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Typically 42% - 47% of all property taxes that you pay are from voter approved levies. This includes cities, schools, parks, fire districts, and more...
read more Washington State has a 'budget-based' property tax system, so the taxing districts budgets and voter approved measures determine how much you pay. Simply put, when values decline levy rates increase, when values increase, levy rates decrease. Click Here to learn more about levies and our property tax system. In 2010, 33 of the 44 taxing district requests to voters for funding was passed by voters. The decrease in total residential assessed value county-wide started with the 2008 Jan. 1st assessment and reflected the decline in the market in 2007. This value was used to calculate taxes owing in 2009 according to state law. |
Quick Answers
Lookup Property Info

Regular Hours
| General Information | (425) 388-3433 |
| Levy Analyst | (425) 388-3646 |
| Business Equipment/Personal Property | (425) 388-3656 |
| Senior/Disabled Exemptions | (425) 388-3540 |
| Other Exemptions | (425) 388-3540 |
| GIS/Mapping Division | (425) 388-3581 |
| Forest Land Assessment | (425) 388-3540 |
| Open Space Assessment | (425) 388-3540 |


| General Information | (425) 388-3433 |
| Levy Analyst | (425) 388-3646 |
| Business Equipment/Personal Property | (425) 388-3656 |
| Senior/Disabled Exemptions | (425) 388-3540 |
| Other Exemptions | (425) 388-3540 |
| GIS/Mapping Division | (425) 388-3581 |
| Forest Land Assessment | (425) 388-3540 |
| Open Space Assessment | (425) 388-3540 |
Regular Hours| General Information | (425) 388-3433 |
| Levy Analyst | (425) 388-3646 |
| Business Equipment/Personal Property | (425) 388-3656 |
| Senior/Disabled Exemptions | (425) 388-3540 |
| Other Exemptions | (425) 388-3540 |
| GIS/Mapping Division | (425) 388-3581 |
| Forest Land Assessment | (425) 388-3540 |
| Open Space Assessment | (425) 388-3540 |
| General Information | (425) 388-3433 |
| Levy Analyst | (425) 388-3646 |
| Business Equipment/Personal Property | (425) 388-3656 |
| Senior/Disabled Exemptions | (425) 388-3540 |
| Other Exemptions | (425) 388-3540 |
| GIS/Mapping Division | (425) 388-3581 |
| Forest Land Assessment | (425) 388-3540 |
| Open Space Assessment | (425) 388-3540 |
I purchased this property within the past few months and the
taxpayer name has been updated to reflect I am the new taxpayer of
record, but the owner's name still shows the old owner. Why?
AUDITOR'S OFFICE - RECORDING DIVISION
Ownership records for legal purposes (deeds, real estate contracts,
etc.) are recorded in the Recording Division of the County Auditor's
office. When the purchase of your property is recorded with the
Auditor's office a Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) form must accompany
the transaction.
TREASURER'S OFFICE - EXCISE TAX DIVISION
The Treasurer's office collects the REET due, if any, before the
document can be recorded with the Auditor.
"Taxpayer Name" records are maintained by the Treasurer's office and are used as the address for mailing property tax statements. This information is also used by the Assessor's office for mailing the "Change of Assessed Value" notices.
The taxpayer name is changed when the sale is processed in the Treasurer's office.
ASSESSOR'S OFFICE
After the sale is recorded and the REET paid, a copy of the REET
form is sent to the Assessor so staff can update their records and
maps.
"Owner's Name" records that appear on the joint Assessor and Treasurer's website are taken from the REET that is filed with recorded documents and is maintained by the Assessor's Office. This information is used to make sure people are only being assessed and taxed for the property they purchased.
This information is carefully checked for accuracy before the Assessor's staff updates this field. The Assessor's staff must make sure that the property sold is described as the same property on the tax parcel account before they update this field.
It may be a few weeks before the Assessor's staff are able to process and update the "owner's name". If only a portion of the property actually sold because of a recently recorded short plat, boundary line adjustment, division, etc., the change may be delayed even longer.
