Mason County Property Records

Mason County property records are public documents held by the Assessor, Auditor, and Treasurer offices in Shelton, Washington. These records cover parcel ownership, assessed values, tax accounts, and recorded instruments for all real and personal property in the county. This page explains how to access Mason County property records online, what each county office handles, and where to find historical documents from earlier periods.

Mason County Property Records Overview

Mason County sits at the base of Hood Canal in western Washington, with Shelton as the county seat and the county's only incorporated city. The county covers a mix of timber land, waterfront properties, rural parcels, and suburban development. Property records in Mason County are public under Chapter 42.56 RCW. The main county offices for property records are the Assessor, Auditor, and Treasurer, all located in the Mason County government campus at 411 N 5th St, Shelton, WA 98584.

The Assessor values all taxable real and personal property in Mason County. The Auditor records deeds, deeds of trust, liens, and other instruments affecting real property. The Treasurer collects property taxes, manages excise tax at closings, and handles delinquent accounts. These three offices work together on the property records cycle: the Assessor sets value, the Auditor tracks title, and the Treasurer bills and collects. Each office has its own page on masoncountywa.gov with contact information, hours, and online access tools.

Washington law requires the Mason County Assessor to value all property at 100% of true and fair market value under RCW 84.40.020. Values are updated annually through a combination of full physical inspections on a six-year cycle and statistical sales analysis in the years between inspections, as required by RCW 84.41.030. Property owners who disagree with their Mason County assessment can appeal to the County Board of Equalization.

Mason County Assessor Property Data

The Mason County Assessor maintains all parcel records, ownership data, sales history, and tax map information for real and personal property in the county. The Assessor's website provides access to the parcel search tool, where you can look up properties by address, parcel number, or owner name. Assessed values, land use codes, and improvement details are all shown in the parcel record. The Assessor also links to GIS mapping resources for parcel boundaries and aerial imagery.

Exemption and relief programs available through the Mason County Assessor include the Senior and Disabled Persons property tax exemption, the Senior and Disabled deferral program, Designated Forest Land designation, Open Space taxation for farm and agricultural land, the Home Improvement exemption, and Destroyed Property relief. Business personal property listings are required annually from businesses operating in Mason County. The Assessor's website has the current year listing forms and instructions.

Levy information and tax code area data are published by the Mason County Assessor each year after the certification of values. This data shows how levy rates are set for each taxing district in the county. Mason County has multiple overlapping taxing districts including the county itself, school districts, fire districts, port districts, water districts, and special purpose districts. The total tax rate for a parcel depends on which districts it falls within.

The Mason County Assessor maintains parcel data for all real and personal property in the county and provides online access to assessed values, ownership records, and exemption programs.

Recording Property Documents in Mason County

The Mason County Auditor records all instruments affecting real property in the county under RCW 36.22.010. This includes deeds, deeds of trust, reconveyances, liens, easements, plat maps, and other documents. Recording creates a public record of the transaction and gives constructive notice to future buyers and lenders under RCW 65.08.070. In Mason County, this means anyone who searches the Auditor's records before a closing will be bound by what they find there.

The Mason County Auditor's website at masoncountywa.gov/auditor provides information on the recording process, accepted document types, and current recording fees. Electronic recording is available for title companies and attorneys who want to file documents without visiting the courthouse in Shelton. The Auditor's public records search tool lets you look up recorded documents by grantor, grantee, document type, or date. This tool is a key resource for title searches and chain-of-title research on Mason County properties.

The Auditor's office also handles elections, vehicle and vessel licensing, marriage licensing, and financial reporting for the county. The recording function is separate from these other services. If you need to look up Mason County recorded documents, go directly to the Recording section of the Auditor's website or contact the recording staff.

The Mason County Auditor records all deeds, liens, and other real property instruments and provides an online public records search for researching the title history of any parcel.

Mason County Treasurer and Property Tax

The Mason County Treasurer collects real and personal property taxes, administers Real Estate Excise Tax under RCW 82.45, and acts as the financial custodian for the county and its taxing districts. The Treasurer's office is at 411 N 5th St, Shelton, WA 98584. Phone is 360-427-9670. Property taxes in Mason County are generally due April 30 for the first half and October 31 for the second half.

The Mason County Treasurer's website provides a parcel search and online payment tool. Property owners can look up their current tax balance and pay by credit card, echeck, or other electronic means. The Treasurer handles foreclosure on properties with delinquent taxes and maintains records of tax-title parcels that the county holds after foreclosure. These listings are available on the Treasurer's website. The Treasurer also publishes investment reports and financial statements for the county as required by state law.

The Mason County Treasurer collects property taxes for all taxing districts in the county and provides online payment and parcel search tools at masoncountywa.gov.

Note: Real Estate Excise Tax is due at the time a Mason County property is sold or transferred. The Treasurer's office processes REET affidavits and can answer questions about current rates and exemptions.

Additional Mason County Property Resources

The Washington Department of Revenue maintains a directory of all county assessor and treasurer websites, including Mason County. The DOR also publishes statewide property tax forms, exemption applications, and guides to the levy calculation process. For Mason County property owners, the DOR's page on senior and disabled exemption qualifications is a useful starting point before contacting the Assessor's office directly.

Historical Mason County property records are available through the Washington State Digital Archives. This free resource provides access to older deeds, mortgages, plat maps, and survey records from earlier periods in Mason County's history. Search is available by record type, date range, and party name. Documents are scanned at high resolution and can be viewed around the clock. This archive is the best source for older recorded instruments that may not appear in the county's current online system.

The MRSC guide to county officials explains the duties of Washington county assessors, auditors, and treasurers. For Mason County specifically, this background helps property owners understand why the three offices work separately and what steps to take when researching or disputing property records. The MRSC also provides sample policies and forms that Mason County and its cities may adopt for property-related matters.

Cities in Mason County

Mason County includes Shelton as its only incorporated city, along with unincorporated communities such as Hoodsport, Union, Belfair, and Allyn. No cities in Mason County currently have individual property records pages on this site. All property records are filed and maintained through the county offices in Shelton.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Mason County in western Washington. Each has its own property records offices and online search tools.