Deed Records in Yakima County

Yakima County deed records are maintained by the Yakima County Auditor's Recording office at the Yakima County Courthouse in Yakima, Washington. The county offers four ways to access recorded land documents: a free online search for deeds and easements with indexes and images back to 1985, the Official Records Online system, a per-search Tapestry service for occasional users, and in-person visits at the courthouse. The recording office holds all real estate instruments filed in the county as permanent records, and once a document is recorded, it becomes part of the official public record for Yakima County.

Yakima County Auditor Recording Office

The Yakima County Auditor serves as custodian of all recorded documents in the county. The recording office handles deeds, judgments, liens, marriage licenses, plats, surveys, and all other instruments that must be filed under Washington law. Each document goes through the same process: receipt of the document and recording fees, indexing in the county system, maintenance for research purposes, and scanning for permanent digital storage. The Auditor's recording operations are based at Room 117 in the Yakima County Courthouse at 128 North 2nd St. in Yakima. More information is available at yakimacounty.us/249/Recording.

Yakima County uses an optical imaging system to index, scan, and store document images. Documents recorded from mid-February 1997 to the present are imaged and available digitally. Documents recorded before February 1997 are retrievable on microfilm. Archival records from the county are housed at the Central Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives. The county also offers a Property Fraud Alert notification service to help property owners know when documents are recorded under their names.

Four Ways to Find Yakima County Deed Records

Yakima County gives the public four distinct options for accessing recorded land documents. The right method depends on how often you search and what you need.

The free online search covers deeds and easements with index and image access back to 1985. This is the best starting point for most people. You don't need an account. You just search by name, document type, or date range and can view document images at no cost. For other recorded land records beyond deeds and easements, the Official Records Online system lets you request copies. Details on both options are available at yakimacounty.us/268/Researching-Documents.

The Yakima County document research page at yakimacounty.us outlines all four methods for accessing recorded land documents, including the free online search for deeds and easements dating back to 1985.

The Tapestry option costs $8.95 per search and $1.00 per page printed. It's designed for occasional users who want quick, one-off searches without creating a subscription account. Laredo Anywhere is the subscription-based option for high-volume users. It provides 24/7 access with real-time searching, but requires a minimum 6-month subscription commitment. That's better suited for title companies, attorneys, and other professionals who search records regularly.

Finally, you can visit the office in person at the Yakima County Courthouse. In-person visits allow unlimited searches at no charge. Copies cost $1.00 per page for regular copies, and certified copies run $3.00 for the first page plus $1.00 for each additional page. Bring the information you have about the property or the parties involved to speed up the search.

Deed Records and Recorded Documents in Yakima County

The Yakima County Recording page at yakimacounty.us explains how the recording office works, what documents it holds, and why recording matters for establishing public notice of property transactions.

The significance of recording is straightforward: it gives public notice of the document's subject matter. Once a deed is recorded in Yakima County, it becomes part of the official permanent record and cannot be revoked without also recording a revocation instrument. Under RCW 65.08.070, the first party to record has priority in any dispute over the same property. That race-to-record rule applies across all 39 Washington counties.

Washington recognizes three deed types under statute. A Statutory Warranty Deed under RCW 64.04.030 gives the buyer the strongest protection, with the seller warranting clear title against all claims. A Bargain and Sale Deed covers only the seller's ownership period. A Quitclaim Deed under RCW 64.04.050 conveys no warranties at all, just the grantor's current interest. All three must include a proper legal description, a grantor signature, and notarization to be recordable under RCW 64.04.020.

Beyond deeds, the recording office holds liens, mortgages, deeds of trust, easements, plat maps, surveys, real estate contracts, reconveyances, and many other property instruments. Each document becomes part of the public land record for every parcel in the county, searchable through the county's recording system.

Document Standards for Recording in Yakima County

The Yakima County Recording Requirements page details the specific formatting standards for deeds and other documents, including margin requirements, font size rules, and what must appear on the first page of any recorded instrument.

All documents submitted to the Yakima County Auditor must comply with Washington State recording standards under RCW 65.04. These rules have applied statewide since January 1, 1997. The auditor checks each document before accepting it. Documents that don't meet the standards are returned uncorrected. Staff cannot prepare or correct documents for submitters.

The first page needs a 3-inch top margin. All other margins must be at least 1 inch. The first page must include the return address, document title, grantor and grantee names, abbreviated legal description, and assessor's parcel number. Font must be at least 8 points. Paper cannot exceed 8.5 by 14 inches. No attachments can be taped or stapled to the face of the document. All ink must produce a legible scanned image.

A deed must contain a proper legal description. An address or parcel number alone doesn't work. The legal description must be either a metes and bounds description from a licensed surveyor or a lot, block, and plat reference to a recorded plat. Before a deed can be recorded, the parties must also sign and submit a real estate excise tax affidavit. That form documents the sale price or grounds for any exemption from the tax. Most property sales are subject to excise tax, while transfers by inheritance are generally exempt.

Additional Yakima County Property Resources

The Yakima County official website at yakimacounty.us connects you to county departments including the auditor, assessor, and treasurer, all of which may have records relevant to your deed research.

The Yakima County Auditor's recording system works alongside the assessor's office for property research. The assessor maintains current ownership and valuation data for all parcels in the county, indexed by parcel number. When you're doing deed research, checking the assessor records can help you find the parcel number before searching the recording system. For documents after 1997, the recording system is indexed by parcel number, making that cross-reference especially efficient.

Yakima County also offers a Property Fraud Alert service. This tool notifies property owners when a new document is recorded in their name. It's a free service designed to help catch fraudulent recordings early. Property fraud, including unauthorized deed transfers, has become a concern in many parts of the country. Signing up for alerts through the recording office is a practical step for Yakima County property owners who want to keep track of filings on their property.

For deep historical research, archival records from Yakima County are housed at the Central Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives. That branch holds transferred county records that may predate the current online and microfilm systems. The Washington State Digital Archives is another resource for historical deed and land record research, with digitized collections from county offices across the state. The Washington State Association of County Auditors sets professional standards for the recording office and ensures Yakima County's practices align with statewide requirements.

Cities in Yakima County

Yakima County is a large county in central Washington. All deed records and property documents for the county are filed with the Yakima County Auditor at the courthouse in Yakima.

Other communities in Yakima County include Selah, Union Gap, Sunnyside, Wapato, Toppenish, Grandview, and Moxee. Deed records for all properties in these areas are maintained at the Yakima County Auditor's Recording office in the courthouse.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Yakima County. Each has its own recording office for deed records and property documents.