Transaction Coordination · Pennsylvania
Transaction Coordinator in Washington County, PA.
Precision Leverage Solutions coordinates real estate transactions in Washington County for Keller Williams agents, from ratified contract through settlement. Realty transfer tax here is 2.0% in most municipalities, 2.5% in Peters Township, deeds record through the Washington County Recorder of Deeds, and we handle the county and municipal steps that decide whether your file closes on time. Billed per file, no retainer.
At a glanceWashington County, PA
Figures from the sections below. Confirm with the issuing office before relying on one for a live file.
What we handle on a Washington County file
Washington County's 66 municipalities in the state tax register all record through one office in the Crossroads Building in Washington, where recording stops at 4:00 p.m. The county is dye test country: Peters Township, North Strabane, South Strabane, the City of Washington, Canonsburg, and Cecil each require or run a sewer dye test at sale, most with a Document of Certification that is good for one year and a 21-day application lead. Canonsburg adds a zoning certificate and an occupancy inspection to every transfer, and Peters Township carries the only higher local transfer tax in the county. Once your deal is ratified, PLS builds and manages the file in KW Command, tracks every deadline and contingency, routes documents for signature, and coordinates with lender, title, attorneys, and the co-op agent. See the full transaction coordination service for the complete scope, and the Pennsylvania overview for statewide notes.
Realty transfer tax in Washington County: 2.0% in most municipalities, 2.5% in Peters Township
The Recorder of Deeds fee bill states that state transfer tax is 1% and local transfer tax is 1%, with the exception of Peters Township, which is 1.5%. Outside Peters the usual split is 1% to the Commonwealth, 0.5% to the municipality, and 0.5% to the school district. The DCED Municipal Statistics tax register for 2026 shows Peters Township at 1% township and 0.5% school district, which matches the Recorder's 1.5% local figure and makes 2.5% in total. Peters Township Code section 391-17 (Ordinance 370 of 1986, amended by Ordinance 461 in 1991 and Ordinance 673 in 2006) explains the extra half percent: the ordinary 1% is shared with the school district, and the Township adds 0.5% under its Home Rule Charter after a November 1991 referendum, payable solely to the Township. The register shows a different internal split for a few municipalities that still totals 1% local: Cross Creek, Hopewell, and Independence Townships and West Middletown Borough are listed at 1% municipal with nothing to the Avella Area School District. It lists Stockdale Borough at 0.5% and West Brownsville Borough, which is split across two school district rows, at doubled figures; rely on the Recorder's 1% local figure for both and confirm at 724-228-6806. Where transfer tax is due on a deed, easement, or 30-year lease, the Recorder requires three checks in the correct amounts, and a deed for property in more than one locality must state the division of the transfer tax in whole-number percentages. Transfer taxes or a fully completed Statement of Value (REV-183) must accompany every deed.
Figures from this section. Confirm the municipality before quoting a rate.
Recording a deed in Washington County
The Washington County Recorder of Deeds sits at Washington County Crossroads Building, 95 West Beau Street, Suite 520, Washington, PA 15301, 724-228-6806. The current recording fee is $81.25 for a deed, on the county's current fee bill. The deed fee covers four pages, four names, and one parcel identification number (PIN). Each additional page is $2.00, each additional name is $0.50, and each additional PIN is $10.00. A mortgage is also $81.25, and an assignment, release, or satisfaction is $70.25. The office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and document recording concludes at 4:00 p.m. Recorded documents are mailed back only if a stamped, self-addressed envelope was supplied at recording. Letter size pages need at least 12 point type and legal size pages at least 14 point, and legal size pages are no longer accepted electronically. The fee bill is headed fees effective as of 11/1/2025. The Recorder's page also carries a notice that the CJEA fee rose by $1, from $2.50 to $3.50, effective immediately, and that the schedule would be reprinted; the bill now posted is that current schedule, but because the heading date is earlier than the notice, call 724-228-6806 if the exact figure matters to the check.
Every document must show the tax parcel number or numbers, the municipality, the county, and the state where the property is located. Deeds, mortgages, and assignments must carry a grantee address with ZIP code, and the Certificate of Residence must be signed. The acknowledgment cannot predate the document, an effective date is not accepted as a document date, and writing or typing on the notary stamp is treated as a violation of Chapter 12 of the notary law. The written amount must match the numerical amount on deeds and mortgages. Multiple documents in one transaction must be numbered in recording order, and the submitter pays any re-recording cost caused by a wrong order.
Recording fees and transfer tax rates for every county we coordinate in are collected side by side on our recording fee and transfer tax reference.
What actually holds up a closing here
Peters Township Document of Certification: apply 21 days before closing
Peters Township Ordinance 507, adopted December 19, 1994 and codified at section 337-30 and following, requires the seller to deliver a Document of Certification before transfer of any property with a building connected to an Authority sewer line. Section 337-31 requires the application at least 21 days before closing, and under section 337-32 the certification is valid for one year from issuance. The Peters Township Sanitary Authority charges $275 per parcel for the dye test, or $325 where the Authority supplies the water, plus $35 for the Document of Certification. Tests are run on Wednesdays and Thursdays by appointment, interior access is required, and the owner or a representative must be present for the whole test or pay a $50 no-show fee, and cancelling or rescheduling more than 72 hours after scheduling is also $50. Any deficiency must be corrected even if the sale falls through, and a manhole on the lot must be accessible before the certification is released. Section 337-34 allows a temporary certification when repairs are pending, backed by an executed repair contract, cash security in the contract amount, and a written agreement by the purchaser to cover any cost overrun. Violations under section 337-38 carry a fine of up to $1,000 plus costs. A separate Sewage Lien Letter is required under Authority Resolution 03-08-20 on a sale, transfer, or refinance. The dye test is not required on a refinance.
Canonsburg runs a four-step transfer process with an occupancy inspection
Canonsburg Borough's transfer procedure, effective January 1, 2026, has four steps: a municipal lien letter request at $50, a Certificate of Zoning Approval at $75, a dye test by the Borough's Public Works Department at $125, and an occupancy inspection at $100 residential or $150 commercial. That is $350 for a single family dwelling, with the occupancy fee charged per unit on a multi-unit building and extra lien letter and zoning fees for each additional parcel. A refinance takes two steps, the dye test and the lien letter, for $175. The Borough will not start until all paperwork and full payment are in its office, accepts only original forms from its website, and does not refund fees if the sale falls through. The seller and buyer, or both of their agents, must attend the occupancy inspection, and cancelling with less than 24 hours notice costs a $25 rescheduling fee. Chapter 91 of the Borough Code, adopted March 11, 2013 by Ordinance 1315, requires an occupancy permit whenever new ownership or a new tenancy begins, makes the owner primarily responsible, and sets fines of $300 to $1,000. Results go only to the party that paid for the request. The Borough office is at 68 East Pike Street, 724-745-1800.
City of Washington: dye test, lien certificate, and Owner Change Application
City of Washington Code Chapter 271, Article IV, adopted November 16, 1995 by Ordinance 1507, makes it unlawful to sell or purchase real estate with a building or improvement on it without first delivering a Document of Certification or temporary certification to the purchaser, and the seller is to apply at least 21 days before closing. A refinance without a conveyance is exempt. The fee is $225.00, each re-inspection after a failure is another $225.00, and the Document of Certification issued by the City Clerk is valid for one year. A municipal lien certificate is $50.00 and three years of tax receipts are $25.00, and the lien application is returned together with the dye test application. The City Clerk warns that dye certificates, lien certificates, and tax receipts may take up to 14 days to process, so both applications should go in at contract. The City states that it has not had an occupancy permit for the sale of a property since 2017 and instead requires an Owner Change Application with a $50.00 fee. Violations of the dye test article carry fines of $100 to $1,000. On an investor purchase, Chapter 260 requires the new owner of a registered rental unit to reregister it within 60 calendar days of the transfer, with fines of $300 to $1,000 per unit per month. The City Clerk is at 55 West Maiden Street, 724-223-4200, option 1, extension 6.
North Strabane bars the sale without a Document of Certification
North Strabane's Dye Test Ordinance, Ordinance 164 of December 27, 1988 as amended through Ordinance 318 of May 29, 2007, makes it unlawful to sell or purchase real estate with a building or improvement on it without first delivering a Document of Certification to the purchaser. Section 405.1 requires the seller to apply on the Township form at least 21 days before closing, and section 406 makes the certification valid for one year. Section 409.1 is the practical gate: a request for a municipal lien or tax certification letter must be accompanied by a valid Document of Certification and is to be submitted at least seven days ahead. The Township's 2026 fee schedule lists the dye test certification at $150.00, a municipal lien letter at $35.00, and expedited certificates at $10.00. A temporary certification is available under section 408 for weather delays or pending repairs, backed by security. Violations carry a fine of up to $1,000 plus costs.
South Strabane dye test and one-year certification
South Strabane Township's 2025 Application for Dye Test covers property to be sold and requires a $200 fee with the application, payable to South Strabane Township. If the property fails the first inspection, each additional inspection is billed at $35.00. On passing, the Township Secretary issues a Document of Certification that is valid for one year from the date of issuance. The application is forwarded to the Washington-East Washington Joint Authority for testing, so leave time for that handoff. The Township office is at 550 Washington Road, 724-225-9055.
Cecil Township sewer authority charges double for short notice
The Cecil Township Municipal Authority's fees, set by Resolution 9 of 2014, are $100.00 per parcel for a residential dye test, $250.00 for non-residential, and $125.00 where the Authority supplies the water. A sewage lien letter is $30.00 per parcel. Short notice is expensive: a residential dye test requested with less than 10 days notice is $200.00, a non-residential one is $300.00, and a lien letter requested with less than 48 hours notice is $75.00. A failure to show is $25.00 per parcel. Send the application as soon as the agreement is signed. The Authority is at 724-746-4848.
Pricing
Transaction coordination in Pennsylvania is billed per file, not as a monthly retainer. Contract to close is $400 per transaction, and the full rate card including dual agency, transaction licensee, unrepresented party (FSBO or URB), and listing management is published on our pricing page. No fixed overhead, no minimum volume.
Where these figures come from
The county-level figures on this page come from the official sources listed below. Municipal fees and deadlines come from each municipality's own published schedules and ordinances, which are revised more often than they are archived. We publish what we could verify and leave out what we could not. Fees and ordinances change; if you are relying on a figure here for a live file, confirm it with the issuing office, and tell us if you find a discrepancy so we can correct the page.
- Washington County Recorder of Deeds
- Washington County Recorder of Deeds fee bill, effective 11/1/2025
- PA DCED Municipal Statistics, 2026 tax register
- Peters Township Code, Illegal Stormwater and Surface Water Connections (Ordinance 507)
- Peters Township Sanitary Authority, Property Transfer Dye Testing
- Canonsburg Borough real estate transfer and refinance process
- Canonsburg Borough Code Chapter 91, Certificates of Occupancy
- City of Washington licenses, permits and fees
- City of Washington dye test application
- City of Washington lien certificate and tax certification application
- City of Washington Code Chapter 260, Rental Property
- North Strabane Township Dye Test Ordinance
- North Strabane Township 2026 fee schedule
- South Strabane Township dye test application
- Cecil Township Municipal Authority dye testing
- PA Department of Revenue, Realty Transfer Tax
- Peters Township Code, realty transfer tax, section 391-17
- City of Washington Code Chapter 271, Article IV, Dye Tests and Certifications
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FAQ
Washington County questions.
Do you provide transaction coordination in Washington County, PA?
Yes. Precision Leverage Solutions works exclusively with Keller Williams agents and coordinates transactions throughout Washington County and the rest of Pennsylvania, from the ratified contract through settlement. We also serve KW agents in New Jersey and Delaware. Pricing is per file with no retainer.
What is the realty transfer tax in Washington County?
The Recorder of Deeds fee bill states that state transfer tax is 1% and local transfer tax is 1%, with the exception of Peters Township, which is 1.5%. Outside Peters the usual split is 1% to the Commonwealth, 0.5% to the municipality, and 0.5% to the school district. The DCED Municipal Statistics tax register for 2026 shows Peters Township at 1% township and 0.5% school district, which matches the Recorder's 1.5% local figure and makes 2.5% in total. Peters Township Code section 391-17 (Ordinance 370 of 1986, amended by Ordinance 461 in 1991 and Ordinance 673 in 2006) explains the extra half percent: the ordinary 1% is shared with the school district, and the Township adds 0.5% under its Home Rule Charter after a November 1991 referendum, payable solely to the Township. The register shows a different internal split for a few municipalities that still totals 1% local: Cross Creek, Hopewell, and Independence Townships and West Middletown Borough are listed at 1% municipal with nothing to the Avella Area School District. It lists Stockdale Borough at 0.5% and West Brownsville Borough, which is split across two school district rows, at doubled figures; rely on the Recorder's 1% local figure for both and confirm at 724-228-6806. Where transfer tax is due on a deed, easement, or 30-year lease, the Recorder requires three checks in the correct amounts, and a deed for property in more than one locality must state the division of the transfer tax in whole-number percentages. Transfer taxes or a fully completed Statement of Value (REV-183) must accompany every deed.
How much does it cost to record a deed in Washington County?
$81.25 for a deed, on the county's current fee bill, through the Washington County Recorder of Deeds. The deed fee covers four pages, four names, and one parcel identification number (PIN). Each additional page is $2.00, each additional name is $0.50, and each additional PIN is $10.00. A mortgage is also $81.25, and an assignment, release, or satisfaction is $70.25. The office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and document recording concludes at 4:00 p.m. Recorded documents are mailed back only if a stamped, self-addressed envelope was supplied at recording. Letter size pages need at least 12 point type and legal size pages at least 14 point, and legal size pages are no longer accepted electronically. The fee bill is headed fees effective as of 11/1/2025. The Recorder's page also carries a notice that the CJEA fee rose by $1, from $2.50 to $3.50, effective immediately, and that the schedule would be reprinted; the bill now posted is that current schedule, but because the heading date is earlier than the notice, call 724-228-6806 if the exact figure matters to the check.
How much does a transaction coordinator cost in Washington County?
Contract-to-close coordination is $400 per transaction in Pennsylvania. Dual agency, transaction licensee service, unrepresented party coordination (FSBO or URB), multi-unit transactions, and listing management are each priced separately and published in full on our pricing page. There are no monthly fees, retainers, or minimum volume requirements.
What does Peters Township require before a property can be sold?
Peters Township Ordinance 507, adopted December 19, 1994 and codified at section 337-30 and following, requires the seller to deliver a Document of Certification before transfer of any property with a building connected to an Authority sewer line. Section 337-31 requires the application at least 21 days before closing, and under section 337-32 the certification is valid for one year from issuance. The Peters Township Sanitary Authority charges $275 per parcel for the dye test, or $325 where the Authority supplies the water, plus $35 for the Document of Certification. Tests are run on Wednesdays and Thursdays by appointment, interior access is required, and the owner or a representative must be present for the whole test or pay a $50 no-show fee, and cancelling or rescheduling more than 72 hours after scheduling is also $50. Any deficiency must be corrected even if the sale falls through, and a manhole on the lot must be accessible before the certification is released. Section 337-34 allows a temporary certification when repairs are pending, backed by an executed repair contract, cash security in the contract amount, and a written agreement by the purchaser to cover any cost overrun. Violations under section 337-38 carry a fine of up to $1,000 plus costs. A separate Sewage Lien Letter is required under Authority Resolution 03-08-20 on a sale, transfer, or refinance. The dye test is not required on a refinance.
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