Lewis County Property Records

Lewis County property records are maintained by the Lewis County Assessor, the County Auditor, and the County Treasurer, all located in Chehalis, Washington. You can search parcel data, ownership history, assessed values, recorded documents, and tax information for any property in the county. Lewis County covers a large area of southwest Washington, with about 82,000 residents and a mix of rural, timber, and small-city properties. This page walks through the offices that hold Lewis County property records, how to search them, and what information they contain.

Lewis County Assessor – Parcel Records and Valuation

The Lewis County Assessor's Office is committed to appraising all property equally and fairly, maintaining accurate assessment information for tax purposes. The office values all real and personal property in the county under the requirements of Chapter 36.21 RCW and RCW 84.40.020. Property must be assessed at 100% of market value as of January 1 each year. Continuous revaluation is required under RCW 84.41.030, so the assessor updates values on an ongoing cycle.

The Lewis County Assessor is located at 351 NW North St, Chehalis, WA 98532. The phone number is (360) 740-1392. Their website at lewiscountywa.gov/assessor provides access to parcel information, parcel maps, tax summary data, revaluation reports, sales data, exemption programs, and public records request forms. The assessor also provides downloadable assessment and tax rolls for the current year. The assessor for Lewis County is Ross Nielson, a lifelong Washington resident.

Lewis County has a notable share of designated forest land, open space, and agricultural properties. The assessor handles current use classification for these parcels under the Open Space Act and designated forest land programs. Seniors and disabled persons can apply for property tax exemptions through the assessor's office as well.

The Lewis County Assessor's website provides parcel search, maps, levy information, and downloadable tax rolls.

The assessor's office handles property valuation, parcel mapping, and tax exemption programs for all of Lewis County.

Lewis County Auditor – Property Document Recording

The Lewis County Auditor records all real property documents in the county. Under RCW 36.22.010, the auditor serves as the recording officer for all instruments affecting title to real estate. Deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, easements, and satisfactions are all recorded here. Recording provides constructive notice under RCW 65.08.070. An instrument that is not recorded may be void against a later party who records without notice of the prior interest.

The Auditor's Office is also at 351 NW North Street, Chehalis, WA 98532. The phone number is (360) 740-1156. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. Their website at lewiscountywa.gov/auditor has a document recording section with recording requirements, an online record search, e-recording submitter information, a fee schedule, and process server license information. You can search recorded documents online through the auditor's online records system. Before the Auditor will record a property transfer, the real estate excise tax under RCW 82.45 must be paid.

The Lewis County Auditor maintains the official record of deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property instruments for the county.

The Auditor's Office accepts e-recording submissions and provides an online document search for recorded instruments.

Lewis County Treasurer – Tax Records and Payment

The Lewis County Treasurer is the financial and banking office for county government, providing revenue collection, accounting, fund distribution, and investment services. The Treasurer handles property tax payments and offers an online parcel and tax information system (PATS) for looking up property tax details. The Treasurer's Office is at 351 NW North Street in Chehalis. A property tax payment box is located on the north side of the historic courthouse at 351 NW North Street, available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The office is closed daily from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Through the PATS system at lewiscountywa.gov/treasurer, you can look up parcel and tax information, pay taxes online, and sign up for e-statements. The Treasurer also handles the real estate excise tax, tax foreclosure proceedings, and mobile home movement permits. Seniors and disabled persons who qualify for exemptions can find information on the Treasurer's site as well. Online payment fees apply when paying by card or ACH.

The Lewis County Treasurer's website hosts the PATS parcel and tax information system for online tax lookups and payments.

The Treasurer's PATS system is a useful tool for checking property tax amounts and payment status in Lewis County.

Lewis County Property Record Contents

Lewis County assessor records include ownership name and mailing address, parcel number, legal description, land use code, lot dimensions, assessed land value, assessed improvement value, and total assessed value. Building records show construction year, square footage, and major physical features. The county has significant timber and forest land, so many parcels carry current use designations or open space classifications. The assessor's annual sales data archives go back many years and provide a long record of comparable sales in the county.

Recorded documents at the Auditor's Office form the chain of title. Deeds show the buyer, seller, date, and legal description for each transfer. Mortgages and deeds of trust record financial instruments against the property. Lewis County auditor records are searchable online, making it practical to trace ownership history for a specific parcel without a courthouse visit. The assessor also publishes downloadable assessment and tax rolls, which list all parcels in the county with valuation data.

The Washington State Digital Archives is the resource for older Lewis County property records. Historical deeds, mortgages, plat maps, and surveys going back to territorial times are available free online. The Washington Department of Revenue maintains a directory of all county assessor and treasurer websites as a reference for state-level property tax context.

Note: Lewis County assessor records distinguish between real property and personal property, so commercial businesses with equipment or inventory may appear in the assessor's records separately from their real estate parcels.

Cities in Lewis County

Lewis County includes Chehalis, Centralia, and other communities. No cities in the county currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page. All property records are maintained by Lewis County offices in Chehalis.

Communities in Lewis County include Chehalis, Centralia, Morton, Mossyrock, Pe Ell, Packwood, and Winlock. Property records for all of these areas are held by the Lewis County Assessor and Auditor in Chehalis.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lewis County. Use the property address to confirm which county holds the records you need.