County Auditor's staff will not modify or correct a document for you.

The first page of any document must have a 3-inch top margin. All other margins must be at least 1 inch. The first page must show the return address, the document title, the grantor and grantee names, a legal description or reference to it, and the assessor's property tax parcel number if one exists. Font must be at least 8 points, and the paper and ink must produce a legible image when scanned. No attachments can be taped or stapled to the face of the document.

If you submit a document with inadequate margins, you can attach a cover sheet to meet the 3-inch top margin requirement. That adds $1 to the recording fee. An emergency non-standard cover sheet, used when reformatting is not feasible, adds $50 plus the cover sheet fee on top of all other recording costs. Before you record a deed, you must also complete a real estate excise tax affidavit stating the sale price or grounds for exemption.

The Washington State Digital Archives holds digitized collections from Stevens County, including marriage records and indexes for land documents that can supplement your deed record research.

Recording Fees in Stevens County

Stevens County follows the same fee structure as every other Washington county. Recording fees are set by the state legislature under RCW 36.18 and RCW 36.22. As of January 1, 2024, it costs $303.50 to record the first page of a deed, plus $1.00 for each additional page. That fee includes a $183 housing affordability surcharge and a $100 Covenant Homeownership surcharge. A deed of trust costs $304.50 for the first page.

Copies of recorded documents run $1.00 per page for regular copies. Certified copies cost $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. If a staff search is required for pre-database records, the county charges $8.00 per hour for research time. That fee applies when you need records that aren't indexed digitally and staff must manually search microfilm or older record books.

The Washington State Association of County Auditors represents the recording officers in all 39 counties, including Stevens. WSACA works to standardize recording procedures and keep auditors up to date on changes to state law. Their recording manual provides detailed guidance on what fees apply, how indexing works, and what documents must meet to pass review. Under state law, once a document is recorded, it cannot be revoked without also recording a revocation instrument in the same office.

Cities in Stevens County

Stevens County includes several smaller communities in northeastern Washington. All deed records for properties in the county are filed with the Stevens County Auditor's Office in Colville.

Communities in Stevens County include Colville (the county seat), Chewelah, Kettle Falls, Northport, and Marcus. None of these cities currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. For deed records related to any property in Stevens County, contact the auditor's office directly in Colville.

Nearby Counties

Stevens County borders these Washington counties. Each has its own recording office for deed records and land documents.