WA HB2298

County auditors are authorized to develop voluntary property title protection programs allowing property owners to record a fraud protection instrument that prohibits ownership transfers without a secure personal identification number or approved override process

County auditors may delay recording any instrument transferring ownership of protected property for up to five business days to verify legitimacy

Programs must include emergency override processes through verified court orders or authorized legal representative actions

Fraud protection instruments and their releases are exempt from the $100 covenant homeownership assessment, the $2.50 growth management surcharge, and the $183 document recording surcharge

The act is declared an emergency measure and takes effect immediately upon passage