Washington QuitClaim Deed

Transfer Washington Property the Way the Auditor Expects

A Washington quitclaim deed is one of the simplest ways to transfer property between people who already know and trust each other — no title search, no complicated paperwork, just a straightforward way to update who's on the title. Families use it all the time for the kind of changes covered in the common scenarios below. Every Washington county Auditor's office (King County uses a dedicated Recorder's Office instead) has its own formatting rules for accepting a deed, but our recording requirements guide walks you through exactly what's needed, so nothing catches you by surprise.

Need help filling out your quitclaim deed? See our simple step-by-step instructions here.

What a Washington Deed Needs to Get Recorded

A typical quitclaim deed has three key sections, each tied to a specific statutory requirement:

Top Section: A 3-inch top margin on the first page for the title and the auditor's stamp, plus a return address in the upper-left corner — both required before your county auditor will accept the deed.
Middle Section: An abbreviated legal description and the assessor's parcel number, which must appear on the first page — not buried in an attached exhibit.
Bottom Section: Notarization before a notary public, either in person or through Washington's remote online notarization option.

Grantor and Grantee, Quickly

The terms grantor and grantee come up constantly and are easy to mix up:

Grantor: The individual transferring ownership rights, and who typically signs the Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit alongside the grantee.
Grantee: The individual receiving those rights, who has the strongest interest in getting the deed recorded quickly.

Think of “grantor” as the one who gives, and “grantee” as the one who receives.

Why a Quitclaim Deed, Specifically, in Washington?

Washington does charge a real estate excise tax on most property sales, but the transfers a quitclaim deed is typically used for — gifts, adding or removing a spouse, moving property into a revocable living trust — commonly qualify for an exemption, so no tax ends up due. The Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit still has to be filed either way, with the correct exemption code entered on it. Recording itself costs a flat statewide fee — a set amount per page rather than a percentage of the property's value, made up of a base fee plus a few state surcharges that have changed more than once in recent years, so it's worth confirming the current total with your county auditor before you file. Once your deed is complete, it's recorded with the Auditor in the county where the property sits; each of Washington's 39 counties has its own office, and a few layer on additional local quirks beyond the statewide standard.

Common Scenarios for Using a Quitclaim Deed

Transferring Property into a Living Trust: If you've set up a revocable living trust for estate planning, transferring title of your property into the trust's name is what actually makes it work — your family can skip probate court after you're gone instead of the property sitting tied up for months. This kind of transfer is its own exemption category under Washington's excise tax rules, so no tax ends up due — the affidavit still has to be filed, just with the exemption code marked.
Divorce: During a divorce, property transfers can be complex. A quitclaim deed can simplify the process when:
- One name must be removed from the title.
- Both names are on the mortgage, requiring additional steps like refinancing or selling the property.
Name Corrections: Correcting misspelled names, adding or removing middle initials, or updating a title after marriage or divorce are other common uses.

How to Get Started