Recording

The recording department is charged with recording real estate documents, liens, military discharges, maps and surveys. The recording department also issues Marriage License, County Business License and Process Server License.

The index of our recorded documents is available online to the public. Maps, plats and surveys are also available online. Other documents, such as deeds of trust, are not publicly viewable online because some contain personal identifiers, such as Social Security Numbers. However, public access to search and view all documents is available at the public computers in our office. Copies of any recorded document can also be obtained through this department for a fee.

Birth and Death Records from 1890-1907 were recorded in Spokane County. Copies of these documents can be obtained at the Washington State Digital Archives.

Responsibilities of Auditors

In the State of Washington, County Auditors are "Custodian of Records." The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) statutes require the recording of legal documents. Statutes RCW 65 and RCW 36 define the minimum amount of information required for each document recorded and the fees to be tendered for such recordings.

The County Auditor and their Deputy Auditors are not practicing attorneys in their roles as recording officers. They are prohibited from giving or offering legal advice.

The responsibility for properly preparing an instrument, plat, survey, and other documents is that of the document preparer. It is not the responsibility of the County Auditor or Deputy Auditors to screen the document to make sure it is properly drafted. The County Auditor's responsibility is limited to verifying the following information:

• Proper fees are tendered
• The instrument contains the document title(s)
• Indexing information is complete
• The document is legible
• The document is formatted correctly

Recording Format & Requirement Example

• The RCW 65.04.045 contains requirements for recorded instruments.
• Recording Format and Requirement Example (PDF)
• Documents recorded prior to June 3, 1996 have a ten digit recording number along with volume and page number, which must be included together when referenced. Documents recorded after June 3, 1996 are 7 digits and do not have a volume and a page number.
• Cover Sheet Example (PDF): To avoid reformatting your document for margins, you have the option of attaching a cover sheet with signed affidavit, and paying the $50 non-standard fee in addition to the recording fees.
• If any portion of your document is illegible, it cannot be recorded. Stamps or seals over text make it illegible.
• Dual Documents Cover Sheet Example (PDF)