H-1759.1                  _______________________________________________

                                             SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1363

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By House Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Peery, H. Myers, Springer, Dunshee, Romero, Zellinsky and Wineberry)

Read first time 02/24/93.

Requiring the county assessor to verify that all necessary building permits have been issued when conducting a physical appraisal.

          AN ACT Relating to building permit verification; amending RCW 36.21.080 and 19.27.140; adding a new section to chapter 19.27 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 48.29 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  RCW 36.21.080 and 1989 c 246 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The county assessor is authorized to place any property that is increased in value due to construction or alteration for which a building permit was issued, or should have been issued, under chapter 19.27, 19.27A, or 19.28 RCW or other laws providing for building permits on the assessment rolls for the purposes of tax levy up to August 31st of each year.  The assessed valuation of the property shall be considered as of July 31st of that year.

(2) In conducting a physical appraisal under RCW 36.21.070 or subsection (1) of this section, the county assessor shall notify the local building official of any increase in the size of the building, and any other significant modifications that are apparent from an exterior inspection of the building, since the last physical appraisal.  The local building official shall notify the county assessor of the final disposition of cases reported to the local building official under this subsection.

        Sec. 2.  RCW 19.27.140 and 1989 c 246 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

          A copy of any permit obtained under the state building code for construction or alteration work of a total cost or fair market value in excess of five hundred dollars, shall be transmitted by the issuing authority to the county assessor and recorded in the real property records of the county auditor of the county where the property on which the construction or alteration work is located.  The building permit shall contain the county assessor's parcel number.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 19.27 RCW to read as follows:

          A copy of any certificate of occupancy issued upon completion of construction or alteration work on a single or multifamily residential building shall be transmitted by the issuing authority to the county auditor of the county where the property on which the construction or alteration work is located to be recorded in the real property records.  The certificate of occupancy shall contain the county assessor's parcel number.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 48.29 RCW to read as follows:

          The existence of permits and certificates of occupancy that are recorded pursuant to RCW 19.27.140 and section 3 of this act shall be disclosed as an attachment to every title insurance report provided to the purchasers of real property.  Nothing in this section requires a title insurer to include such permits and certificates within the coverage provided under a title insurance contract.

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