Understanding the steps for filing a quitclaim deed in Washington will ensure your document is enforceable and let you protect yourself and the other party, whether you’re the grantee or the grantor.
Step 1: Decide Whether to Hire an Attorney
Consider hiring an attorney to help draft your quitclaim deed. While you can legally draft it yourself in Washington state, having legal assistance can ensure you make your document valid and withstanding.
Step 2: Obtain a State-Specific Form
Use a state-specific form to ensure you abide by the established legal requirements. You can use our template or, if you start from scratch, incorporate the wording “conveys and quitclaims” to emphasize your intent to transfer the property without warranties or promises (Wash Rev. Code 64.04.050).
Step 3: Prepare a Cover Sheet
According to state law, your quitclaim deed’s first page should include the assessor’s property tax parcel number, an abbreviated legal description, the grantee’s and grantor’s names, and a title. If you anticipate that you can’t include all this information on the first page, please prepare a cover sheet so you can abide by state requirements (Wash. Rev. Code § 65.04.045 and § 65.04.047).
Step 4: Enter the Preparer and “Return to” Information
Enter this information to dictate who prepares the document and who the document should go to once the county recorder’s office has finished the filing process.
Step 5: Record Essential Details
Record essential details, including the grantor’s and grantee’s information, consideration, and property’s legal description.
When recording the consideration, write the amount in words and document its numerical representation. For the legal description, include the property’s section, township, range, and quarter section or lot, block, and subdivision. Reference the previous deed or ask the recorder’s office in the municipality that the property is located in for guidance.
Step 6: Sign
The grantor must sign and print their name in the presence of a notary public who can notarize the document (Wash. Rev. Code § 64.04.020).
Step 7: File
Turn the document over to the county recorder’s or auditor’s office in the property’s county (Wash. Rev. Code § 65.08.070). If the county requires fees or additional forms, file these along with the document.
