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Washington Quitclaim Deed Form (2026): Requirements, Notary, Recording Fee

Updated October 11, 2026. Quick answer: Every Washington deed must be acknowledged by the signer before a person authorized to take acknowledgments of deeds. The statutory auditor fee for recording is $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page (8.5 by 14 inches or less); RCW 36.18.010 also adds a surcharge for modernization of the recording and indexing system under RCW 36.22.170, and other county surcharges were not read, so the total charged at the counter may be higher.

Washington quitclaim deed at a glance

ItemWhat the documents say
SigningA Washington deed must be in writing and signed by the party bound by it, and a deed form for a quitclaim exists in statute.
WitnessesNot found in the documents read
Notary or acknowledgmentEvery Washington deed must be acknowledged by the signer before a person authorized to take acknowledgments of deeds.
Statutory quitclaim formRCW 64.04.050 says quitclaim deeds may be in substance in a short statutory form conveying and quitclaiming all interest.
Where to record, and the feeCounty auditor (recording officer) of the county where the property sits. The statutory auditor fee for recording is $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page (8.5 by 14 inches or less); RCW 36.18.010 also adds a surcharge for modernization of the recording and indexing system under RCW 36.22.170, and other county surcharges were not read, so the total charged at the counter may be higher.
State transfer taxWashington imposes a real estate excise tax on each sale of real property, but a gift with no consideration is not a sale and is not subject to the tax, though a tax affidavit is still required.
Gift from a parent to a childWAC 458-61A-201 says generally a gift of real property is not a sale and is not subject to the real estate excise tax; a completed real estate excise tax affidavit with a supplemental statement is required, and assumed debt counts as consideration.
Spouse or homesteadFor community real property, Washington requires the other spouse or domestic partner to join in the deed, and the deed must be acknowledged by both.
SourceWashington State Legislature; Washington State Legislature (Department of Revenue rule)

Signing, witnesses and the notary in Washington

A Washington deed must be in writing and signed by the party bound by it, and a deed form for a quitclaim exists in statute.

Every Washington deed must be acknowledged by the signer before a person authorized to take acknowledgments of deeds.

Statutory form: RCW 64.04.050 says quitclaim deeds may be in substance in a short statutory form conveying and quitclaiming all interest.

The text itself:

  • RCW 64.04.020 Requisites of a deed: “Every deed shall be in writing, signed by the party bound thereby”
  • RCW 64.04.020 Requisites of a deed: “and acknowledged by the party before some person authorized”
  • RCW 64.04.050 Quitclaim deed: Form and effect: “Quitclaim deeds may be in substance in the following form”

If you want a ready-made form

Review LawDepot’s quitclaim deed form

LawDepot builds a quit claim deed from guided questions for your state. Compare the form with the signing, notary and recording rules on this page before you sign anything.

A deed moves title and can change a family’s tax and benefit position. If you need advice about your situation, ask a real estate attorney before choosing a document service.

The link goes to LawDepot, a paid legal-document service, not Clear Money Guide and not a law firm. LawDepot pays Clear Money Guide a commission if you buy a document there, at no extra cost to you. You are under no obligation to buy anything. We are not a law firm and this is not legal advice.

Review LawDepot’s quitclaim deed

Opens on LawDepot. Follow the signing, notary and recording rules for your state.

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Recording: where to file and what it costs

Recording office: County auditor (recording officer) of the county where the property sits. The statutory auditor fee for recording is $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page (8.5 by 14 inches or less); RCW 36.18.010 also adds a surcharge for modernization of the recording and indexing system under RCW 36.22.170, and other county surcharges were not read, so the total charged at the counter may be higher.

An illustration, not a quote: a deed of 4 pages costs $5 + 3 x $1 = $8 at the statutory rates above, before any county add-on the documents do not show.

The text itself:

  • RCW 36.18.010 Auditor’s fees: “first page eight and one-half by 14 inches or less, $5”

Transfer tax and a gift to a family member

Washington imposes a real estate excise tax on each sale of real property, but a gift with no consideration is not a sale and is not subject to the tax, though a tax affidavit is still required.

Between family members: WAC 458-61A-201 says generally a gift of real property is not a sale and is not subject to the real estate excise tax; a completed real estate excise tax affidavit with a supplemental statement is required, and assumed debt counts as consideration.

The text itself:

  • RCW 82.45.060 Tax on sale of property: “There is imposed an excise tax upon each sale of real property”
  • RCW 82.45.060 Tax on sale of property: “1.1 percent of the portion of the selling price that is”
  • WAC 458-61A-201 Gifts: “a gift of real property is not a sale”

Spouse and homestead

For community real property, Washington requires the other spouse or domestic partner to join in the deed, and the deed must be acknowledged by both.

The text itself:

  • RCW 26.16.030 Community property defined: Management and control: “joining in the execution of the deed or other instrument”

Other filings the documents mention

A completed real estate excise tax affidavit, with a supplemental statement signed by grantor and grantee, is required even for a gift transfer.

The text itself:

  • WAC 458-61A-201 Gifts: “excise tax affidavit is required for transfers by gift”

A worked example: a parent deeds the home to an adult child

An illustration, not a return: a parent bought a home for $100,000, and it is worth $300,000 when the parent deeds it to an adult child by quitclaim deed, with no payment. The child later sells it for $350,000. For a gift, federal law says the child’s basis is “the same as it would be in the hands of the donor”, so the basis stays $100,000 and the gain is $250,000 ($350,000 minus $100,000). Had the child received the same home at the parent’s death, when it was worth $300,000, the statute sets the basis at “fair market value of the property at the date of the decedent’s”, so the gain would be $50,000 ($350,000 minus $300,000). Federal gift tax filing rules are outside this page and outside the documents read.

Read the Washington transfer-tax rule above for the state side of the same transfer. See CMG’s quitclaim vs warranty deed for a family transfer page for the choice of deed.

What the documents do not say

  • Whether Washington requires witnesses on a deed: not found in the documents read, and that is not a statement that none are needed.
  • County or city transfer taxes and local recording surcharges were not read unless named above.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming the Washington transfer-tax exemption for family gifts also removes the federal basis consequence shown in the example.
  • Assuming the answer for one state applies to another, or that signing a deed ends the paperwork before recording.

Related: quitclaim deeds by state, quitclaim vs warranty deed for a family transfer, Washington transfer on death deed, and Washington probate cost.

Sources

Sources: the primary documents linked above, read on October 11, 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and a tax professional or the state agency itself is the right place to confirm anything consequential.