USA Foreclosure Wiki

Kitsap County, WA

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Kitsap County, Washington — Tax Sale & Surplus Procedure

Local operations layer. The legal framework (redemption periods, surplus rights, statutes, case law) lives on the parent page → washington. This page covers how Kitsap County actually runs it. Legal information, not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

C0. Identity

  • County seat: Port Orchard
  • Population: ~271,473 (2020 Census)
  • Recording unit: county (recorder = Kitsap County Auditor)
  • FIPS: 53035
  • Parent legal framework: washington — Washington is a tax-deed, judicial-foreclosure state; the county treasurer is the selling authority (RCW 84.64.080). No private lien certificates. Kitsap County inherits all of this; the operational details below are the local layer.

C1. Local Tax Sale

  • Conducts own sale? Yes. The Kitsap County Treasurer forecloses delinquent parcels in Kitsap County Superior Court and conducts the sale itself, online.
  • Platform: Varies by cycle. The 2025 real-property tax-foreclosure auction (auction opening January 13, 2026) was conducted through GovEase (www.govease.com / liveauctions.govease.com). Earlier cycles used Public Surplus (www.publicsurplus.com/sms/kitsapcore,wa/browse/home) and, for some past sales, Bid4Assets. Bidders should confirm the current platform on the Treasurer’s website before each sale.
  • Calendar: Annual. The county conducts one real-property tax-foreclosure auction per year. The 2025 cycle ran:
    • Registration open: October 28, 2025
    • Registration close: January 9, 2026
    • Auction start: January 13, 2026 at 8:00 AM Pacific Time
    • (Two separate sale dates were used for the January 2026 cycle: January 13 and January 27, per the Surplus List PDF.)
    • No future auction date has been announced as of last verification (all dates show “TBA” on the Foreclosure page). https://www.kitsap.gov/treasurer/Pages/Foreclosure.aspx
  • Sale types offered:
    1. Real Property Tax Foreclosure — triggered when a tax year is three years delinquent (e.g., full-year 2022 or prior taxes unpaid as of January 2025); results in a tax deed (Washington is a tax-deed state).
    2. Mobile Home Distraint — annual, typically held in November, when mobile-home taxes are three years delinquent.
    3. LID (Local Improvement District) Foreclosure — begins after one annual installment payment is two years delinquent; successful bidder receives a certificate of purchase and a deed after the two-year owner redemption period expires (RCW 35.50).
    4. Tax Title — county-owned parcels (received no bids at a prior foreclosure auction) offered via public auction or private negotiation (RCW 36.35.150); requires $500 non-refundable application fee. https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/kitsapcore,wa/browse/home https://www.kitsap.gov/treasurer/Pages/Foreclosure.aspx
  • Rate within statutory range: N/A — delinquent-tax interest is set by state statute (9% residential 1–4 units; 12% all other), not locally. See washington for rates.
  • Registration & deposit: For the 2025/GovEase sale, bidders were required to create an account at www.govease.com and complete online registration documents before approval to bid. Specific deposit dollar amounts were not published on the county pages at verification → needs_verification. The FAQ (Public Surplus era) confirms: deposit returned if bidder does not win; applied to balance if bidder wins; retained if winning bidder defaults. https://www.kitsap.gov/treasurer/Documents/TaxForeclosureFAQ.pdf
  • Bidder requirements: Online registration on the auction platform (GovEase or Public Surplus as applicable); all sale terms on the platform. Properties sold “as is” / “where is”; no warranty expressed or implied. County does not take possession, so property inspection is buyer’s responsibility (drive-by permitted; access not provided).
  • Delinquent list / notice location: All parties with a recorded legal interest are served by certified mail with a notice and summons; a notice and summons is also published in a local newspaper (consistent with RCW 84.64.050). No separate county-hosted delinquent-list page was identified at verification → needs_verification for the URL of any online delinquent- parcel list. Property-level auction listings (with title reports) are posted on the auction platform.

C2. Local Redemption → framework: right-of-redemption

  • Where/how to redeem locally: Pay all taxes, interest, penalty, and foreclosure costs in full with certified funds (no personal checks) to the Kitsap County Treasurer’s office before close of business on the last business day before the sale. Online payment is not available for foreclosure parcels → use certified check, money order, or cashier’s check. https://www.kitsap.gov/treasurer/Pages/Foreclosure.aspx
  • Deadline: Close of business the last business day before the sale (consistent with RCW 84.64.070).
  • Post-sale redemption (minors / legally incompetent): Three years from the date of the foreclosure sale (RCW 84.64.070). No post-sale redemption right for ordinary owners (Washington tax-deed state — see washington).
  • LID Foreclosure redemption: Current property owner has a two-year right to redeem after a LID foreclosure sale (certificate of purchase issued to winning bidder; deed issued after redemption period).
  • Local fees: No locally-set fees identified beyond the statutory interest rates and costs; certified funds only (no personal checks).
  • Redemption contact:
  • Deviations from state default: None identified — Kitsap County follows the standard RCW 84.64 pre-sale-only redemption framework.

C3. Local Surplus / Excess Proceeds → framework: surplus-funds

▸ For Investors / Operators — Kitsap County’s 2025 real-property tax-foreclosure auction ran on GovEase (January 13 and 27, 2026) after a platform switch from Public Surplus; future cycles should be confirmed on the Treasurer’s Foreclosure page before each sale. The county offers four distinct sale types (real property, mobile home distraint, LID, tax title), each with different deed types and redemption rules: ordinary tax-foreclosure winners receive a treasurer’s tax deed immediately; LID buyers receive only a certificate of purchase pending a two-year owner-redemption period. Bidder deposits retained on default. Tax-title properties (no bidder at prior auction) require a $500 non-refundable application fee and BOCC approval.

▸ For Former Owners — Tax-foreclosure surplus is claimed from the Kitsap County Treasurer (614 Division St MS-32, Port Orchard, WA 98366; 360.337.5777) by completing and notarizing the “Application for Surplus Proceeds” form (Surplus_Application.pdf on the Treasurer’s Foreclosure page). The deadline is three years from the date of sale (RCW 84.64.080(10)); after that, funds transfer to the county current expense fund and the claim is extinguished. Processing takes 6–12 weeks. Conflicting claims trigger an interpleader action. The county publishes a Surplus Proceeds List (Surplus_List.pdf) showing outstanding balances and application status by parcel.

  • Claim filing venue:
  • Claim form:
    • Name: Application for Surplus Proceeds
    • URL: https://www.kitsap.gov/treasurer/Documents/Surplus_Application.pdf
    • Requirements per the form: completed and notarized application; copy of photo ID for all signatories; copies of all supporting documentation; multiple claimants may attach additional applications.
    • Content: claimant certifies they were the record owner as of the date of the foreclosure sale; identifies parcel, legal description, superior court case, sale date, final sale amount, and excess amount claimed.
  • Processing time: 6–12 weeks per the Foreclosure page.
  • Local deadline notes: Three years after the date of sale. If no claim is received within three years, the treasurer deposits the excess into the county current expense fund, extinguishing all owner claims (RCW 84.64.080(10) — quoted verbatim in the county’s ExcessProceedsInformation.pdf).
    • Upon conflicting claims, the county files an interpleader action.
    • The county remits funds only to the record owner (person who held title on the date the certificate of delinquency issued) — assignments or deeds recorded after certificate filing do not change the payee (RCW 84.64.080).
  • Finder’s fee / surplus-recovery agent fee cap: 5% of the value returned. The county publishes the fee-cap rule (ExcessProceedsInformation .pdf) citing RCW 63.29.350 (as amended 2010). Note: The state’s Uniform Unclaimed Property Act (ch. 63.29 RCW) was repealed effective January 1, 2023 and the 5% cap was re-enacted by ESHB 1637 (2023) in ch. 63.30 RCW — the county document still cites the former RCW 63.29.350 numbering. Violation is a misdemeanor and an unfair/deceptive act under the Consumer Protection Act (ch. 19.86 RCW). https://www.kitsap.gov/treasurer/Documents/ExcessProceedsInformation.pdf
  • Unclaimed list published? Yes — the Treasurer updates the Auction Results & Surplus Proceeds List (Surplus_List.pdf) daily as needed. The January 2026 cycle surplus list shows outstanding applications and balances. Status codes include “APPLICATION SENT” (where the county mailed the application to the record owner) and “TAX TITLE” (where proceeds are zero / property went to county). https://www.kitsap.gov/treasurer/Documents/Surplus_List.pdf
  • Contact:

C4. Offices & Contacts

OfficeNameAddressPhoneURL
Treasurer / Tax CollectorPeter J. Boissonneau614 Division St MS-32, Port Orchard, WA 98366 (mail); 619 Division St (in-person), Port Orchard, WA 98366360.337.5777 (main); 360.337.7135 (Tax Collections)https://www.kitsap.gov/treasurer
Clerk of Superior CourtDavid T. Lewis III614 Division St, Room 202, Port Orchard, WA 98366 (MS-34 for mail)(360) 337-7164https://www.kitsap.gov/clerk
Auditor / Recorder (Deeds)Paul Andrews614 Division St MS-31, Port Orchard, WA 98366360.337.4935 (recording)https://www.kitsap.gov/auditor; deed search: https://kcwaimg.kitsap.gov/recorder/web/
Sheriff (judicial sales if applicable)N/A (judicial mortgage sales)614 Division St MS-37, Port Orchard, WA 98366360.337.7101https://www.kitsap.gov/sheriff
  • Treasurer hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
  • Clerk hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–12:15 p.m. and 1:15 p.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed for lunch; closed holidays)
  • Auditor/Recording hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
  • Tax Collections direct line: 360.337.7135 (for payment / redemption inquiries); Toll-free from Olalla: (253) 851-4147; Bainbridge Island: (206) 842-2061

C5. Local Procedure Notes

  • Platform transition (2025): Kitsap County switched its 2025 real-property tax-foreclosure auction from Public Surplus (used in prior cycles) to GovEase. Bidders should always confirm the current platform on the Treasurer’s Foreclosure page before each cycle.
  • Three sale-type system: Unlike many WA counties, Kitsap’s Foreclosure page explicitly lists four auction types (Real Property, Mobile Home Distraint, LID, and Tax Title), each with different legal frameworks and redemption rules.
  • LID vs. tax-foreclosure deed: LID foreclosure winners receive a certificate of purchase (not a deed), then wait out the two-year owner- redemption period before the deed issues. Tax-foreclosure winners receive a treasurer’s tax deed immediately upon confirmation.
  • Tax-title property: Unsold tax-foreclosure parcels become county “Tax Title” property and may be purchased via public auction or private negotiation under RCW 36.35.150; $500 non-refundable application fee required; process takes 6–12 months and requires BOCC approval. https://www.kitsap.gov/treasurer/Documents/Tax_Title_Instructions_Application.pdf
  • Interpleader on conflicting surplus claims: The FAQ and surplus application both note that conflicting claims trigger an interpleader action — consistent with standard Washington practice.
  • Homeowner assistance referral: 1-877-894-HOME (4663) / www.homeownership-wa.org; Northwest Justice Project: nwjustice.org; Washington HAF: washingtonhaf.org — all referenced on the Foreclosure page for owners facing foreclosure.
  • Deviations from state default: None identified.

C6. Records Access

C7. Meta

  • parent_state: washington
  • last_verified: 2026-06-02
  • confidence: 0.87
  • completeness_score: 0.88
  • gap_score: 6

sources:

needs_verification:

  • Exact deposit dollar amount(s) and registration-fee structure for GovEase platform (2025/2026 cycle); not published on county pages at verification.
  • Online URL for the county’s delinquent-parcel / foreclosure-action list (the Foreclosure page mentions notice by certified mail and newspaper publication per RCW 84.64.050 but does not link a public delinquent list online; Public Surplus/GovEase platform hosts per-parcel listings, but a consolidated list URL was not confirmed).
  • Exact newspaper in which the notice and summons is published (Kitsap Sun or other local paper of general circulation).
  • Current treasurer’s name (Peter J. Boissonneau confirmed from official documents dated through the 2025 cycle; verify if still in office).
  • Precise RCW section in ch. 63.30 RCW where ESHB 1637 (2023) permanently re-codified the 5% surplus-locating-fee cap (county document still cites former RCW 63.29.350 numbering — see washington for detail).
  • Whether Kitsap County posts a real-time list of outstanding surplus balances online (beyond the PDF Surplus_List.pdf, which is updated “as needed”).

cross_links: washington, right-of-redemption, surplus-funds, third-party-recovery-rules, treasurer-sale, sheriff-sale, due-process-notice, tyler-v-hennepin-county, jones-v-flowers, bankruptcy-automatic-stay, scra-protections, void-vs-voidable

changelog:

  • 2026-06-02 — Initial Kitsap County page drafted from official county Treasurer, Auditor, and Clerk pages; four official PDFs (FAQ, Surplus List, Surplus Application, ExcessProceedsInformation, 2025 Flyer, Tax Title Instructions); Public Surplus platform page; and parent washington statutory framework. Platform transition from Public Surplus to GovEase (2025 cycle) documented.

▸ For Investors / Operators — Kitsap County’s 2025 real-property tax-foreclosure auction ran on GovEase (January 13 and 27, 2026) after a platform switch from Public Surplus; future cycles should be confirmed on the Treasurer’s Foreclosure page before each sale. The county offers four distinct sale types (real property, mobile home distraint, LID, tax title), each with different deed types and redemption rules: ordinary tax-foreclosure winners receive a treasurer’s tax deed immediately; LID buyers receive only a certificate of purchase pending a two-year owner-redemption period. Bidder deposits retained on default. Tax-title properties (no bidder at prior auction) require a $500 non-refundable application fee and BOCC approval.

▸ For Former Owners — Tax-foreclosure surplus is claimed from the Kitsap County Treasurer (614 Division St MS-32, Port Orchard, WA 98366; 360.337.5777) by completing and notarizing the “Application for Surplus Proceeds” form (Surplus_Application.pdf on the Treasurer’s Foreclosure page). The deadline is three years from the date of sale (RCW 84.64.080(10)); after that, funds transfer to the county current expense fund and the claim is extinguished. Processing takes 6–12 weeks. Conflicting claims trigger an interpleader action. The county publishes a Surplus Proceeds List (Surplus_List.pdf) showing outstanding balances and application status by parcel.

Legal information, not legal advice. Verify against the cited primary sources before acting. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

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