Walla Walla County Property Records

Walla Walla property records are maintained by Walla Walla County through the County Assessor and County Auditor. These offices hold ownership data, assessed values, parcel maps, recorded deeds, and tax accounts for all real property within the city. You can search Walla Walla property records online through the county's property records search tool and interactive parcel map, or visit the assessor's office at 500 W. Main Street in Walla Walla during regular business hours.

Search Public Records

Walla Walla Property Records Overview

Walla Walla is both the name of the city and the county, which can create confusion at first. Property records for the city of Walla Walla are maintained by Walla Walla County -- not a city office. The county assessor handles all parcel valuations and maintains ownership records. The county auditor records deeds and other instruments affecting title. The county treasurer bills and collects property taxes. These three county offices together hold the full set of property records for every taxable parcel within the city.

Under RCW 84.40.020, all real property in Washington must be valued at 100% of true and fair market value as of January 1 each year. The Walla Walla County Assessor follows this requirement for every city parcel. The Washington Public Records Act under Chapter 42.56 RCW makes all assessment records and recorded instruments available to the public. You do not need a formal request or any specific reason to access Walla Walla property data.

The assessor's office notes that its data is maintained for taxation purposes. This is standard language in Washington. It means the assessor's primary job is to set values for tax purposes. For legal disputes, boundary surveys, or title work, you may also need to pull recorded plat maps and deed surveys from the auditor's records. Both the assessor data and the auditor's recorded documents are part of the full property record picture for any Walla Walla parcel.

The Walla Walla County Assessor office at co.walla-walla.wa.us provides parcel search tools, interactive maps, and tax information for every Walla Walla property:

Walla Walla property records county assessor

The assessor site includes a parcel search, interactive GIS map, historic assessor maps, and access to historical plat records going back decades for Walla Walla properties.

Walla Walla County Assessor Property Search

The Walla Walla County Assessor is your primary source for Walla Walla property record searches. County Assessor Byron Burres oversees the office, which is located on the first floor of the county courthouse at 500 W. Main Street. Phone: 509-524-2560. Hours run from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on weekdays. The assessor also provides a toll-free line at 1-866-527-3268 for Washington callers.

The county's online property records search uses a geographic ID as the parcel identifier. This is noted specifically on the assessor's site: the parcel number is now listed as the "Geographic ID." If you are searching and see that field, you are looking at the right identifier. The interactive map tool on the assessor's site lets you click on a parcel to pull up its data directly. This is often faster than entering an address manually if you know roughly where the property is located.

Exemption programs are available through this office. Programs include the Senior Citizen and Disabled Persons Exemption, Current Use Program (for farm and open space parcels), and the Physical Improvement Exemption for single family dwellings. The assessor's website links to Washington State Department of Revenue forms and publications for each program. If you think a Walla Walla parcel may qualify, contact the assessor by phone or email at assessor@wwcowa.gov.

Historic assessor tax parcel maps and real property record cards dating from 1969 to 2002 are available through the Washington State Archives. The assessor's site links to this archive, which provides free online access to older Walla Walla property records for genealogy, legal research, and historical review.

Recording Walla Walla Property Documents

All deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and other instruments affecting Walla Walla real estate must be recorded with the Walla Walla County Auditor. Under RCW 65.08.070, recording creates constructive notice to all later parties that a transaction occurred. A deed that is not recorded is at legal risk if the same property is transferred to a later buyer for value who records their deed first.

The Walla Walla County Auditor's office is located at 315 W. Main Street, Room 203 in Walla Walla. The recording and marriage license line is 509-524-2549. The auditor accepted their appointment in February 2026 and the office continues to handle recording, vehicle licensing, elections, and accounting functions for the county. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays for most services.

Documents submitted for recording must meet formatting standards under state law. The auditor's recording guide walks through requirements for margins, font size, legibility, and cover sheets. The office also provides a document search tool where you can look up recorded instruments by name, parcel number, or document type. For certified copies of recorded deeds, contact the recording line or visit in person at the courthouse.

Note: The Walla Walla County Auditor also administers elections, vehicle licensing, and marriage licenses from the same office. When you call or visit, specify that you need the recording division to make sure you reach the right staff.

Walla Walla Property Tax Records

Walla Walla property owners pay taxes to the county, the city, local school districts, fire districts, library districts, and other special purpose districts. The levy rates for each district are calculated each year based on district budgets and total assessed values. The Walla Walla County Treasurer sends out annual tax statements and manages collection. First half payments are due April 30 and second half by October 31.

If taxes become delinquent, the treasurer can initiate foreclosure proceedings. The Walla Walla County Treasurer can provide payoff amounts, delinquency information, and information about any tax sales scheduled for Walla Walla parcels. Payment plans may be available for qualifying situations. Contact the treasurer's office directly for options if you are facing delinquency issues on a Walla Walla property.

Real estate excise tax under RCW 82.45 applies to property sales in Walla Walla. Washington's graduated REET structure ties the rate to the sale price. The tax is collected at closing by the county treasurer before the deed is recorded. Title companies handle this step in most standard real estate transactions.

The Walla Walla County Auditor provides access to the recording division and other county services through the auditor's website at co.walla-walla.wa.us:

Walla Walla property records county auditor recording

The auditor's recording division handles all deed filings, mortgage recordings, and other instruments that affect title to Walla Walla real estate.

How to Search Walla Walla Property Records

The Walla Walla County Assessor's online property records search is the fastest place to start. You can search by parcel number (Geographic ID), owner name, or street address. The interactive map lets you click on any Walla Walla parcel to pull up assessor data, including ownership, assessed values, and tax code area. The system also links to the Washington State Digital Archives for older property record cards when those records exist.

For recorded documents, use the Walla Walla County Auditor's document search. Results include deeds, mortgages, liens, and other recorded instruments. Scanned images of recent documents are accessible online. For older records, contact the auditor's recording division directly. The auditor also maintains historic plat maps and subdivision records that are useful for boundary research on older Walla Walla parcels.

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov holds historic assessor real property record cards for Walla Walla County, covering the period from 1969 to 2002 and earlier deed records. These are free to access online and can be used to trace ownership history or research older Walla Walla properties. The county assessor links directly to these archives from its website.

Key resources for Walla Walla property record searches include:

Walla Walla County Assessor -- parcel search, maps, exemptions
Walla Walla County Auditor -- deed recordings, document search
Walla Walla County Treasurer -- tax bills, delinquency, payoffs
Washington State Digital Archives -- historic property records
Washington DOR County Directory -- statewide contact list

Search Records Now