Washington
WA
The investor buys the property itself at sale. No redemption period usually follows, so title transfers directly.
Sale type
Tax deed
Redemption
None
Interest / penalty
Flat rate · 9%
Sale timing
Varies
Rules in plain English
Sale type
Tax deed
The investor buys the property itself at sale. No redemption period usually follows, so title transfers directly.
RCW 84.64.080
“The county treasurer must execute to the purchaser of any piece or parcel of land a tax deed.”official source ↗
Redemption period
None
No redemption period is documented after the sale.
RCW 84.64.070
“may be redeemed at any time before the close of business the day before the day of the sale”official source ↗
Interest / penalty
Flat rate · 9%
9% flat per year.
RCW 84.56.020
“Beginning January 1, 2023, interest rates are as follows: (A) Nine percent per annum for all residential real property with four or fewer units per taxable parcel”official source ↗
Bid method
Highest bid
The parcel or lien goes to the highest bidder at auction.
RCW 84.64.080
“The county treasurer must immediately after receiving the order and judgment proceed to sell the property as provided in this chapter to the highest and best bidder.”official source ↗
Sale schedule
Varies
Sale timing varies by county.
RCW 84.64.080
“All sales must be made at a location in the county on a date and time (except Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays) as the county treasurer may direct”official source ↗
Redemption detail
- Base period
- None
- Starts from
- the sale date
- Notice days
- Not documented
- Exceptions
- Not documented
Bidder process
- 01The county forecloses on certificates of delinquency in superior court; the court gives judgment for the taxes, interest, and costs due and orders the sale (84.64.080(3))
- 02The treasurer gives notice of the time and place of the sale for ten days successively by posting it in three public places in the county, one of which must be the treasurer's office (84.64.080(5))
- 03Attend the sale at the county location the treasurer directs (except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays), or at a public auction held by electronic media if the treasurer chooses that method (84.64.080(5), (7); 84.64.225)
- 04Bid at or above the acceptable minimum bid, which is the total amount of taxes, interest, and costs; the property is sold "as is" to the highest and best bidder (84.64.080(4))
- 05If you are the winning bidder, pay the full amount of taxes, interest, and costs for which judgment was rendered, plus any taxes, interest, and costs delinquent at the time of sale (84.64.200(2)); for an online sale, pay the required deposit to bid and then pay the winning bid by electronic funds transfer within no less than forty-eight hours (84.64.225(2))
- 06The treasurer executes a tax deed to the purchaser; the treasurer collects a five-dollar deed-preparation fee plus the recording fee and sends the deed to the county auditor to record (84.64.080(11), 84.64.215)
- Registration
- Not documented
- Registration mode
- Not documented
- Registration deadline
- Not documented
- Registration fee
- Not documented
- Deposit required
- Not documented
- Deposit amount
- Not documented
- Deposit percent
- Not documented
- Deposit refundable
- Not documented
- Sale format
- hybrid
- Payment deadline
- at an electronic media sale, a winning bidder is allowed no less than forty-eight hours to pay the winning bid by electronic funds transfer; the acceptable minimum bid is the total amount of taxes, interest, and costs (84.64.080(4), 84.64.225(2))
- Payment methods
- cash, ach
- Residency required
- Not documented
- No county officer or employee may directly or indirectly be a purchaser of the property at the sale (84.64.080(8))
RCW 84.64.080(3)
“The court must order and direct the clerk to make and enter an order for the sale of the real property against which judgment is made ... The order is full and sufficient authority for the treasurer to proceed to sell the property for the sum set forth in the order and to take further steps provided by law.”official source ↗
RCW 84.64.080(4)
“The county treasurer must immediately after receiving the order and judgment proceed to sell the property as provided in this chapter to the highest and best bidder. The acceptable minimum bid must be the total amount of taxes, interest, and costs. The property must be sold "as is."”official source ↗
RCW 84.64.080(5)
“All sales must be made at a location in the county on a date and time (except Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays) as the county treasurer may direct, and continue from day to day (Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays excepted) during the same hours until all lots or tracts are sold. The county treasurer must first give notice of the time and place where the sale is to take place for ten days successively by posting notice thereof in three public places in the county, one of which must be in the office of the treasurer.”official source ↗
RCW 84.64.080(7)
“As an alternative to the sale procedure specified in subsections (5) and (6) of this section, the county treasurer may conduct a public auction sale by electronic media pursuant to RCW 84.64.225.”official source ↗
RCW 84.64.080(8)
“No county officer or employee may directly or indirectly be a purchaser of the property at the sale.”official source ↗
RCW 84.64.080(11)
“The county treasurer must execute to the purchaser of any piece or parcel of land a tax deed.”official source ↗
RCW 84.64.200(2)
“All bidders except the county at sales of property for which certificates of delinquency are held by the county must pay the full amount of taxes, interest, and costs for which judgment is rendered, together with all taxes, interest, and costs which are delinquent at the time of sale, regardless of whether the taxes, interest, or costs are included in the judgment.”official source ↗
RCW 84.64.225(2)
“Prospective bidders must deposit . . . . to participate in bidding. A deposit paid by a winning bidder will be applied to the balance due. However, a winning bidder who does not comply with the terms of sale will forfeit the deposit. Deposits paid by nonwinning bidders will be refunded within ten business days of the close of the sale. Payment of deposits and a winning bid must be made by electronic funds transfer. In the case of an online public auction sale by electronic media as provided in RCW 36.16.145, a winning bidder is allowed no less than forty-eight hours to pay the winning bid by electronic funds transfer.”official source ↗
RCW 84.64.070(1)
“Real property upon which certificates of delinquency have been issued under the provisions of this chapter, may be redeemed at any time before the close of business the day before the day of the sale, by payment, as prescribed by the county treasurer, to the county treasurer of the proper county, of the amount for which the certificate of delinquency was issued, together with interest at the statutory rate per annum charged on delinquent general real and personal property taxes from date of issuance of the certificate of delinquency until paid.”official source ↗
RCW 84.64.215
“In addition to a five dollar fee for preparing the deed, the treasurer shall collect the proper recording fee.”official source ↗
Notes
Interest RCW 84.56.020; redemption RCW 84.64.070; sale to highest bidder \as is\" per RCW 84.64.080. Official WA RCW." | Prose: deed | 9%/yr residential (4 or fewer units); 12%/yr all other | redeem at any time before day of sale; 3 years for minors/incompetents | highest and best bidder | varies by county (date set by county treasurer)