Snohomish County closing costs
The county-specific transfer tax and deed recording fees for Snohomish County, Washington - the local details that change your total beyond the statewide rate.
- Effective transfer tax
- 0.5%
- ≈ $2,000 on a $400,000 home
- Typical lender + 3rd-party fees
- $8,525
- median of 7,877 purchase loans · HMDA 2023
Snohomish County compared with Washington counties
In the verified Washington county records we have, Snohomish County's effective transfer-tax rate ranks #3 of 5 by highest rate. At $400,000, the county-specific transfer tax is $2,000, which is $3,120 below the state-level calculation before city surtaxes.
- County rank
- #3 of 5
- within verified Washington county pages
- Tax at $400,000
- $2,000
- state baseline $5,120
- HMDA fee sample
- 7,877
- purchase loans in 2023
Snohomish County transfer-tax data: official source linked on this page, reviewed 2026-Q2.
Transfer tax in Snohomish County
Washington imposes a graduated STATE Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) of 1.1%-3.0% on the selling price; on top of that, Snohomish County levies a LOCAL REET of 0.50% (the combined RCW 82.46 first + second 0.25% quarter taxes), which applies countywide including unincorporated areas and every major city (Everett, Lynnwood, Marysville, Edmonds, Lake Stevens, Mukilteo, Bothell-in-Snohomish, Mill Creek, etc.) — only the town of Darrington is lower at 0.25%. REET is customarily paid by the SELLER. The 0.50% is the city/county portion and is not stacked further at the city level, so no separate city transfer tax. The state graduated REET is not captured in county_transfer_tax_rate (that field reflects only the county/local add-on).
Recording fees in Snohomish County
Standard recorded document: $303.50 first page + $1.00 each additional page. Deed of Trust: $304.50 first page + $1.00 each additional page. Each additional title/transaction/reference number: $303.50. Emergency non-standard cover sheet: $50.00 (added if margins not met). Source: Snohomish County Auditor Schedule of Fees, effective July 27, 2025. Recording fees are set by WA State Legislature (RCW 36.18 & 36.22).
Official recorder: Snohomish County recorder ↗ — the authoritative source for the current recording fee schedule.
What lenders actually charge in Snohomish County
Across 7,877 home-purchase mortgages originated in Snohomish County in 2023, the median total loan costs — lender fees plus third-party services such as appraisal and title, excluding prepaids and escrow — were $8,525, of which about $4,975 was the lender’s own origination charges. That is reported loan-level data from every lender under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act — not a national average — so it reflects what buyers in this county actually paid. Lender fees vary widely, so comparing a few rate quotes is the single biggest lever on your closing total.
Source: FFIEC HMDA Data Browser ↗ (2023 purchase originations, FIPS 53061, ODC-BY 1.0). Median total loan costs exclude prepaids and escrow.
Estimate your Snohomish County closing costs
Pre-set to Washington. County-level taxes above may add to this estimate.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the transfer tax in Snohomish County?
Snohomish County (Washington): the applicable real-estate transfer tax works out to about 0.5%. Washington imposes a graduated STATE Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) of 1.1%-3.0% on the selling price; on top of that, Snohomish County levies a LOCAL REET of 0.50% (the combined RCW 82.46 first + second 0.25% quarter taxes), which applies countywide including unincorporated areas and every major city (Everett, Lynnwood, Marysville, Edmonds, Lake Stevens, Mukilteo, Bothell-in-Snohomish, Mill Creek, etc.) — only the town of Darrington is lower at 0.25%. REET is customarily paid by the SELLER. The 0.50% is the city/county portion and is not stacked further at the city level, so no separate city transfer tax. The state graduated REET is not captured in county_transfer_tax_rate (that field reflects only the county/local add-on).
What are recording fees in Snohomish County?
Standard recorded document: $303.50 first page + $1.00 each additional page. Deed of Trust: $304.50 first page + $1.00 each additional page. Each additional title/transaction/reference number: $303.50. Emergency non-standard cover sheet: $50.00 (added if margins not met). Source: Snohomish County Auditor Schedule of Fees, effective July 27, 2025. Recording fees are set by WA State Legislature (RCW 36.18 & 36.22).
How much are closing costs in Snohomish County?
Closing costs in Snohomish County follow Washington's structure plus this county's specific transfer-tax and recording fees. Use the calculator below for an estimate; for the exact recording schedule, the county recorder is the authoritative source.
What do lenders charge in fees in Snohomish County?
In 2023, the median total loan costs — lender fees plus third-party services like appraisal and title, excluding prepaids and escrow — across 7,877 home-purchase mortgages in Snohomish County were about $8,525, of which roughly $4,975 was the lender's own origination charges. This is reported loan-level data under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act; actual fees vary by lender, so comparing quotes matters.
Closest Washington county comparisons
Sibling links are ordered by nearby verified effective transfer-tax rate, so each county page connects to genuinely comparable counties.