Clallam County sources

During the 2012 legislative session, the state Legislature passed ESHB 2048, impacting the fees required to record certain documents. The fee changes go into effect Sept. 1.

The fee change applies to only those documents that are related to real property.

The Legislature changed one of the surcharges collected to support housing and shelter programs for homeless persons. The current surcharge of $30 applies to all documents except assignments or substitutions of previously recorded deeds of trust or documents recording a birth, marriage, divorce, death or any document otherwise exempted from a recording fee under state law.

The new surcharge on Sept. 1 will be $40 and applies only to documents related to real property with the continued exceptions as previously detailed.

The end result is that the total recording fee for most recorded documents will be as follows:

• $32 for the first page if the document is not real property related

• $72 dollars for the first page if the document is real property related

• $73 for the first page for Deeds of Trust.

County recording staff will assess the appropriate fee based on either the document title or the appearance of a legal description and/or parcel number on the first page of the document to be recorded.

County staffers have provided title companies, surveyors, attorneys and other entities that record documents on a regular basis written notice and a list of documents that will be affected. Staff will have the new fees posted in their offices and online (www.clallam.net) for citizens to view by Sept. 1.