Why People File a Quitclaim Deed in Grant County
Just Got Married
Just got married and want your spouse's name on the title? A quitclaim deed is the standard way to add them — no sale, no mortgage payoff, just an updated deed on file with the county.
Going Through a Divorce
Going through a divorce and need an ex's name off the title? A quitclaim deed handles that cleanly, once your settlement or court order says who keeps the property.
Inherited Property
Inherited property from a family member? Depending on how the estate was handled, a quitclaim deed may be how ownership formally moves into your name.
Gifting to Family
Adding an adult child to the title, or gifting property to family outright? A quitclaim deed is the usual way to make that transfer official.
About the Grant County Auditor's Office
Grant County is Columbia Basin irrigation country centered on Moses Lake, with Grand Coulee Dam anchoring its northern edge. Documents for the whole county are recorded through the Grant County Auditor's Office — a deed that's already formatted correctly under Washington law means one trip instead of two.
Cities and Communities Served
Recording jurisdiction runs countywide, not by city limits — if the property sits anywhere within Grant County, this is the office that will accept the deed. That includes:
Incorporated cities and towns: Moses Lake (largest city), Ephrata (county seat), Quincy, Electric City, George, Grand Coulee, Mattawa, Royal City, Soap Lake, Warden, Coulee City, Hartline, Krupp, Wilson Creek.
Coulee Dam is an incorporated town straddling Grant, Douglas, and Okanogan counties.
Office hours weren't confirmed on an official page — general search results suggest weekday business hours, but call ahead to confirm.
Office Details
Address: 35 C Street NW, Ephrata, WA 98823
Phone: (509) 754-2011, ext. 2705
Hours: Not published by the county — call ahead to confirm before visiting.
Recording Fee: Set by state statute, not by Grant County individually — a flat amount per page rather than a percentage of the property's value, stacking the base recording fee with several state surcharges (RCW 36.18.010, RCW 36.22.250, RCW 36.22.185). This total has changed more than once in recent years, so confirm the current amount with the Grant County Auditor's Office before filing.
Document Search: Online records search
How to File a Document
- Prepare Your Document: Make sure your deed meets Washington's formatting and content requirements before you file — RCW 65.04.045 sets specific margin, first-page, and legal-description rules.
- Get It Notarized: Have the document signed before a Washington notary public or other authorized official. No notary nearby in Ephrata? Washington allows remote online notarization through a commissioned electronic-records notary — you can notarize your Grant County deed online instead.
- Complete a Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit: Washington law requires a completed Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit (REETA) to accompany every deed submitted for recording — even a $0-consideration gift between family members still needs the affidavit filed with an exemption code.
- Record It: You can file in person at the Grant County Auditor's Office, or by mail.
- Pay the Recording Fee: A flat amount per page rather than a percentage of the property's value, set by state law — check with the county for the current figure.
- Keep Your Receipt: Your recorded document (or a certified copy) is your proof of filing.
Still Have Questions About Filing With the Grant County Auditor's Office?
Ask below and get an instant answer on Washington quitclaim deeds.
Filing? Get a Deed the Grant County Auditor's Office Will Accept
FREE generic forms are the most common reason Washington deeds get rejected — usually over formatting, the legal description, or notary acknowledgment.
Two ways to avoid that:
Both are built to meet Washington's recording requirements, tailored to what the Grant County Auditor's Office asks for.
Disclosure: affiliate links to Standard Legal, our partner — no extra cost to you.
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