Clark County Recorder Mechanics Lien Filing

You can file your mechanic liens in person at the Clark County Auditor’s Office located at:

Recording Department
1300 Franklin St, 2nd Floor
Vancouver, WA 98660

Phone: 564.397.2208
Fax: 564.397.2137
E-mail: recording@clark.wa.gov

You can also submit your documents electronically.

Vendors for eRecording:
$5 service fee per document submitted.

Simplifile: (800) 460-5657 x1034
Email: josh.holmes@simplifile.com

Corporation Service Co: (866) 652-0111
Email: erecording@cscglobal.com

Indecomm: (877) 272-5250
Email: efile@indecomm.net

EPN: (888) 325-3365, option #2
Email: mike@recordingpartners.net

Nationwide: (727) 771-4000
Email: ivan_petricevic@nwtc.com

The Clark County Auditor’s Office does not publicly disclose information on recording backlog.

If your construction project is located in Clark County, then yes, you should file your lien here.

The Clark County Auditor’s recording requirements are as follows:

The first page of all documents must have:

1. Three-inch (3) margin at the top and one-inch (1) margin on the sides and bottom
2. Return address (this is the only thing that can be within the 3-inch margin)
3. Document title or titles
4. Reference numbers of the documents assigned or released (if applicable)
5. Names of the grantors and grantees, with reference to pages where additional names
can be found
6. Abbreviated legal description (section/township/range ¼ ¼ or lot/block/plat)
7. Assessors property tax parcel number or account number

A cover sheet may be used to fulfill the three-inch (3) margin at the top of the first page, and/or indexing information requirements listed above, however, the requirements listed below must still be met or the document will be returned for non-compliance. One dollar ($1.00) will be added to the fees for additional page when using a cover sheet. The title on the cover sheet must match the document exactly.

If using a cover sheet for a multiple transaction document, please provide all indexing information for each title.

The second page and all succeeding pages must have a one-inch margin on top, bottom and both sides.

No attachments are allowed on the pages (nothing taped, stapled or glued)

Font size must be at least 8 point. (No smaller than this font size.)
The paper size can be no larger than 8½ X14.

The paper must be of a weight and color capable of producing legible images. Ink must be a color capable of being imaged.

All seals must be legible and capable of being imaged (pressure seals must be smudged).

Non-standard recording: There is a provision for recording documents that do not meet the formatting requirements. A $50.00 fee is applicable if you choose this option. It does not cover legibility.

If your document has a legal description, it will need an assessor’s parcel number. If you include a parcel number, you will need to include a legal description. You cannot have one without the other.

Documents, which will be recorded with a properly filled out cover sheet: Anything signed prior to January 1,1997, birth certificates, death certificates, certified copies of documents recorded or filed (court documents), judgments or other court documents formatted to meet court requirements, marriage certificates from out of country.
Documents, which are exempt from requirements and do not require a cover sheet: DD214s, IRS documents.

Common problems for document refusal: signature or initials in margin, missing parcel number, something other than return address in top three-inch margin, or one-inch margins are not one-inch.

The paper size can be no larger than 8½ X14.

Font size must be at least 8 point.

The first page of all documents must have:

1. Three-inch (3) margin at the top and one-inch (1) margin on the sides and bottom
2. Return address (this is the only thing that can be within the 3-inch margin)

The Clark County Auditor’s Office accepts cash, check, debit/credit card (convenience fee applies) or money order.

The Clark County Auditor’s basic recording fee is $103.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page.

Additional Recording Fees

Additional Reference Numbers: $103.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page
Multiple Transaction Documents: $103.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page

Lien Fees

State/County/City Liens/Satisfactions: $39.00 for the first page

Copy Fees

Certified Copies: $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page

Non-Certified Copies: $1.00 for each page

You can obtain a recorded copy of your lien in person by mail or online.

In Person

Free public access to recorded documents is available in the Clark County Auditor’s office at the public computers during normal business hours, Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Copies of documents can be obtained through the office for a fee.

Copies are available at:

Clark County Public Service Center
1300 Franklin Street, 2nd Floor Joint Lobby
Vancouver, WA 98660

Payment may be by cash, check, debit/credit card (convenience fee applies).

By Mail

By mail: Mail your completed Request for Certified Copy form with payment (check or money order) and self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Clark County Auditor’s Office
Recording Department
PO Box 5000
Vancouver WA 98666

Online

Recorded documents may be requested online from Washington State Digital Archives.

You can access the Washington State Digital Archives at https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/

Payment may be by debit or credit card and additional fees apply.

Copy fees are as follows:

Certified copies are $3 for the first page and $1 per additional page.
Non-certified copies are $1 per page.

When copies of documents are purchased online there is an additional fee of $1 for each certified copy. This charge is in addition to the statutory fees.

You can get the property’s legal description from the Clark County Auditor’s office in person.

You can search Clark County Auditor’s recorded documents online at:

https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/

You can also search for property legal descriptions online with the Clark County Assessor at:

http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/assessor/Pages/RecordSearch.aspx