Surplus funds in Washington: the rules, straight.
We recover foreclosure surplus, tax sale overages, and vehicle/boat/RV repossession surplus here.
Foreclosure / mortgage surplus
Yes — we recover this here.
Trustee deposits with clerk; motion with 20-day notice (RCW 61.24.080).
The old 5% cap was REPEALED in 2023 — no current cap.
Tax sale overages
We work these under a direct service agreement with you — state law restricts assignments here, and we honor that.
County treasurer pays the RECORD OWNER only (RCW 84.64.080(10)) — post-delinquency assignments are ineffective.
Owner-signed service agreements only; we never take the claim by assignment here.
Courtroom requirement: Claims here move by court motion. Licensed local attorneys on our bench handle the courtroom work inside the same contingency deal — you never pay hourly legal bills.
If nobody claims it: Tax excess: 3 yrs with the treasurer, then EXTINGUISHED. Post-escheat located-property fee cap 5%.
Cars, boats & RVs in Washington: Vehicle/boat/RV repo surplus: UCC § 9-615(d) obliges the LENDER to return the surplus; § 9-616 explanation on request; § 9-625(c)(2) statutory damages for noncompliance. Demand-letter work against the secured party — no county, no state surplus-fee cap in this table.
This page summarizes public statutes for general information — it is not legal advice, rules change, and unverified items are confirmed by our desk (and counsel where needed) before any agreement is papered. Primary source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=63.30.780 · https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=63.30.790
Think Washington is holding your money?
Five minutes, zero cost. We verify the record and tell you the truth about what's there — including when the answer is nothing.