Can you sell a house with a lien or back taxes in Washington?
Yes. You can sell a house with a lien or back taxes, and in most sales the title company pays each lien from your proceeds at closing and you keep what's left. A lien on a house only blocks a sale when the house is worth less than what's owed, and then the lienholders have to agree to take less.
It takes about a minute, there's no obligation, and your details are never sold.
or call Jason (425) 242-4673
Can you sell a house with a lien?
Yes. A lien doesn't freeze the house. It's a claim for money that gets paid when the house sells, so the title company collects a payoff figure from each lienholder, pays them from the price at closing, records the releases, and sends you what's left. The buyer gets clear title, and the liens are gone.
Selling a house with a lien works the same way as selling one with a mortgage, which is itself a lien. Early in the sale the title company runs a preliminary title report, a search of county records listing every recorded claim against the house, from the deed of trust to a judgment or unpaid property tax. Escrow then asks each lienholder for an exact payoff good through the closing date. The settlement statement lists each payoff on your side, next to the excise tax and closing costs. At closing, escrow pays every one of them out of the sale price, the lienholders send releases, and the releases are recorded so the buyer's title insurer can issue a clean policy. You don't have to pay a lien off before you sell, and you see every figure in writing before you sign anything. The one case where this breaks down is when the liens add up to more than the house is worth.
For example, at Pierce County's typical home value
For example, say a house sells for $564,102, Pierce County's typical home value in August 2026 (Zillow Home Value Index). The payoffs here are made up for the example: a mortgage of $310,000, a judgment lien of $18,000 and $9,500 in back property tax. The state excise tax on that price is about $6,276 at the Department of Revenue's graduated rates, and a 0.5% local rate would add about $2,821. That leaves about $217,505 before the remaining closing costs and any commission, and every lien is paid in full.
- The preliminary title report arrives first and lists every recorded lien, so nothing should surprise you at the table.
- Escrow orders the payoffs; you don't have to call each lienholder yourself, though you can if you want to check a figure.
- If a lien looks wrong, such as a judgment against someone with a similar name or a contractor's lien that has lapsed, tell the title officer early. Clearing a mistaken lien takes paperwork and time.
- The settlement statement shows each payoff by name and amount before you sign.
What is the most common lien on property?
The most common lien on property is the mortgage itself, recorded in Washington as a deed of trust. After that come unpaid property tax, contractors' and suppliers' liens, court judgments, homeowners' association liens and federal tax liens. Each one has its own source, its own rules, and its own payoff at closing.
| Who holds it | How it's cleared at closing | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mortgage (deed of trust) | Your lender or loan servicer | Escrow orders the payoff and pays it; the trustee then records a reconveyance. | Your loan documents |
| Unpaid property tax | The county treasurer | Back taxes, interest and costs are paid from the sale; the current year is split by the closing date unless the contract says otherwise. | RCW 84.60.020 |
| Contractor's or supplier's lien | The contractor, supplier or worker who recorded it | Paid from the sale, or shown to have lapsed if no suit was filed in time. | RCW 60.04.091 and 60.04.141 |
| Judgment lien | The creditor who won the court judgment | Paid from the sale, and a satisfaction of judgment is filed. | RCW 4.56.190 |
| Homeowners' association lien | The association, usually through its manager | Escrow gets a payoff of unpaid dues and charges and pays it. | RCW 64.38.100 |
| Federal tax lien | The IRS | Paid from the sale; the IRS can also discharge the lien from a specific property. | IRS |
Property tax is a lien on the house from January 1 of the year it's levied until it's paid, which is why back taxes follow the house all the way to closing. When a house sells partway through the year and the contract doesn't say otherwise, the seller owes the share of that year's tax up to the sale date and the buyer owes the rest (RCW 84.60.020).
How serious is a lien on your house?
A lien on your house is serious in proportion to its size and type. A small contractor's or judgment lien is mostly a payoff line at closing. Unpaid property tax is more pressing, because once it has been delinquent for three years the county can foreclose. Any lien can block a refinance until it's paid or released.
Three things decide how much a lien matters in a sale. The first is the amount against the value, since a house with plenty of equity absorbs several liens without trouble. The second is whether it's growing: interest and costs keep adding to back taxes and many judgments while they sit unpaid. The third is whether the lienholder can force a sale on its own, which the county can do for property tax and a contractor can pursue through a lawsuit to enforce a recorded lien.
A federal tax lien reaches everything the taxpayer owns, including the house, and the IRS files a public Notice of Federal Tax Lien to let other creditors know. The IRS calls paying the debt in full the best way to get rid of the lien, and says it releases the lien no later than 30 days after the debt is paid.
A homeowners' association can hold a lien for unpaid assessments when its governing documents provide for one. Before it takes other collection steps, the association has to mail the owner a notice of delinquency no later than 30 days after an assessment becomes past due, and that notice points owners to housing counselors and legal aid (RCW 64.38.100).
Does a lien on a house go away?
Some do, on a schedule the statute sets, and others last until they're paid. A judgment lien on real estate generally ends ten years after the judgment was entered unless it's extended. A contractor's lien stops binding the house after eight months unless the claimant sues in time. Property tax stays a lien until it's paid.
- Judgment liens
- A judgment from a Washington or federal court in this state is a lien on the debtor's real estate for up to ten years from the day it was entered, unless the period is extended under RCW 6.17.020 or the judgment comes from a criminal sentence for a crime on or after July 1, 2000 (RCW 4.56.190). A lien based on a judgment whose execution period was extended runs another ten years (RCW 4.56.210). If you own the house with someone else, the lien reaches only the debtor's share.
- Contractors' and suppliers' liens
- The claimant has to record a claim of lien in the county no later than 90 days after they stopped furnishing labor, services, materials or equipment (RCW 60.04.091). The lien then binds the house for eight calendar months after recording, unless the claimant files suit in that county's superior court and serves the owner no later than 90 days after filing (RCW 60.04.141).
- Property tax
- The tax stays a lien from January 1 of the year it's levied until it's paid (RCW 84.60.020). It doesn't expire with time; it grows, and after three years it can lead to a county foreclosure.
- Mortgages
- A deed of trust stays on the record until the loan is paid off and the lender's trustee records a reconveyance, which is part of every normal closing.
An expired lien may still show up in the county records. If the title report lists one you believe has lapsed, the title officer can tell you what it takes to clear it from the policy, and a real estate attorney can handle a release if one is needed.
Can you lose your house over a lien?
Yes, for some liens. With unpaid property tax, once three years have passed since the date of delinquency, the county treasurer issues a certificate of delinquency and forecloses the tax lien in the county's name. A contractor can sue to enforce a recorded lien. A sale before any of that pays the lien and ends the claim.
The certificate has the same force as a lis pendens, a recorded notice that a lawsuit concerns the property. The treasurer files it with the court clerk and, with the county prosecutor's help, forecloses in the name of the county. The owner and anyone with a recorded lien on the house get notice and a set time to appear or pay the amount due (RCW 84.64.050).
Each county runs its own tax sale, with its own last day to pay, and the dates move from year to year. The county cards below show each treasurer's posted sale date only while it's still ahead, with the treasurer's page, so check that page for the current date before you plan around it.
What if the liens are more than the house is worth?
Then a sale can't pay every lien in full, and the title company won't close until each one is either paid or released. The lienholders have to agree to accept less than they're owed, which is their decision to make. A real estate attorney, or the lienholder itself, is the first call in that situation.
When the mortgage lender is the one taking less, the sale is usually called a short sale, and the lender decides whether to approve it and on what terms. Other lienholders, such as a judgment creditor or a second-mortgage lender, may also be asked to accept a reduced payoff so the sale can close. Nobody can promise you that a lienholder will agree.
Get the numbers in writing before you decide: a payoff statement for each lien, the likely sale price, and an estimate of the closing costs. If the gap is small, the lienholders may prefer a reduced payoff now to waiting. If it's large, an attorney can explain what else is open to you.
Where a sale fits
A sale is one way to clear liens, and it fits best when the house is worth more than what's owed. Some owners pay the liens and stay, some list the house, and some sell it as-is for cash. How close the liens are to the value, and how fast they're growing, usually points to the right one.
- Pay them and stay
- If the liens are small and you want to stay in the house, paying them directly, or setting up a payment plan where the lienholder offers one, clears the title without a sale.
- List it
- When there's plenty of equity and time, a listing often nets more, and the liens are paid at closing either way. I can list it as your broker and show you both numbers. Jason Bryant is a licensed broker with Windermere Real Estate (license 101377).
- Sell it as-is for cash
- When the liens are close to the value, a cash sale's speed can matter, because interest and costs keep adding up every month the liens stay open. It usually means a lower price than a listing.
- Get advice first
- When the liens exceed the value, or a county tax sale is already scheduled, talk to a real estate attorney before you sign with any buyer.
An estate house often arrives with liens of its own, and a transfer on death beneficiary takes the house subject to them (RCW 64.80.100). The guide on selling an inherited house covers that side, and the guide on selling a house as-is covers the repairs that sometimes come with back taxes.
Property tax sales in the counties I work in
Each county treasurer runs its own tax-title sale. I work with sellers across much of Washington, including King, Snohomish, Pierce, Skagit and Thurston counties, and the cards below link each treasurer's foreclosure page, with the next sale date when the county has posted one.
King County's treasury posts its tax foreclosure list and says an owner can redeem until the day before the auction. Pierce and Thurston use Bid4Assets for their current sales, Snohomish County posts its sale details on the treasurer's page, and Skagit County's treasurer runs an annual tax-title sale. Dates change every year, so check the treasurer's page for the current one.
County offices you may deal with in King County
Property tax and tax sales
King County Treasury, tax foreclosures
King County's 2026 auction covered taxes from 2022 and earlier, and an owner could redeem up to the day before it (RCW 84.64.050 sets the three-year trigger).
The next sale date isn't posted yet. The treasurer's page lists it once it is.
County offices you may deal with in Snohomish County
Property tax and tax sales
Snohomish County Treasurer, tax foreclosures
In Snohomish County, taxes from 2023 or earlier still unpaid on June 1, 2026 make a property eligible for the November 2026 sale, with December 2, 2026 as the last day to redeem (RCW 84.64.050).
The next sale date isn't posted yet. The treasurer's page lists it once it is.
County offices you may deal with in Pierce County
Property tax and tax sales
Pierce County runs its tax foreclosure auction on Bid4Assets; the 2026 redemption deadline is November 6 at 4:30 p.m. (RCW 84.64.050).
Next tax foreclosure auction (Bid4Assets): .
Before a sale
A house on septic needs a Report of System Status from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department before it sells. Health department rule
County offices you may deal with in Skagit County
Property tax and tax sales
Skagit County Treasurer, tax title sales
The Skagit County Treasurer holds a yearly tax foreclosure and tax title sale for property three or more years behind (RCW 84.64.050).
The next sale date isn't posted yet. The treasurer's page lists it once it is.
County offices you may deal with in Thurston County
Property tax and tax sales
Thurston County Treasurer, foreclosure and tax sale
Thurston County's next foreclosure sale, for taxes from 2023 and earlier, is set for January 11-12, 2027 on Bid4Assets (RCW 84.64.050).
Next tax foreclosure sale (Bid4Assets): .
Questions sellers ask
Can someone put a lien on your house without you knowing?
Yes. A contractor or supplier records a claim of lien with the county, not with you, and a court judgment can become a lien on the debtor's real estate without the owner signing anything. A preliminary title report is the surest way to see every recorded lien before you sell.
How do I find out if there's a lien on my house?
Ask a title company for a preliminary title report, or search your county's recorded documents online. Check the county treasurer's site for unpaid property tax, which shows up there by parcel number.
Do I have to pay off a lien before I sell?
No. In a normal sale, escrow pays each lien from the price at closing. You only need cash of your own if the liens and costs add up to more than the sale brings in.
Can I sell a house with back property taxes?
Yes. Back taxes, interest and costs are paid from the sale at closing like any other lien. If the county has already started a tax foreclosure, check the treasurer's page for the last day to pay before its sale.
Does a lien stay with the house after it's sold?
Not in a sale that closes through escrow with title insurance. The buyer's insurer requires every lien to be paid or released at closing, and the releases are recorded afterward.
Can I sell a house with a lien by owner?
Yes. You can sell without an agent and still close through a title company, which runs the title search and pays the liens from the sale. The lien process doesn't change with who finds the buyer.
Is a lien the same as a levy?
No. In the IRS's words, a lien secures the government's interest in your property, while a levy actually takes the property to pay the tax debt. A levy can follow if the debt isn't paid or settled.
Sources
- RCW 84.60.020, property taxes are a lien on the property until paidchecked
- RCW 84.64.050, certificate of delinquency and tax foreclosure after three yearschecked
- RCW 4.56.190, the lien of a judgment on real estatechecked
- RCW 4.56.210, when a judgment lien endschecked
- RCW 6.17.020, the ten-year execution period and its extensionchecked
- RCW 60.04.091, recording a contractor's or supplier's claim of lienchecked
- RCW 60.04.141, how long a contractor's lien binds the propertychecked
- RCW 64.38.100, homeowners' association liens and the notice of delinquencychecked
- RCW 64.80.100, a transfer on death beneficiary takes the house subject to lienschecked
- IRS, understanding a federal tax lienchecked
- Washington Department of Revenue, real estate excise taxchecked
- Washington Department of Revenue, local REET rates effective January 1, 2026 (form 84-0013)checked
- Zillow Home Value Index, county series (typical home value, August 2026)checked
- King County Treasury, tax foreclosureschecked
- Pierce County, property tax foreclosurechecked
- Snohomish County Treasurer, tax foreclosureschecked
- Thurston County Treasurer, real property foreclosure and tax sale informationchecked
See the payoffs before you decide
Send the address and whatever you know about the liens. We'll walk the house and put an offer in writing, and the title report will show every payoff line before anything is signed.
It takes about a minute, there's no obligation, and your details are never sold.
or call Jason (425) 242-4673