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Recording Department
(NEW FEES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2024 - CLICK HERE FOR NEW FEE SCHEDULE)
Official public records of all real estate documents, deeds and titles transacted in Island County are maintained and indexed in the Auditor's Recording Department. This department is also the repository for the official minutes of all Board of County Commissioners' meetings and other official county records. We maintain historical documents dating to 1853, when Island County was formed.
Recordings are processed 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday on days when county offices are open.
Why record a document?
Recording a document makes the document or transaction part of the public record. In the case of real estate transactions, this information may be used by title companies in their reports to potential buyers of property.
Other legal relationships become public record: marriages, mortgages, liens, oaths of office and appointments to commissions.
The Recording Process
- A document brought to the Auditor's Office to record is assigned an Auditor's file number. The date and time of recording are stamped onto the document.
- If the recording is related to real estate, there is a review to see if any excise taxes are due. The recording is checked for correct formatting and then scanned.
- After scanning, the document is indexed in order to facilitate retrieval. A record of the names of the grantor and grantee and the date of recording are used for indexing.
- When the scanning is complete and checked for quality, the document recorded is returned to the person who brought it in, or the person specified by them.
DID YOU KNOW?
Veterans can record their DD214 Form directly with us and receive copies directly from us at no charge.
Veterans of the U.S. armed services are entitled to have their DD214 Form, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, recorded by Island County (or any county in Washington State) at no charge. There are private commercial services that offer to process a DD214 recording, but at a cost to the veteran. These services are not sanctioned or endorsed by Island County or the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.
To record your DD214 for free with Island County, contact one of our deputy recorders at 360-679-7368, or visit our office at the Island County Recording Office, 1 NE 7th Street, Room 105, Coupeville. The recording process and certified copies of the recorded document are free to veterans.
Recording Fee Schedule
(New fees effective January 1, 2024 - click here for new fee schedule)
We understand that any delay in recording documents has significant impacts to businesses and our shared customers. We strongly encourage you to contact us with any questions or to verify the recording fee prior to submitting your documents. Recording staff can be reached 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday at 360-240-5549.
Recording Fees
Recording fees are set by the Washington State Legislature and established as to distribution in statute. The small portion of revenue from recording retained by Island County goes into the General Fund and Auditor's O&M for records preservation and equipment replacement.
Recorded Document Cover Sheet (pdf)
Standard Fee:
- First Page: $203.50
- Each Additional Page: $1
Deed of Trust:
- First Page: $204.50
- Each Additional Page: $1
Exceptions to First Page Normal Fee:
- Federal Liens and Releases: $16
- Assignment of Deed of Trust: $18
- Resignation & Appointment of Successor Trustee: $18
- Appointment of Trustee and Substitution of Trustee: $18
- Wage Liens & Releases: $18
- Water-Sewer District Liens & Releases: $18
- Employment Security Liens & Releases: $18
- Birth/Death Certificates: $18
- Marriage Dissolution Decree: $18
- State, County & City Liens & Releases: $16
- Each Additional Page to any of these documents: $1
Non-Standard Documents:
Signed Coversheet required and $50 fee in addition to normal recording fees.
Plats - Surveys - Short Plats - Condo - BSP:
- First Page: $323.50
- Each Additional Page: $5
County Issued Licenses
- Marriage License: $60
- Process Server: $10
Copy Requests and Miscellaneous Fees:
- Certified Copy, First Page: $3
- Regular Copy, First Page: $1
- Each Additional Page: $1
Washington State RCW 36, RCW 40, RCW 58, WAC 332-150-130
Documents Subject to Housing Surcharge
Recorded Documents List
Documents Not Recorded
The Auditor is frequently presented with a request to record documents which should rightfully be filed elsewhere. The following shows where many of these documents properly belong, as well as a reminder that some of the mentioned documents are not to be recorded. The federal or state law is cited where applicable.
Document |
Proper Place | RCW Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Abstract of Judgment (Garnishment of Wages of Record upon demand - Public Employee)
|
County Clerk (see garnishment of wages)
|
4.64.120
|
| Acceptance by Political Corporation
|
Recordable if attached to conveyance
|
24.03.015
|
| Abandonment of Fictitious Business Names
|
County Clerk
|
|
| Affidavit of Completion - City Name Change
|
Elections, Secretary of State
|
35.62.021
35.62.060 |
| Affidavit of Right
|
Courts
|
4.28.140
|
| Agreement - Hazardous Waste
|
Department of Ecology and/or Health Department |
70.105.200 |
Agreement of Merger - National Banks
|
Federal | |
| Alcoholic Beverage License Notice of Intended Transfer
|
Business License, City or County
|
66.24.010 |
| Alcoholic Beverage License
|
66.20.160 | |
| Annexation - City Certificate of Completion
|
Elections | 35.13
|
| Annexation - Declaration of Final Ordinance
|
Elections | 35.13
|
| Articles of Incorporation - Business Associations
|
Secretary of State
|
23.86.055
|
| Articles of Merger
|
Secretary of State
|
23.86.230
|
| Bond, Stop Notice
|
Person served with Stop Notice
|
60.04.221
39.08.010 |
| Bonded Stop Notice
|
Construction Lender
|
60.04.221
39.08.010 |
| Bond - Payment (Public Works)
|
Contracting public entity
|
60.04.221
39.08.010 |
| Brand Names
|
Secretary of State | 19.77
|
| Brand (Animal)
|
State Director of Agriculture
|
|
| Certificate of Limited Partnership
|
County Clerk, Secretary of State
|
25.10.100
|
| Chattel Mortgage
|
Department of Licensing, UCC Division
|
61.16.010
|
| Citizenship/Naturalization Papers
|
Illegal to record or copy
|
8 U.S.C. 132A
|
| Conditional Sales Contract
|
Department of Licensing, UCC Division
|
62A.2-107
|
| Copyrights (literature)
|
Register of Copyrights, Library of Congress
|
|
| Copyrights (music)
|
Register of Copyrights, Library of Congress
|
|
Docked Horses
|
County Clerk
|
|
| Fictitious Business Name
|
County Clerk
|
|
| Garnishment of Wages (Public Employees) | Controller, Auditor (Payroll) or other disbursing officer
|
46.01.010
|
| Notice of Exemption (Environmental Impact Statement)
|
County Clerk | |
| Patents
|
Commissioners of Patents, Washington DC
|
|
| Payment Bond (Public Works)
|
Contracting Public Entity
|
39.08.010 |
| Power of Attorney for Corporate Surety Bonds
|
County Clerk
|
|
| Preliminary Notice
|
Property Owner or Original Contractor & Construction Lender
|
60.04.210
|
| Request for Reconveyance
|
Trustee
|
|
| Trademarks
|
Secretary of State
|
19.76.060
|
| Stocks/Bonds
|
DO NOT RECORD
|
|
| Alien Registration
|
DO NOT RECORD
|
8 U.S.C. 132A
|
| United States Certificate of Citizenship
|
DO NOT RECORD
|
8 U.S.C. 132A
|
| United States Currency
|
DO NOT RECORD
|