Washoe County, Nevada • deed and recorded-property research guide
Washoe County Recorder: Search Deeds, Liens, Mortgages and Property Records
The Washoe County Recorder’s Office records,
permanently preserves and provides public access to deeds, deeds of
trust, reconveyances, liens, homesteads, easements, maps, mining
documents, marriage records and other authorized recordings.
The current Washoe County Recorder is Kalie M. Work.
For real-estate researchers, Washoe provides both an online
grantor/grantee record search and an
Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) search.
Best beginner workflow:
if you know only the property address → use the Washoe County Assessor
Real Property Search → save the APN and owner name → open the Recorder
Document Search → try APN search first for a quick property-oriented
result → then always check the owner’s name and approximate recording
date because Washoe warns that APN indexing is not complete → save the
instrument number → download the free watermarked image when available
or order a plain/certified copy only if needed.
Current Recorder
Kalie M. Work
Office
1001 E. Ninth Street, Building A, Rooms 140/150, Reno, NV 89512
Online real-estate index
November 1991 forward
Online document images
August 16, 1999 forward
APN search is useful—but not complete:
Washoe County began actively indexing APNs in 2016 and also
retroactively associated some earlier records with parcel numbers.
The Recorder warns that APNs have not always been required or indexed.
A “no results” APN search therefore does not prove
that no recorded document affects the property.
Independent informational guide:
County-CAD.us is not Washoe County, the Washoe County Recorder,
Assessor, Treasurer, District Attorney, Second Judicial District Court
or another Nevada government agency. Complete searches, recordings,
transfer-tax filings and document purchases through the official
government destinations linked below.
Choose the job before choosing the search
What Are You Trying to Do?
Best Washoe County research sequence
Address → APN & Owner → Recorder → Instrument → Verify → Copy
1
Address
Start with property.
2
Assessor
Find APN and owner.
3
Recorder
Search APN/name.
4
Instrument
Save document number.
5
Verify
Match chronology.
6
Copy
Download/order.
Official government destinations
Which Washoe County Website Should You Open?
REC
Washoe County Recorder
Official office, forms, fees, search and recording guidance.
Open Recorder Website
APN
Washoe County Assessor Property Search
Find APN, owner, situs address, legal description and parcel information.
Open Assessor Property Search
RPTT
Real Property Transfer Tax
Declaration of Value, exemptions and Washoe transfer-tax calculator.
Open Transfer Tax Guide
If street address is all you know
How to Find a Washoe County Deed from an Address
1
Start with Washoe County Assessor
Search by APN, street or Assessor book/page.
Find APN and Owner
Open the Assessor Real Property Search.
Choose the street/address search option.
Enter the property address.
Use a simple situs address before adding unnecessary detail.
Open the correct parcel result.
Confirm situs address before proceeding.
Save the APN.
Save the owner/trustee name.
The Assessor result includes owner information useful for Recorder research.
Check “Last Doc Date.”
This can provide a useful clue for the most recent ownership recording.
Open the Recorder’s Document Search.
Try the APN first.
Then search owner name and approximate date.
This second search matters because APN indexing is incomplete.
Washoe-specific shortcut:
the Assessor search results include APN, situs address, owner and a
Last Doc Date. Those four pieces of information can
dramatically narrow a Recorder deed search.
Grantor/grantee records remain the strongest search method
How to Search Washoe County Recorder Records by Name
Open Document Search & Copies.
Select Official Records.
Enter the party name using the Recorder format.
Washoe County says records are indexed
Last Name space First Name, with no comma.
Add the approximate year or date.
Washoe County says a party name plus approximate transaction year
is normally needed to locate the correct record.
Review all plausible results.
Identify the document type.
Deed, deed of trust, reconveyance, lien, release and assignment mean
different things.
Save the instrument/document number.
Open the image where available.
Same-name warning:
a matching person name alone does not prove the record belongs to
the intended property. Confirm APN, legal description, other parties
and transaction dates.
Useful feature added to Washoe Recorder searching
How to Search Recorder Records by APN
Washoe County began indexing Assessor’s Parcel Numbers more actively
in 2016 and later used Assessor data to associate some older records
with APNs.
Find the APN from the Assessor.
Open the Recorder Document Search.
Select Official Records.
Locate the APN field.
Washoe says it appears between Document Number and Recording Date.
Enter the APN.
Review all matching records.
Repeat with owner name and date.
This is essential for completeness.
Why APN search can miss records:
APNs were not always required on documents, parcel numbers can change,
and the Recorder did not historically index every APN. Some older
records may therefore affect the property without appearing in an APN search.
Find ownership deed without confusing it with the loan
How to Find Your Washoe County Deed
Search the Assessor first.
Save APN, current owner and Last Doc Date.
Open Recorder Official Records.
Search the owner as a grantee around the acquisition year.
Try APN as a second search route.
Look for the conveyance deed.
Do not confuse the deed with a Deed of Trust.
A deed of trust is commonly the real-estate financing/security document.
Compare grantor, grantee and property information.
Save the instrument number.
Download the free watermarked image where available.
Order a plain or certified copy only when needed.
Ownership research ≠ title search.
Washoe County states that a full title search should be obtained from
a title company. Recorder staff do not provide title-search services.
Know what exists online before assuming a document is missing
Washoe County Recorder Online Record Coverage
Record access
Current coverage
What it means
Online real-estate index
November 1991 forward
Search party names and recording information online.
Online images
August 16, 1999 forward
Document images are generally available within this later period.
Older indexes
Before November 1991
Index information is maintained in book and/or microfiche formats.
Maps
Cumulative index
Includes subdivisions, parcel maps, surveys, land divisions and corner records.
No online result does not mean no record.
For a pre-1991 deed, lien, easement or other property record,
contact or visit the Recorder for older index research.
Historical Northern Nevada land-record research
How to Research Older Washoe County Deeds
Start with the newest known deed.
Save every prior instrument/book reference.
Search the online index back to November 1991.
For older indexing, contact the Recorder.
Request help accessing the book/microfiche indexes.
Bring party names and an approximate year.
Use map references when researching subdivisions or older parcels.
UNR historical collaboration:
Washoe County Recorder has also collaborated with the
University of Nevada, Reno’s Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center to digitize
selected historical record books in high resolution.
Washoe offers an unusually useful free first step
How to Get a Washoe County Deed Copy
$0
Watermarked Image
Available to download/print from the self-service portal where the image exists.
$1
Plain Copy
Current statutory fee per page.
+$4
Certification
Current fee added for certification of a document copy.
COPY
Document Search & Ordering
Free unofficial images plus paid plain/certified copies.
Search & Order Copies
Find the exact instrument.
Open the available image.
If personal research is enough, use the free watermarked version.
If you need a clean copy, order a plain copy.
If an agency requires certification, add certification.
Save the instrument number with the final document.
Electronic copy speed:
Washoe County says electronic document-copy requests are generally
received by email by the next business day, while mailed requests
typically take about 5–10 business days.
Washoe offers digitally certified Recorder records
Digitally Certified Deed and Recorded-Document Copies
Washoe County can issue some certified Recorder documents as digital
PDF copies rather than requiring delivery of an embossed paper copy.
Identify the exact recorded document.
Order by phone or mail.
Washoe’s current digital-certified-copy guidance says these copies
are ordered through the Recorder rather than through ordinary online checkout.
Receive the certified PDF electronically.
Keep the original digital file unchanged.
The recipient can verify the document online.
Nevada mortgage-payoff workflow
Paid Off Your Washoe County Mortgage? Search for Reconveyance
Washoe County specifically explains that paying off your house does
not mean you receive a new ownership deed.
After a mortgage/deed of trust is satisfied, the lender typically
provides a reconveyance or
satisfaction of mortgage for recording.
Find the original Deed of Trust or mortgage.
Save its instrument number and recording date.
Search a later date range.
Look for Reconveyance or Satisfaction of Mortgage.
Compare the parties and referenced loan document.
Order a clean/certified copy if formal proof is needed.
If no release appears:
Washoe County says the lender typically sends the reconveyance or
satisfaction either directly to the Recorder or to the homeowner for recording.
Contact the lender when the expected release is missing.
A paid lien still needs a recordable release
How to Research Washoe County Liens and Releases
Search the current/prior owner name.
Search the APN as a second route.
Identify the original lien.
Washoe records include mechanic’s liens, federal tax liens and other authorized liens.
Save the instrument number.
Search forward in time.
Look for a release, satisfaction, termination, cancellation or reconveyance.
Confirm the later record references the original lien.
Washoe County specifically explains that almost every recorded lien-type
document has a corresponding recordable document capable of reversing
or releasing the earlier action.
Paid does not automatically mean removed from the record.
If the lien was paid but no release is recorded, contact the person
or organization that originally filed the lien so it can provide the
appropriate recordable release document.
Nevada statutory recording rules
How to Prepare a Deed or Other Property Document for Recording
8.5 × 11-inch white paper
Nevada’s general standard calls for white 20-pound paper.
One-inch side/bottom margins
Maintain left, right and bottom recording margins.
3 × 3-inch first-page space
Reserve the upper-right recording area.
One-inch later-page top margin
Applies to succeeding pages.
Single-sided printing
Do not place recordable text on both sides.
Black text
General statutory formatting uses black ink.
Minimum readable font
General rules prohibit text smaller than 10-point Times New Roman.
No attached materials
Do not physically attach extra materials to pages.
Typed signer names
Names generally must be typed or printed beneath original signatures.
Proper acknowledgment
Real-property title documents must satisfy applicable Nevada notarial rules.
Return address
Include a name/address for return after recording.
Document title
Identify what type of recordable instrument is being submitted.
The Washoe County Recorder cannot choose a deed for you, complete the
document, provide legal advice or notarize your signature.
APN belongs near the top of many Nevada real-estate documents
When the APN Must Appear on a Recorded Document
Washoe County’s recording requirements explain that the Assessor’s
Parcel Number generally must appear at the
top-left corner of the first page on several categories
of real-estate documents.
Conveyance of real property
Includes many documents transferring or agreeing to transfer real estate.
Mortgage / Deed of Trust
APN is generally required.
Lien / Notice of Lien
APN is generally required.
Declaration of Homestead
APN is generally required.
Notice of Completion
APN is generally required.
Affidavit of Death
APN is generally required under the county’s cited Nevada rules.
A transfer of water rights is one example where the general parcel-number
rule has a statutory exception.
Metes-and-Bounds Legal Description Requirement
When a recordable document contains a metes-and-bounds legal description,
Washoe County explains that the document must include the
name and mailing address of the person who prepared the legal description.
If a previously recorded document contains the same legal description,
the earlier document number can be referenced instead under the cited
Nevada rule.
The Recorder does not verify that the legal description itself is accurate.
For a boundary, conveyance-description or survey issue, use the appropriate
title, legal or surveying professional.
Current Washoe County Recorder schedule
Washoe County Recorder Fees
$43
General Recording
Per general document.
$293
Notice of Default
Current document recording fee.
$68
Subdivision / Tract Map
Base map recording fee.
$35
Parcel / Survey Map
Current base fee.
$1
Document Copy
Per page.
$4
Certification
Per document-copy certification.
Transfer tax is separate.
A deed transferring real property can require Real Property Transfer
Tax in addition to the $43 general recording fee.
Credit/debit-card transactions currently carry a
3.5% processing fee.
The Recorder also accepts cash, check and money order/cashier’s check.
Nevada Real Property Transfer Tax
Washoe County Real Property Transfer Tax
$2.05
Per $500 of Value or Fraction
Current Washoe County RPTT rate.
Under Nevada’s transfer-tax system, Washoe County Recorder collects
Real Property Transfer Tax when an interest in real property is conveyed,
unless a valid statutory exemption applies.
Determine whether title/interest is being transferred.
Determine taxable value.
Review NRS 375.090 if claiming an exemption.
Complete the current Declaration of Value.
Calculate tax at $2.05 per $500 or fractional portion.
Submit the Declaration with the title-transfer document.
Important 2026 form change
Use the New 2026 Washoe County Declaration of Value
Washoe County announced that beginning
January 1, 2026, it accepts only the updated
Declaration of Value containing the new
Section 2b — Property Tax Abatement.
List every affected APN.
If more than four parcel numbers are involved, attach the remaining list.
Select property type.
Enter total value / sales price.
Calculate the transfer-tax value.
Partial-interest transfers require the appropriate transferred percentage.
Enter RPTT due.
If exempt, enter the correct NRS 375.090 exemption number.
Complete the required explanation/supporting information.
Complete seller and buyer names/addresses.
Sign with an original signature.
Some claimed transfer-tax exemptions require supporting documentation
at the time the deed is recorded.
Washoe County was an early Nevada eRecording adopter
How to eRecord Documents in Washoe County
Washoe County recorded its first electronic document in 2003 and now
states that nearly 90% of its recordings are submitted electronically.
Prepare a legally complete recordable document.
Select an approved Washoe County eRecording provider.
Create the provider account.
Provider account/service charges are determined by the vendor.
Upload the document and required data.
Submit recording fees and transfer tax as applicable.
Monitor acceptance/rejection status.
Save the final recorded document and instrument number.
E
Washoe County eRecording
Current approved providers and electronic-recording information.
Open eRecording Guide
The Recorder’s list currently includes providers such as CSC,
Deeds.com, eRecording Partners Network, Hopdox, Recording Access and Simplifile.
Use the county’s live list because provider participation can change.
Free recording-monitoring service
How to Use Washoe County Recording Notification Service
Washoe County’s free
Recording Notification Service (RNS) sends an email
when a new recording matches a name or parcel number registered by the user.
Open the Recording Notification Service.
Register your email address.
Add up to five name variations.
Add up to five parcel numbers.
Use both name and APN monitoring.
Washoe specifically recommends this because not every recorded
document includes/indexes an APN.
When an alert arrives, note the instrument number.
Open the Recorder portal and inspect the document.
RNS is a notification service, not fraud prevention.
The county does not guarantee that it will identify every document
affecting a property, and a matching alert can also belong to another
person with the same name.
If you believe a document is fraudulent, Washoe County advises contacting
local law enforcement. Recorder staff cannot determine legal fraud from
the contents of an alert.
Nevada-specific Recorder form
Washoe County Declaration of Homestead
Washoe County makes both a
Declaration of Homestead and
Abandonment of Homestead form available online.
Find your APN and legal description.
The Assessor specifically notes these are needed to complete the homestead form.
Download the Recorder homestead form.
Complete it legibly in black ink.
Keep text within required margins.
Sign before a notary public.
Record the completed declaration with the Recorder.
Adding or Removing a Person from Property Title
Washoe County states that changing how title is held generally requires
recording a new conveyance/transfer document.
The Recorder cannot tell you which deed to use or explain the tax,
creditor, probate, divorce or estate consequences of changing title.
Obtain qualified legal/title advice when the transfer is not routine.
What If a Joint Owner Has Died?
Washoe County’s real-property FAQ explains that removing a deceased
joint tenant from the title typically requires a new recordable transfer
document, and in some situations an affidavit may be appropriate.
The county also notes that a death certificate is involved in the process.
The proper document depends on how title was held and the legal facts.
Recorder personnel cannot choose the form for you. Seek probate/title
or legal advice when uncertain.
Washoe maintains multiple map-record systems
Parcel Maps, Surveys and Recorded Maps
Washoe County Recorder maintains a cumulative map index that includes
subdivision maps, parcel maps, surveys, land divisions and corner records.
Assessor Parcel Maps
Useful for parcel context and assessment research.
Washoe Regional Mapping System
GIS-based property and geographic context.
Parcel / Tract Maps
Recorded map resources.
Records of Survey
Use when researching survey documents and referenced boundaries.
Assessor/GIS map lines are useful for research but should not replace
a legal boundary survey when building, fencing, easements or
encroachments are involved.
Recorder and Assessor answer different property questions
Washoe Recorder vs Assessor vs Treasurer vs Court
Your task
Correct office
Best next step
Deed / lien / mortgage / reconveyance
Recorder
Search recorded documents and obtain copies.
Address / APN / owner / assessed value
Assessor
Search Real Property Assessment Data.
Property-tax bill/payment
Treasurer
Check current tax billing and payment records.
Full title search
Title company
Request professional title research.
Divorce decree
Second Judicial District Court
Use court records rather than Recorder records.
Birth / death certificate
Health District / vital records
Recorder does not maintain birth/death records.
Washoe-specific research shortcuts
Local Tips That Prevent Failed Recorder Searches
Use Assessor first when all you have is an address.
Save APN, owner and Last Doc Date before opening Recorder search.
Do not rely only on APN search.
Washoe itself says APN indexing can never be complete.
Search names Last First.
Do not add a comma between surname and given name.
Add approximate year.
This is one of the Recorder’s primary ways to narrow same-name results.
Free image first.
Use the watermarked image before paying for a plain copy.
Pre-August-1999 image may not be online.
Search the index and request the underlying document if needed.
Pre-November-1991 index requires older research.
Book/microfiche resources remain important.
Paid mortgage? Search reconveyance.
Do not wait for a new deed.
Paid lien? Find its release.
Payment alone is not the public-record cancellation document.
Use both name and APN in Recording Notification Service.
Washoe specifically recommends both.
Download the 2026 Declaration of Value fresh.
Older versions without Section 2b are no longer accepted.
Do not forget APN on the first page.
Many Nevada property instruments require it.
Keep the upper-right 3 × 3 inches clear.
That is the Recorder’s first-page recording area.
Recorder cannot provide notary service.
Complete notarization before submitting the deed.
Washoe County Property Record Checklist
Correct APN
Confirm through Assessor property data.
Latest deed
Match grantor, grantee and property.
Deeds of trust
Identify financing/security instruments.
Reconveyances
Confirm prior loans were released.
Liens
Search both claim and release.
Easements
Follow recorded references affecting access/use.
Maps / surveys
Review parcel and survey records when relevant.
Property taxes
Verify separately through tax records.
Recording alerts
Add both owner names and APN to RNS.
Professional title work
Obtain it for purchases or high-stakes ownership questions.
County-CAD.us Research Standards
Sources & Methodology
Official county and state sources are preferred for Recorder,
Assessor, fee and procedural facts.
Read Sources & Methodology
Independent Website Disclaimer
County-CAD.us is not a government office or title company.
Read Disclaimer
Primary official research
Official Sources Used for This Washoe County Recorder Guide
Washoe County Recorder
Used for current Recorder, office contact, announcements and service routing.
Open Recorder Website
Recorder Office Functions
Used for online search dates, image coverage, historical index
format, recorded document types and transfer tax.
Open Office Functions
Document Search & Copies FAQ
Used for free watermarked images, plain copies, certification,
mail/email requests and search requirements.
Open Search & Copy Guide
APN Searching
Used for Recorder APN-search instructions, 2016 indexing change and limitations.
Open APN Search Guide
General Recording Requirements
Used for page size, margins, APN, signatures, acknowledgment,
legal description and return-address requirements.
Open Recording Requirements
Schedule of Fees
Used for general recording, copy, certification, map and payment fees.
Open Fee Schedule
Real Property Transfer Tax
Used for the $2.05-per-$500 rate, tax calculator and Declaration of Value requirement.
Open RPTT Guide
Declaration of Value Guidance
Used for APNs, value, exemptions, signatures and transfer-tax form instructions.
Open Declaration Guidance
Recording Notification Service
Used for name/APN monitoring, five-name/five-parcel limit and alert limitations.
Open Recording Notifications
Washoe County Assessor Online Data
Used for address/APN/owner starting workflow and property-record fields.
Open Assessor Online Data
Recorder Real Property FAQs
Used for deed payoff, reconveyance, lien-release, ownership and title-search guidance.
Open Real Property FAQs
Editorial verification: August 14, 2026.
Recorder fees, transfer-tax exemptions, Declaration of Value forms,
search coverage, officeholders and online systems can change.
Recheck the responsible Washoe County government page immediately
before recording, paying or relying on a record for a legal transaction.
10 Washoe County Recorder questions
Washoe County Recorder FAQs
1. How do I search Washoe County deeds online?
Open the Washoe County Recorder Document Search and select Official
Records. Search by a party name and approximate recording date, or
use another supported field such as APN or document number. Washoe
records are indexed by party name in Last Name First Name format
without a comma. Verify the property and save the instrument number
before ordering a copy.
2. Can I search Washoe County Recorder records by APN?
Yes. Washoe County provides an APN field in its Official Records
search and began actively indexing parcel numbers in 2016. However,
the Recorder warns that APN indexing is not complete because parcel
numbers were not always required or historically indexed. Always
supplement an APN search with owner-name and date research.
3. How do I find a Washoe County deed if I only know the address?
Start with the Washoe County Assessor Real Property Search. Search
the street address and save the APN, owner name and Last Doc Date.
Then open the Recorder search, try the APN and search the owner name
around the relevant transaction date. Verify the actual deed against
the parcel and parties before relying on it.
4. How far back do Washoe County Recorder records go online?
Washoe County currently says online real-estate index information is
available from November 1991 forward, while online document images
are available from August 16, 1999 forward. Indexing information
before November 1991 is maintained in book and microfiche formats
and can require older-record research through the Recorder.
5. How much does a Washoe County deed copy cost?
Unofficial watermarked real-estate document images can be downloaded
or printed from the self-service portal at no charge when available.
A plain document copy currently costs $1 per page. Certification adds
a $4 certification fee. Digital certified copies are also available
through the Recorder’s current certified-copy service.
6. How much does it cost to record a deed in Washoe County?
The current Washoe County general document recording fee is $43 per
document. Real Property Transfer Tax may be additional on documents
that convey an interest in real property. Other document categories,
such as notices of default and maps, use different statutory fees.
7. What is the Washoe County real property transfer tax rate?
Washoe County currently collects Real Property Transfer Tax at
$2.05 for each $500 of value or fractional portion. Documents
transferring title must be accompanied by a completed Declaration
of Value unless another specific legal rule applies. Qualifying
exemptions are listed under Nevada Revised Statutes section 375.090.
8. What should I search after paying off my Washoe County mortgage?
Search later Recorder records for a reconveyance or satisfaction of
mortgage associated with the original deed of trust or mortgage.
Washoe County explains that the lender typically sends this release
document either directly to the Recorder or to the homeowner to be
recorded. Paying off the loan does not normally create a new ownership deed.
9. What is Washoe County Recording Notification Service?
Recording Notification Service is a free Washoe County Recorder email
alert system. A subscriber can currently monitor up to five name
variations and five parcel numbers per email address. The county
recommends registering both names and APNs because not every recorded
document has an indexed parcel number. An alert is only a notification
and does not itself prove fraud.
10. Where is the Washoe County Recorder’s Office?
The Washoe County Recorder’s Office is at 1001 E. Ninth Street,
Building A, Rooms 140/150, Reno, Nevada 89512. The main phone number
is 775-328-3660, real-estate and transfer-tax questions can be directed
to 775-328-3661, and current public hours are Monday through Friday
from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, excluding legal holidays.