Pierce County Auditor's Office
Why People File a Quitclaim Deed in Pierce County
Just Got Married
If marriage is the reason you're here, you're not alone — adding a spouse to the title is one of the simplest, most common uses of a quitclaim deed.
Going Through a Divorce
If your divorce settlement awarded you the property, a quitclaim deed is how you actually get your ex's name off the title.
Inherited Property
If you're sorting out property after losing a family member, a quitclaim deed is often the last step in getting the title updated to reflect the new owner.
Gifting to Family
Whether you're adding your child to the title or handing the property over outright, a quitclaim deed is the standard way families make that change here.
About the Pierce County Auditor's Office
Pierce County is Tacoma and the South Sound, a mix of port-city industry, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and the Puyallup Indian Reservation's boundary overlaying much of the urban core. Every recorded deed in the county passes through the Pierce County Auditor's Office — bring paperwork that already meets Washington's formatting rules, since fixing it at the counter isn't always practical.
Cities and Communities Served
Recording jurisdiction runs countywide, not by city limits — if the property sits anywhere within Pierce County, this is the office that will accept the deed. That includes:
Incorporated cities and towns: Tacoma (county seat, largest city), Bonney Lake, Buckley, DuPont, Eatonville, Edgewood, Fife, Fircrest, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Orting, Puyallup, Roy, Ruston, Steilacoom, Sumner, University Place, Carbonado, South Prairie, Wilkeson.
Auburn and Pacific extend mostly into King County; Milton straddles the Pierce/King line.
The Puyallup Indian Reservation's boundary (per the 1990 Puyallup Land Claims Settlement) encompasses substantial parts of Tacoma, Fife, Puyallup, and Milton — a significant legal overlay on this urban area governed by the Puyallup Tribe. The Nisqually Indian Reservation also straddles Pierce and Thurston counties along the Nisqually River.
Office Details
Address: 2401 S 35th St, Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409
Phone: (253) 798-7427
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (closed daily 12:00 – 1:00 PM)
Recording Fee: Set by state statute, not by Pierce 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 Pierce County Auditor's Office before filing.
Document Search: Online records search
Good to know before you go: Recording is by appointment now, not walk-in — book online or by phone ahead of your visit to avoid waiting.
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 Tacoma? Washington allows remote online notarization through a commissioned electronic-records notary — you can notarize your Pierce 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 Pierce 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 Pierce County Auditor's Office?
Ask below and get an instant answer on Washington quitclaim deeds.
Filing? Get a Deed the Pierce 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 Pierce County Auditor's Office asks for.
Disclosure: affiliate links to Standard Legal, our partner — no extra cost to you.
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