Washington · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Cowlitz County, WA
Cowlitz County (population 110,730) records real-property documents through the Cowlitz County Auditor's Office, Recording Department. Below is what it costs and how to submit. Filing a memorandum of contract? We record it with the county for $199, notary included — no trip to the courthouse.
Cowlitz County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Cowlitz County Auditor's Office, Recording Department
- Mailing address
- Cowlitz County Auditor, Recording, 207 N 4th Ave, Room 206, Kelso, WA 98626
- Phone
- (360) 577-3002
- Recording hours
- Mon–Thu 7:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile, ePN, CSC
Cowlitz County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $303.50 for the first page
- Additional pages
- $1.00 per additional page
- Other fees
- Standard cover sheet adds $1.00; non-standard/emergency recording $50.00; certified copy $3.00 first page, $1.00 each additional
- Transfer tax on deeds
- Washington real estate excise tax: state graduated rate of 1.1% up to $525,000, 1.28% to $1,525,000, 2.75% to $3,025,000 and 3% above, plus the local rate; paid to the County Treasurer before recording
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Cowlitz County Auditor's Office, Recording Department before you mail a check.
What Cowlitz County requires
- Page formatting
- Paper 8.5" x 14" or smaller; first page: 3" top margin, 1" sides and bottom; later pages: 1" margins all sides; at least 8-point font; legible, imageable ink; no taped, stapled or glued attachments; first page shows return address, title, grantor/grantee, abbreviated legal and 11-digit parcel number
- Cover sheet
- Optional. A standard cover sheet may be used to meet the 3" top margin and indexing rules ($1.00 extra); a non-standard emergency cover sheet costs $50.00
- Submission & return
- Returned to the name and address shown in the top left of the first page
Checked against official Cowlitz County and Washington sources on October 6, 2026: co.cowlitz.wa.us, dor.wa.gov. Part of Jurably’s open recording-fee dataset.
Can you e-record in Cowlitz County?
Yes. Cowlitz County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, ePN, CSC, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in Cowlitz County, Washington
- Prepare the document so it meets Cowlitz County's formatting rules (above): legal description, grantee address, signature block, and the blank space the recorder reserves for its stamp.
- Notarize it if the instrument requires acknowledgment. Most deeds and affidavits do.
- Submit electronically through Simplifile, ePN, CSC, or by mail to Cowlitz County Auditor's Office, Recording Department.
- Pay the recording fee.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Cowlitz County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Cowlitz County property are searchable at Cowlitz County Assessor - Property Info (Cowlitz Info Property App). A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
How Jurably helps in Cowlitz County
Jurably isn’t a deed-filing desk. It’s how real-estate investors get the important paperwork done. If you’re under contract on a Cowlitz County property, we file a memorandum of contract to put your equitable interest on the public record, where every title search will find it. The online notary session is included: you sign it alone, and the seller is notified by certified mail. Then we record it (electronically through the county’s approved network) and return the recorded instrument. It’s a self-help filing service, not legal advice.
Guides for investors
Counties bordering Cowlitz
More Washington counties
Under contract in Cowlitz County? Secure it.
Jurably files a memorandum to protect your deal, notarizes what you need, and records it — no courthouse trip.