LIEN OF TAXES

RCW 84.60

in effect

RCW 84.60.010 Priority of tax lien.

All taxes and levies which may hereafter be lawfully imposed or assessed are declared to be a lien respectively upon the real and personal property upon which they may hereafter be imposed or assessed, which liens include all charges and expenses of and concerning the taxes which, by the provisions of this title, are directed to be made. The lien has priority to and must be fully paid and satisfied before any recognizance, mortgage, judgment, debt, obligation, or responsibility to or with which the real and personal property may become charged or liable, except that the lien is of equal rank with liens for amounts deferred under chapter 84.37 or 84.38 RCW. All taxes and levies which may hereafter be lawfully imposed or assessed are declared to be a lien respectively upon the real and personal property upon which they may hereafter be imposed or assessed, which liens include all charges and expenses of and concerning the taxes which, by the provisions of this title, are directed to be made. The lien has priority to and must be fully paid and satisfied before any recognizance, mortgage, judgment, debt, obligation, or responsibility to or with which the real and personal property may become charged or liable, except that the lien is of equal rank with liens for amounts deferred under chapter 84.37 or 84.38 RCW.

RCW 84.60.020 Attachment of tax liens.

The taxes assessed upon real property, including mobile homes assessed thereon, and other mobile homes as defined in RCW 82.50.010 shall be a lien thereon from and including the first day of January in the year in which they are levied until the same are paid, but as between the grantor or vendor and the grantee or purchaser of any real property or any such mobile home, when there is no express agreement as to payment of the taxes thereon due and payable in the calendar year of the sale or the contract to sell, the grantor or vendor shall be liable for the same proportion of such taxes as the part of the calendar year prior to the day of the sale or the contract to sell bears to the whole of such calendar year, and the grantee or purchaser shall be liable for the remainder of such taxes and subsequent taxes. The lien for the property taxes assessed on a mobile home shall be terminated and absolved for the year subsequent to the year of its removal from the state, when notice is given to the county treasurer describing the mobile home, if all property taxes due at the time of removal are satisfied. The taxes assessed upon each item of personal property assessed shall be a lien upon such personal property except mobile homes as above provided from and after the date upon which the same is listed with and valued by the county assessor, and no sale or transfer of such personal property shall in any way affect the lien for such taxes upon such property. The taxes assessed upon personal property shall be a lien upon each item of personal property of the person assessed, distrained by the treasurer as provided in RCW 84.56.070 , from and after the date of the distraint and no sale or transfer of such personal property so distrained shall in any way affect the lien for such taxes upon such property. The taxes assessed upon personal property shall be a lien upon the real property of the person assessed, selected by the county treasurer and designated and charged upon the tax rolls as provided in RCW 84.60.040 , from and after the date of such selection and charge and no sale or transfer of such real property so selected and charged shall in any way affect the lien for such personal property taxes upon such property. The taxes assessed upon real property, including mobile homes assessed thereon, and other mobile homes as defined in RCW 82.50.010 shall be a lien thereon from and including the first day of January in the year in which they are levied until the same are paid, but as between the grantor or vendor and the grantee or purchaser of any real property or any such mobile home, when there is no express agreement as to payment of the taxes thereon due and payable in the calendar year of the sale or the contract to sell, the grantor or vendor shall be liable for the same proportion of such taxes as the part of the calendar year prior to the day of the sale or the contract to sell bears to the whole of such calendar year, and the grantee or purchaser shall be liable for the remainder of such taxes and subsequent taxes. The lien for the property taxes assessed on a mobile home shall be terminated and absolved for the year subsequent to the year of its removal from the state, when notice is given to the county treasurer describing the mobile home, if all property taxes due at the time of removal are satisfied. The taxes assessed upon each item of personal property assessed shall be a lien upon such personal property except mobile homes as above provided from and after the date upon which the same is listed with and valued by the county assessor, and no sale or transfer of such personal property shall in any way affect the lien for such taxes upon such property. The taxes assessed upon personal property shall be a lien upon each item of personal property of the person assessed, distrained by the treasurer as provided in RCW 84.56.070 , from and after the date of the distraint and no sale or transfer of such personal property so distrained shall in any way affect the lien for such taxes upon such property. The taxes assessed upon personal property shall be a lien upon the real property of the person assessed, selected by the county treasurer and designated and charged upon the tax rolls as provided in RCW 84.60.040 , from and after the date of such selection and charge and no sale or transfer of such real property so selected and charged shall in any way affect the lien for such personal property taxes upon such property.

RCW 84.60.040 Charging personalty tax against realty.

When it becomes necessary, in the opinion of the county treasurer, to charge the tax on personal property against real property, in order that such personal property tax may be collected, such county treasurer shall select for that purpose some particular tract or lots of real property owned by the person owing such personal property tax, and in his or her tax roll and certificate of delinquency shall designate the particular tract or lots of real property against which such personal property tax is charged, and such real property shall be chargeable therewith. When it becomes necessary, in the opinion of the county treasurer, to charge the tax on personal property against real property, in order that such personal property tax may be collected, such county treasurer shall select for that purpose some particular tract or lots of real property owned by the person owing such personal property tax, and in his or her tax roll and certificate of delinquency shall designate the particular tract or lots of real property against which such personal property tax is charged, and such real property shall be chargeable therewith.

RCW 84.60.050 Acquisition by governmental unit of property subject to tax lien or placement under agreement or order of immediate possession or use — Effect.

(1) When real property is acquired by purchase or condemnation by the state of Washington, any county or municipal corporation or is placed under a recorded agreement for immediate possession and use or an order of immediate possession and use pursuant to RCW 8.04.090 , such property shall continue to be subject to the tax lien for the years prior to the year in which the property is so acquired or placed under such agreement or order, of any tax levied by the state, county, municipal corporation or other tax levying public body, except as is otherwise provided in RCW 84.60.070 . (2) The lien for taxes applicable to the real property being acquired or placed under immediate possession and use for the year in which such real property is so acquired or placed under immediate possession and use shall be for only the pro rata portion of taxes allocable to that portion of the year prior to the date of execution of the instrument vesting title, date of recording such agreement of immediate possession and use, date of such order of immediate possession and use, or date of judgment. No taxes levied or tax lien on such property allocable to a period subsequent to the dates identified in this subsection shall be valid and any such taxes levied shall be canceled as provided in RCW 84.48.065 . In the event the owner has paid taxes allocable to that portion of the year subsequent to the dates identified in this subsection he or she shall be entitled to a pro rata refund of the amount paid on the property so acquired or placed under a recorded agreement or an order of immediate possession and use. If the dates identified in this subsection precede the completion of the property tax rolls for the current year's collection in the year in which such taxes become payable, no lien for such taxes shall be valid and any such taxes levied but not payable shall be canceled as provided in RCW 84.48.065 . (1) When real property is acquired by purchase or condemnation by the state of Washington, any county or municipal corporation or is placed under a recorded agreement for immediate possession and use or an order of immediate possession and use pursuant to RCW 8.04.090 , such property shall continue to be subject to the tax lien for the years prior to the year in which the property is so acquired or placed under such agreement or order, of any tax levied by the state, county, municipal corporation or other tax levying public body, except as is otherwise provided in RCW 84.60.070 . (2) The lien for taxes applicable to the real property being acquired or placed under immediate possession and use for the year in which such real property is so acquired or placed under immediate possession and use shall be for only the pro rata portion of taxes allocable to that portion of the year prior to the date of execution of the instrument vesting title, date of recording such agreement of immediate possession and use, date of such order of immediate possession and use, or date of judgment. No taxes levied or tax lien on such property allocable to a period subsequent to the dates identified in this subsection shall be valid and any such taxes levied shall be canceled as provided in RCW 84.48.065 . In the event the owner has paid taxes allocable to that portion of the year subsequent to the dates identified in this subsection he or she shall be entitled to a pro rata refund of the amount paid on the property so acquired or placed under a recorded agreement or an order of immediate possession and use. If the dates identified in this subsection precede the completion of the property tax rolls for the current year's collection in the year in which such taxes become payable, no lien for such taxes shall be valid and any such taxes levied but not payable shall be canceled as provided in RCW 84.48.065 .

RCW 84.60.070 Acquisition by governmental unit of property subject to tax lien or placement under agreement or order of immediate possession or use — Segregation of taxes if only part of parcel required.

When only part of a parcel of real property is required by a public body either of the parties may require the assessor to segregate the taxes and the assessed valuation as between the portion of property so required and the remainder thereof. If the assessed valuation of the portion of the property not required exceeds the amount of all delinquent taxes and taxes payable on the entire parcel, and if the owner so elects the lien for the taxes owing and payable on all the property shall be set over to the property retained by the owner. All county assessors are hereby authorized and required to segregate taxes as provided above. When only part of a parcel of real property is required by a public body either of the parties may require the assessor to segregate the taxes and the assessed valuation as between the portion of property so required and the remainder thereof. If the assessed valuation of the portion of the property not required exceeds the amount of all delinquent taxes and taxes payable on the entire parcel, and if the owner so elects the lien for the taxes owing and payable on all the property shall be set over to the property retained by the owner. All county assessors are hereby authorized and required to segregate taxes as provided above.

Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=84.60&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026