Real Estate Excise Tax
Treasurer's Office
DISCLOSURE: It is our goal to process excise transfers the day in which they are received. We do not guarantee same day processing due to some unforeseen circumstances which occur occasionally. Excise transfers held over will be completed in a timely matter in the order they are received.
Under Washington State law, all documents transferring ownership of real property must be accompanied by a completed Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit. In Skagit County, any supporting documentation submitted with the affidavit may also need to be recorded with the Auditor’s Recording Division and/or processed by the Licensing Division, depending on the nature of the transaction.
Real Estate Excise Tax
Excise tax collected from the sale of real or personal property helps fund Washington’s common schools. This tax must be paid either at the time of processing or within 30 days of the date on the supporting document to avoid penalties and interest. Additionally, a minimum fee of $10.00 is required with each excise tax affidavit.
On claims for exempt transactions requiring a Washington Administrative Code, please consult an attorney or the Washington State Department of Revenue for assistance.
- Washington State Department of Revenue Excise Tax Affidavit Forms
- Processed Excise Tax Affidavit Search
How to Complete a Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit
eReet: Electronic Submissions for Title Companies and Law Offices
Law offices, along with title and escrow companies, may submit packages through Simplifile for electronic real estate excise tax processing. Whereas most REET transactions can take up to 3-7 business days by mail to process, Simplifile allows the Treasurer's Office to process excise transactions the day of remittance if all transaction requirements are met and no unforeseen circumstances occur (see above disclosure). Please visit https://simplifile.com/ for more information on submitting your transactions electronically.
