Concerning the document recording fee.

 H-2033.3

HOUSE BILL 2067

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2025 Regular Session

By Representatives Manjarrez, Dufault, Corry, and Mendoza

Read first time 03/31/25. Referred to Committee on Appropriations.

AN ACT Relating to eliminating the document recording tax; reenacting and amending RCW 36.18.010 ; creating new sections; repealing RCW 36.22.170 , 36.22.175 , 36.22.181 , 36.22.185 , 36.22.240 , and 36.22.250 ; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that the document recording fee was initially established to cover the administrative costs associated with recording documents. Over time, this fee has been substantially increased to fund programs well beyond document recording services. This expansion has transformed most of the recording fee into a tax.

(2) The legislature intends to restore the document recording tax to a fee. It costs county auditor offices in Washington state approximately $21 per document recorded. This act instructs county auditor offices to charge the public no more than their actual costs of document recording or $30, whichever is less.