About Us

The Auditor's Office is organized into the following divisions:

The Elections Division maintains the voter registration database and conducts elections for all districts in Pierce County. Specific functions include registering voters; filing candidates; designing, printing and distributing ballots and voter pamphlets; processing absentee ballots, staffing and coordinating polling places; tabulating ballots; reporting results; and certifying elections. The division also performs signature verification checks on initiatives, referendums and petitions. Every ten years the division redraws precinct lines based on updated redistricting plans.

The Recording/Licensing Division is comprised of four sections: Recording, Real Estate Excise Tax, Licensing, and Vehicle/Vessel Licensing.

The Recording section maintains the public record by recording, scanning, and indexing documents. Recorded documents include varied real property records such as Deeds and Deeds of Trust, recorded maps, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) generated documents, Military Discharge papers, Powers of Attorney, Liens, etc.

The Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) section collects or exempts tax due from the seller upon the conveyance of real property and stationary mobile homes.

The Licensing section issues Marriage, Business, and Pet Licenses and processes Passport Applications, including photos.

The Vehicle/Vessel Licensing section renews vehicle and vessel license tabs, processes title transfers, issues license plates and various permits for vehicles and vessels, and oversees Vehicle/Vessel Licensing subagents.

The Animal Control Division provides 24 hour-a-day response to public safety concerns involving animals; rescues injured and abused animals; enforces county and state laws; and provides community education and assistance in resolving neighborhood animal issues. Service is provided to unincorporated Pierce County and within contracted jurisdictions.