If you are planning to buy, sell, or refinance a property in King County, Washington, you may want to do it before January 1, 2024. That’s when the recording fee for most documents will increase by $100, from $203.50 to $303.50 per document¹. This fee increase is mandated by state law and will affect deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and other real estate transactions.

Types of Documents affected:

• Real estate documents, such as deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, real estate tax affidavits, etc.
• Survey, condominium and plat maps
• Power of attorney records
• Boundary line adjustments
• Lot line eliminations
• Termination of maps
• Amendments to declarations of condominiums
• Why is the fee increasing?

Specific Documents:

• Quitclaim deed
• Warranty deed
• Lack of probate affidavit
• Deed of trust
• Reconveyance
• Satisfaction of judgment
• Easement
• Affidavit of correction of map
• Declaration of condominium
• Land corner record
• Short plat
• Survey

Why is the King County recording fee increasing?

The fee increase is part of House Bill 1277, which was passed by the Washington State Legislature in 2021. The bill aims to raise funds for affordable housing and homelessness prevention programs in the state. According to the bill’s sponsors, the fee increase will generate about $146 million per year for these purposes².

A transfer on death (TOD) deed is a legal document that allows property owners in Washington state to transfer ownership of their property to one or more beneficiaries upon their death, without the need for probate court proceedings. This type of deed is a useful tool for estate planning, as it allows property owners to ensure that their property will pass to their chosen beneficiaries in a timely and cost-effective manner.

When a TOD deed is executed, the property owner retains full control over the property and can sell, mortgage, or otherwise dispose of it during their lifetime. However, when the property owner dies, the property automatically transfers to the beneficiaries named in the deed, without the need for court approval or the involvement of an executor or administrator.