The Direct Answer
Washington does not require a land survey to sell a house. There is no state statute or regulation that makes a survey a mandatory step in a residential real estate closing. Most standard home sales in Washington close without one.
That said, surveys come into play in specific situations: lender requirements, title insurance issues, buyer requests, and seller disclosure obligations. Understanding when a survey matters for your sale keeps you from being surprised mid-transaction.
Washington Seller Disclosure Requirements
Washington's Seller Disclosure Act, RCW 64.06, requires sellers of most residential properties to complete a Form 17 Seller Disclosure Statement before closing. The form asks sellers to disclose known material defects and conditions affecting the property.
Several questions on Form 17 relate directly to boundary and survey issues:
- Do you know of any encroachments, boundary agreements, or boundary disputes?
- Are there any recorded or unrecorded easements you are aware of?
- Are there any legal issues affecting the property?
If you know your fence is over the property line, that a neighbor's structure encroaches on your land, or that there is an unresolved boundary dispute, you are required to disclose it. Failing to disclose a known material defect exposes you to post-closing liability under Washington law. A prior survey is documentation. If you have one, the buyer's agent will likely request it.
When a Lender Will Require a Survey
Most residential mortgage lenders do not require a full boundary survey for standard urban or suburban home sales in Washington. They rely on title insurance instead. However, there are exceptions:
Vacant Land and Rural Property
Lenders financing the purchase of vacant lots or rural parcels almost always require a current boundary survey. Deed descriptions for rural Washington properties are often based on the original PLSS survey from the 1800s and may not accurately reflect current conditions. A lender extending credit on undescribed or ambiguously described land wants confirmation of what collateral it is securing.
Construction Loans
Construction lenders require surveys as a baseline for building permit applications and to verify setback compliance before funding. If the buyer of your home intends to tear down and rebuild, expect a survey to be part of their financing requirements.
Flagged Title Issues
If the title search turns up a recorded easement whose location is unclear, a prior deed description with a gap or overlap, or an old survey that conflicts with current records, the lender may require a new survey before issuing a loan commitment. This is not common for standard suburban sales, but it happens with older properties or those with complicated deed histories.
Title Insurance and Surveys in Washington
Washington title insurers routinely issue both owner's and lender's policies without a current survey. Instead, they rely on the recorded plat, prior title searches, and their own risk assessment. In doing so, they typically exclude coverage for survey-related issues such as boundary disputes and encroachments not shown on the public record.
This matters for buyers more than sellers. A buyer receiving an owner's title policy without a survey may find that their policy excludes coverage for the neighbor's fence that has been encroaching on the property for 20 years, because the encroachment was not discovered and was therefore not shown on any recorded document the title company reviewed.
If you as a seller know of a boundary issue, disclosing it rather than relying on the buyer's title policy to catch it is the cleaner path. Liability under Form 17 follows you after closing.
Scenarios Where Getting a Survey Before Listing Makes Sense
You Suspect a Boundary Problem
If you have had any conversations with neighbors about fences, property lines, or encroachments, or if you notice that a neighbor's structure appears to be on or near your property line, commissioning a survey before listing gives you accurate information. You can either resolve the issue before going to market or disclose it accurately on Form 17 and price accordingly.
The Property Has Irregular Boundaries
Properties created before modern subdivision practices, lots with odd shapes, and parcels with creek or waterfront boundaries often have less certainty about their exact limits. A survey gives buyers confidence and reduces the likelihood of a mid-transaction surprise.
Rural Property Without Prior Survey
If you are selling rural acreage that has never been formally surveyed, buyers and their lenders will almost certainly want a current survey. Commissioning one before listing allows you to market the property with confirmed acreage and boundary documentation, which tends to support the asking price.
Scenarios Where Skipping the Survey Is Fine
- Standard urban or suburban lot in a platted subdivision with no known boundary issues.
- The property has been surveyed within the last 10 to 15 years and conditions have not materially changed.
- No encroachments, easement questions, or neighbor disputes exist or are suspected.
- The buyer is paying cash and has not made a survey a contingency.
In a standard Seattle, Spokane, or Tacoma suburban transaction, most sellers do not commission a survey and the deal closes without issue. The Form 17 disclosure and the title insurance coverage handle the typical risk allocation.
Survey Costs If You Do Need One
If you decide to commission a survey before listing, budget $500 to $1,200 for a standard residential lot. Rural parcels, waterfront properties, and those with complex deed histories can run $1,500 to $3,000 or more. Get at least two written quotes from licensed Washington PLS firms before committing.
Find a Licensed Washington Surveyor
Our directory lists licensed Washington Professional Land Surveyors by county and specialty. Search Washington surveyors to find a PLS near you and request quotes before your listing goes live.