PLATS — RECORDING

RCW 58.08
in effect

RCW 58.08.010 Town plat to be recorded — Requisites.

Any person or persons, who may hereafter lay off any town within this state, shall, previous to the sale of any lots within such town, cause to be recorded in the recorder's office of the county wherein the same may lie, a plat of said town, with the public grounds, (if any there be,) streets, lanes and alleys, with their respective widths properly marked, and the lots regularly numbered, and the size stated on said plat. Any person or persons, who may hereafter lay off any town within this state, shall, previous to the sale of any lots within such town, cause to be recorded in the recorder's office of the county wherein the same may lie, a plat of said town, with the public grounds, (if any there be,) streets, lanes and alleys, with their respective widths properly marked, and the lots regularly numbered, and the size stated on said plat.

RCW 58.08.015 Effect of donation marked on plat.

Every donation or grant to the public, or to any individual or individuals, religious society or societies, or to any corporation or body politic, marked or noted as such on the plat of the town, or wherein such donation or grant may have been made, shall be considered, to all intents and purposes, as a quitclaim deed to the said donee or donees, grantee or grantees, for his, her or their use, for the purposes intended by the donor or donors, grantor or grantors, as aforesaid. Every donation or grant to the public, or to any individual or individuals, religious society or societies, or to any corporation or body politic, marked or noted as such on the plat of the town, or wherein such donation or grant may have been made, shall be considered, to all intents and purposes, as a quitclaim deed to the said donee or donees, grantee or grantees, for his, her or their use, for the purposes intended by the donor or donors, grantor or grantors, as aforesaid.

RCW 58.08.020 Additions.

Every person hereinafter laying off any lots in addition to any town, shall, previous to the sale of such lots, have the same recorded under the like regulations as are provided for recording the original plat of said town, and thereafter the same shall be considered an addition thereto. Every person hereinafter laying off any lots in addition to any town, shall, previous to the sale of such lots, have the same recorded under the like regulations as are provided for recording the original plat of said town, and thereafter the same shall be considered an addition thereto.

RCW 58.08.030 Plats to be acknowledged — Certificate that taxes and assessments are paid.

Every person whose duty it may be to comply with the foregoing regulations shall at or before the time of offering such plat for record, acknowledge the same before the auditor of the proper county, or any other officer who is authorized by law to take acknowledgment of deeds, a certificate of which acknowledgment shall be indorsed on or annexed to such plat and recorded therewith. In all cases where any person or persons, corporation or corporations shall desire to file a plat, map, subdivision or replat of any property or shall desire to vacate the whole or any portion of any existing plat, map, subdivision or replat, such person or persons, corporation or corporations must, at the time of filing the same for record or of filing a petition for vacation thereof, file therewith a certificate from the proper officer or officers who may be in charge of the collection of taxes for which the property affected may be liable at that date, that all taxes which have been levied and become chargeable against such property at such date have been duly paid, satisfied and discharged and must file therewith a certificate from the proper officer or officers, who may be in charge of the collections, that all delinquent assessments for which the property affected may be liable at that date and that all special assessments assessed against said property, which, under the plat filed, become streets, alleys and other public places, have been paid. Every person whose duty it may be to comply with the foregoing regulations shall at or before the time of offering such plat for record, acknowledge the same before the auditor of the proper county, or any other officer who is authorized by law to take acknowledgment of deeds, a certificate of which acknowledgment shall be indorsed on or annexed to such plat and recorded therewith. In all cases where any person or persons, corporation or corporations shall desire to file a plat, map, subdivision or replat of any property or shall desire to vacate the whole or any portion of any existing plat, map, subdivision or replat, such person or persons, corporation or corporations must, at the time of filing the same for record or of filing a petition for vacation thereof, file therewith a certificate from the proper officer or officers who may be in charge of the collection of taxes for which the property affected may be liable at that date, that all taxes which have been levied and become chargeable against such property at such date have been duly paid, satisfied and discharged and must file therewith a certificate from the proper officer or officers, who may be in charge of the collections, that all delinquent assessments for which the property affected may be liable at that date and that all special assessments assessed against said property, which, under the plat filed, become streets, alleys and other public places, have been paid.

RCW 58.08.035 Platted streets, public highways — Lack of compliance, penalty.

All streets, lanes, and alleys, laid off and recorded in accordance with *the foregoing provisions, shall be considered, to all intents and purposes, public highways, and any person who may lay off any town or any addition to any town in this state, and neglect or refuse to comply with the requisitions aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay for the use of said town, for every month he or she may delay a compliance with the provisions of this chapter, a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars, nor less than five dollars, to be recovered by civil action, in the name of the treasurer of the county. All streets, lanes, and alleys, laid off and recorded in accordance with *the foregoing provisions, shall be considered, to all intents and purposes, public highways, and any person who may lay off any town or any addition to any town in this state, and neglect or refuse to comply with the requisitions aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay for the use of said town, for every month he or she may delay a compliance with the provisions of this chapter, a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars, nor less than five dollars, to be recovered by civil action, in the name of the treasurer of the county.

RCW 58.08.050 Official plat — Platted streets as public highways.

Whenever any city or town has been surveyed and platted and a plat thereof showing the roads, streets and alleys has been filed in the office of the auditor of the county in which such city or town is located, such plat shall be deemed the official plat of such city, or town, and all roads, streets and alleys in such city or town as shown by such plat, be and the same are declared public highways: PROVIDING, That nothing herein shall apply to any part of a city or town that has been vacated according to law. Whenever any city or town has been surveyed and platted and a plat thereof showing the roads, streets and alleys has been filed in the office of the auditor of the county in which such city or town is located, such plat shall be deemed the official plat of such city, or town, and all roads, streets and alleys in such city or town as shown by such plat, be and the same are declared public highways: PROVIDING, That nothing herein shall apply to any part of a city or town that has been vacated according to law.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=58.08&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026

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