[WSBARP] rejection re Abbreviated Legal Description on recorded document

[Joshua Grant]

I just received a letter from a County Auditor who advised that an abbreviated legal description I used "is not accurate" citing RCW 65.04.045.  I looked at that statute and see that it was last amended in 2005.  Notwithstanding using, what the county shows as an abbreviated legal on their Assessor's website, hundreds of times since 2005,  the Auditor now advises that what must be used is "the name of the Plat, do not use Org. or Orig Add".  The statute reads"  "abbreviated legal description of the property" means lot, block, plat, or section, township, range, and quarter/quarter section,"..  The name of many of the Town "plats" in this area are shown as Original Addition to the Town of ______.  Or "Railroad Addition to the Town of ______."  The auditor goes on to say "The Assessor's website should not be used to obtain property descriptions.  If you need help with a legal description or an abbreviated legal description, please contact a title company or surveyor".   My guess is that some memo has come from the State, possibly the Department of Revenue, Excise Tax section??? Because this isn't a new statute.  It's not bad enough that the recording fee is now over $200 for the first page... but now we have to get a title report to record a simple gift deed?
Anyone have any authority to counter the legal advice I have received from an Auditor's Office?
Thanks
Josh

Joshua F. Grant
[cid:image001.png at 01D9EA43.33FB5CC0]
P. O. Box 619
Wilbur, WA 99185
509 647 5578
jgrant at advocateslg.com

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