Pierce County Property Search
A Pierce County property search allows individuals to access all property documents filed with the Pierce County Auditor. These documents contain information regarding real property within state limits. The Standard Recording Requirements of Pierce County property documents are as follows:
- The first page of the property document must have a 3-inch top margin and 1-inch margins on the sides and bottom.
- Additional pages of the property documents must have 1-inch margins on all sides.
- The property document's first page must include:
- The document title
- A return address in the upper left corner, within the top 3" margin
- The grantor and grantee's names, with reference to the page where additional names are located
- The abbreviated legal description, regarding the page where complete legal is located
- A reference number(s) (if the document is referencing a previously recorded document)
- The Assessor's tax parcel number (this is required if the property document contains a legal description)
- If the above-mentioned information is not on the property document's first page, the recording party can complete a cover sheet.
- All property documents must have a page size that does not exceed 8 1/2 by 14 inches
- The font size should be 8 points or larger.
- All the information on all document pages must be legible and reproducible.
- Paper and ink must be of weight and color capable of reproduction
- The property document must not have attachments like stapled/taped notary acknowledgments or legal.
Most property documents in Pierce County, Washington, are part of Pierce County Public Records. Therefore, anyone can request property records from the Pierce County Auditor's Office online, by mail, or in person. A property buyer may conduct a property search to know a property's condition, value, characteristics, and image before purchasing it. It can help retrieve a property's tax information to know the tax history and exemption and determine if they can afford the property tax. Generally, property search helps resolve property disputes relating to ownership, boundaries, and probate issues like will, inheritance, and property division.
Are Pierce County Property Records Public?
Yes. The Washington Public Records Act allows record custodians to make property records available to the public unless exempted by law. Confidential property records are only accessible to a selected few. Per RCW 42.56.260, the following property records are exempt from public disclosure:
- Property appraisal records made concerning the acquisition or sale of a property
- Property documents generated during the consideration of the selection of a site or the acquisition of property by lease or sale when public knowledge regarding such consideration would lead to a hike in price
- Property documents are created for considering the minimum price of a property available for sale or lease when public knowledge regarding such consideration would lead to a decrease in price.
These property documents can be made public after the project or prospective project is abandoned, or all properties that are part of the project have been bought, sold, or leased. Property appraisals can be made public after three years.
What Do Pierce County Property Records Contain?
The content of Pierce County property records varies depending on several factors. For example, property records maintained by the Pierce County Auditor's Office contain the following information depending on the document type:
- General information (instrument number, Multi Seq, date filed, document type and image, book and page numbers, remarks, number of pages in image, and grantor and grantee's names)
- Legal description (type and Freeform Legal amount)
- Related document (type, instrument number, MS, book type, book and page numbers, and document type)
Property records maintained by the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer's Office contain the following information:
- Property taxes including a tax description
- Property map, photos, and sketches
- Property details (parcel number, site address, account type, category, and assessment use code)
- Taxpayer details (taxpayer name and mailing address)
- Appraisal details (neighborhood number, value area, appraisal account type, business name, last inspection date, and appraisal area)
- Related parcels (group account number, located on, and associated parcels)
- Assessed value (value year, tax year, taxable value, tax code area, assessed total, land and improvements, current use land, a notice of value mailing date, tax code area rate, and personal property)
- Levy rate distribution (tax year, tax code area, and total levy rate)
- Assessment details (taxable and assessed values)
- Property tax exemptions
- Tax amounts due (tax year, minimum due, total due, and due date)
- Land details (land economic area, RTSQQ, value area, neighborhood, square footage, acres, front foot, electric, sewer, and water)
- Building details
- General characteristics (property type, condition, quality, neighborhood, occupancy, square feet, net square feet, attached and detached garage square feet, carport square feet, total and finished basement square feet, basement garage door, and fireplaces)
- Built as (description, year built, adjusted year built, stories, bedrooms, bathrooms, exterior, class, roof, HVAC, units, and sprinkler square feet)
- Improvement details (type, description, and units)
- Sales History (sale date, ETN, parcel count, grantor and grantee's names, sale price, deed type, and sales notes)
Where to Perform a Pierce County Property Lookup
The Pierce County Auditor is responsible for maintaining property documents. Therefore, that should be the first place to look up property records in Pierce County. With the Recorded Document Search tool, requesters can make online requests for property information at no cost. A search can be conducted by party name, date filed range, instrument number, document type, parcel number, land section, township, and range. Examples of property documents that can be retrieved online are deeds, bills of sale, contracts, easements, covenants, foreclosure documents, leases, mortgages, and title eliminations. Some Free copies via the online tool include unofficial property document images, while others do not grant permission to view images. Certified copies of property records include images and can be purchased online for $3 per page via a credit or debit card. Use the Map Index to access the map of a property. The search criteria are similar to that of the recorded document search portal.
An Individual can also request photocopies or certified copies of property records by mailing a written request to:
Pierce County Auditor's Office
Attn: Recording Copies
2401 S. 35th St., Room 200,
Tacoma, WA 98409
The mail package must include the required fees. In-person requests can be made at the Auditor's Office from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Individuals are required to schedule an appointment before visiting the Office. On the scheduler, select recording services, then "Copies and Research" from the dropdown. Select a date and time and enter a last and first name, mobile number, and email address. Lastly, check the terms and conditions box to create an appointment. A property owner's name, property address, document number, or filing date may be required to facilitate the search. Copies of property records typically come at a request.
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Pierce County
A property owner lookup can be done at the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer's Office online, by mail, or in person. Online requests can be made via the Parcel & Sales Search tool located at the left bar of the Assessor-Treasurer's website. A search can be conducted using a parcel number or property address. The search result reveals the property owner's name, mailing address, and information on their properties and tax bills.
Mail requests can be made by submitting a Request for Access to Public Records form to the Assessor-Treasurer's Office. The form can also be submitted by email or fax. In-person requests can be made at the Office during business hours (Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.). The property's address or parcel number would be required to process the request.
How to Find Pierce County Property Records Online
Pierce County record custodians have online databases where individuals can find property records for free. For example, here is how to find property records via the Pierce County Auditor's Online tool:
- Go to the Auditor's website
- Go to the "I Want to ". section at the left bar of the homepage
- Click the "Search for Recorded Documents" link from the bullet points
- Click on "Recorded Documents" from the toolbar
- Click the disclaimer link, which leads to the search page
- Conduct a search by:
- General (party name, role, date filed range, instrument number range, book number, page number, or document type)
- Section land (section, township, or range)
- Parcel ID (parcel number)
- After entering the required information, click the "Search" button.
- Click the "View" link to view the property document image.
- Click the instrument number link to retrieve further information about a property.
Note that a name search will retrieve all documents recorded under that name. Alternatively, requesters can find property records on third-party aggregate websites. Information provided by such sites differs because they are independently run. A few search criteria like property owner's name or property address may be required to complete the search. Some sites offer access to property records for free, while others charge a nominal fee.
How to Find Property Owner by Address Free
The Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer's Office provides the best online services to conduct a free property owner search by address. Just go to the Assessor-Treasurer's website and click on the Property Tax & Value Search button on the homepage. This leads to the Assessor-Treasurer information portal, where a person can find property owner information by entering a property address in the search box. The database contains the property owner's name, mailing address, and other information relating to the person's property and tax payment.
Alternatively, requesters can visit any Pierce County record custodians to conduct a property owner search by address for free. They would have to provide the property address to process the search. However, free service is only available to individuals who want to view property records. Those who want copies of desired records should be ready to pay a fee.
Pierce County Property Tax Lookup
The Department of Assessor-Treasurer provides a wealth of information about each property in Pierce County via its Parcel Search tool. The search criteria are by parcel number or property address. Note that the property's parcel number is the best way to look up tax information. A requester can also click on an address on the map to find property tax information. The Office also provides downloadable data files that contain property tax information. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Requesters who cannot find property tax information on the Department of Assessor-Treasurer's website can complete a Request for Access to Public Records form. Submit the form by mail, email (ATRpublicrecords@piercecountywa.gov, in person, or Fax: ((253) 798-3142) to the public records officer.
In-person requests can be made at the Department of Assessor-Treasurer's Office during business hours. The Office is open for record requests from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Interested persons must provide the property's address or parcel number to facilitate the search. The Office does not charge for record inspection, but copies of property tax information attract a small fee.
A tax lookup helps property buyers search and view information on property information and values before purchasing the property. This helps them determine if the property's price is worth it and within budget. They can also retrieve information about tax delinquencies during a tax lookup.
How to Find Pierce County Property Appraiser
The best place to find licensed property appraisers in Pierce County is the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) Real Estate Appraiser Section. The Department has a License Lookup tool where a search can be conducted by name, license number, license type, and location. For a more specific search, select "Advanced Search with License Details" and select Pierce County to find property appraisers in the county. The search result reveals the license number, license type, status, name, sub-status, prior name, first and current issue dates, city, state, and county, expiration date, disciplinary action, program, and endorsements.
Similarly, requesters can find Pierce County property appraisers via the Accredited Appraiser Search tool the Washington Department of Revenue (DOR) provides. The search criteria are by name, county/employer, or accreditation number. A search by the county will provide a list of all accredited appraisers in Pierce County. The search criteria reveal the property appraiser's name, county/employer, accreditation number, initial accreditation date, expiration date, USPAP course, and status.
A property appraiser is responsible for estimating the assessed value of all types of property in Pierce County. They do this using three approaches: cost, market, and income.
Pierce County Property Assessor
Washington law requires a property appraiser from the Assessor-Treasurer's Office to physically inspect each of the 325,000 parcels in Pierce County once every six years. The appraiser has to confirm the property records in the Office, note any changes in the building condition and view, and take a current exterior photo of the building. Per RCW 84.40.030, property assessors are responsible for valuing all taxable property in Pierce County at 100% of its true and fair market value, considering the highest and best use of the property.
Contact the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer's Office at:
Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer
2401 S. 35th St.
Room 142
Tacoma, WA 98409
Phone: (253) 798-7144
Email: pcatr@piercecountywa.gov
