Guide to filing a mechanics lien in Pierce County

Where is the Pierce County Recorder's Office that files mechanic liens?

You can file your mechanic liens in person or by eRecording.

In Person

You can bring your documents to the Pierce County Auditor’s Office located at:

2401 S. 35th St.
Room 200
Tacoma, WA 98409
Phone: (253) 798-7440
E-mail: pc auditor@co.pierce.wa.us

Hours

Monday – Friday
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

By Mail

You can also mail your documents to the following address:

Auditor’s Office
2401 S. 35th St.
Room 200
Tacoma, WA 98409

By eRecording

You can also submit your documents electronically.

Submitting documents electronically allows you to record your documents more quickly than mailing documents to the Auditor’s Office and recording numbers are available almost instantly after they are recorded.

Rejected documents are returned to the customer immediately after being reviewed and the submitter has the opportunity to resubmit the documents after making the correction.

Almost all types of documents can be recorded electronically.

Exceptions are those that require a hand applied stamp or map documents such as surveys, plats or short plats etc.

Contracted vendors handle payments for recording fees and Real Estate Excise Tax.

You can contact the vendors who have eRecording contracts with the Auditor’s office listed below:

CSC Erecording Solutions
Phone: 866-652-0111

eRecording Partners Network
Phone: 888-325-3365

Simplifile
Phone: 800-460-5657

What is Pierce County's Recording Backlog?

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

Should I file my mechanic's lien in Pierce County?

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

What are Pierce County's requirements for recording a mechanic's lien?

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

At the time of recording all documents must be fully completed, signed, and notarized.

First page must have a 3 inch top margin and 1 inch margins on the sides and bottom.

Additional pages must have 1 inch margins on all sides.

First Page Requirements

1. Return address in upper left corner, within the top 3″ margin
2. Document title
3. Name of grantor and grantee, with reference to page where additional names are located
4. Abbreviated legal description, with reference to page where complete legal is located
5. Reference number(s) if referencing a previously recorded document
6. Assessor’s tax parcel number, if the document contains a legal description

If required information does not appear on the first page of the document, a cover sheet must be completed listing all of the necessary information.

General Requirements

1. Page size may not exceed 8 1/2 by 14 inches
2. Font size must be 8 point or larger
3. Information on all pages must be legible and reproducible, including map pages
4. Paper and ink must be of weight and color capable of producing a legible image
5. No attachments are permitted (i.e. stapled/taped notary acknowledgement, legals, etc)

Documents that do not meet the Standard Recording Requirements may be recorded for an additional $50.00 fee.

Attach a cover sheet that is provided by the Pierce County Auditor’s office. The non-standard recording request must be completed and signed by the document preparer. Documents that must be recorded immediately and which do not meet margin and font size requirements may be recorded for an additional fee of $50.00 per RCW 65.04. This cover sheet must be attached to each non-compliant document. Regular fees apply, PLUS the $50.00 additional fee, and will be due on each non-compliant document. Non-standard documents are NOT EXEMPT from the requirement that they be fully legible.

Non-standard documents must be legible

Find more information about requirements in RCWs 65.04.045 and 65.04.48

What are the margin & page size requirements to file a lien in Pierce County?

Page size may not exceed 8 1/2 by 14 inches.

Font size must be 8 point or larger.

First page must have a 3 inch top margin and 1 inch margins on the sides and bottom.

Additional pages must have 1 inch margins on all sides.

Return address in upper left corner may be within the top 3″ margin.

How can I make payment to the Pierce County Recorder's Office?

The Pierce County Auditor’s Office accepts cash, checks, money orders, and credit/debit cards for in person transactions. Make checks payable to Pierce County Auditor for transactions via mail.

What are the filing fees to record a mechanic's lien in Pierce County?

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

Additional Recording Fees

Non-standard documents, in addition to recording fee: $50.00

Lien Fees

IRS Federal Tax Lien & Release Documents: $18.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page

Lien/Satisfaction of Lien recorded by state, county, and city offices only: $39.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page

Copy Fees

Certified photocopies, legal size or less: $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page

Uncertified photocopies, legal size or less, per page: $1.00

How do I get a recorded copy of my lien from the Pierce County Recorder's Office?

You can obtain a recorded copy of your lien in person at the Pierce County Auditor’s Office located at:

2401 S. 35th St.
Room 200
Tacoma, WA 98409

Phone: (253) 798-7440
E-mail: pc auditor@co.pierce.wa.us

Hours
Monday – Friday
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

You can also search Pierce County’s recorded documents online at:

https://armsweb.co.pierce.wa.us/RealEstate/SearchEntry.aspx

Note that the while the images available on the Internet are kept up to date, the Pierce County Auditor’s office does not certify the authenticity of the information provided there. You can obtain official records by visiting the office in person.

Copy fees are as follows:

Certified photocopies, legal size or less: $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page

Uncertified photocopies, legal size or less, per page: $1.00