Get started →Browse RFPs

WA mechanic's lien discharge bonds.
Clear the title. Keep moving.

A mechanic's lien freezes everything it touches — closings, refinances, draws. A release bond swaps the surety's guarantee for the property, so the lien comes off the title under RCW 60.04.161. Flat 2%, 48-hour underwriter response.

✓
Discharges the lien without paying the claim — you keep every defense you have
✓
RCW 60.04.161 sets the bond at the greater of $5,000 or 2× a lien of $10K or less, 1.5× above that
✓
Same rate for everyone — 2% flat, posted, no leverage games when you're in a hurry
48 hrsunderwriter responseA-ratedA.M. Best carriers$50Maggregate capacity
Trusted by industry leaders
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
How it works

From frozen title to discharged lien.

Every day the lien sits on the title costs you leverage, interest, or a closing date. Here's the entire process:

TODAY · 5 MINUTES

Apply + send the lien documents

The application plus a copy of the lien and any court documents — that's the file. Send documents to underwriting right after you submit; everything is reviewed together.

WITHIN 48 HOURS

A human underwrites it

A licensed underwriter reviews the lien, the dispute, and your file. Larger or heavily contested liens can require financials — you'll get one checklist, once.

ON APPROVAL

File & discharge

The executed bond is recorded with the county auditor (or filed as the court directs), the lien is released from the property, and your closing, refinance, or draw schedule starts moving again.

The whole pricing page.

Bond amount × 2% = your premium, one-time, $100 minimum. RCW 60.04.161 doubles a lien of $10K or less; a $100,000 lien needs a $150,000 bond (1.5×) — $3,000.

$8,000 lien → $16K bond
$320
$100,000 lien → $150K bond
$3,000
$500,000 lien → $750K bond
$15,000
About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What a discharge bond actually does

When a contractor, sub, or supplier records a mechanic's lien, the property itself becomes their security. Until it's resolved, title companies won't close, lenders won't fund, and draws stop. Washington's lien statute (RCW 60.04.161) lets you swap the property out and a surety bond in — at the greater of $5,000 or twice the lien amount for liens of $10,000 or less, or at least one and a half times for larger liens.

The lien is then released from the real estate. The dispute itself continues — bonding off a lien is not paying it and not admitting it's valid. If the lienor ultimately proves the claim, the bond pays; if they don't, it expires with the dispute.

That makes this the rare bond bought for leverage: you stop negotiating with your closing date held hostage and start negotiating on the merits of the claim.

WA Lien StatuteRCW 60.04.161 lets you release a mechanic's lien from the property by recording a surety bond with the county auditor — at the greater of $5,000 or twice the lien amount for a lien of $10,000 or less, or at least 1.5 times the lien amount for a larger lien. Recording the bond releases the real property from the lien. Your attorney handles the filing; we handle the bond.

You need this bond if you're

✓
A property owner with a lien blocking a sale, refinance, or construction loan draw
✓
A general contractor whose sub's lien is jamming the owner relationship — many GC contracts require you to bond liens off
✓
A developer who needs clean title on a schedule the dispute won't respect
✓
Disputing the lien itself — bonding it off preserves every defense while freeing the property

Five minutes, plus your lien documents.

Submit the application, then send the lien and any court documents to underwriting — a licensed underwriter reviews the full file and responds within 48 hours.

Start the application →
FAQ

Common questions.

Does bonding off the lien pay the contractor?No. The bond substitutes for the property as security — nothing is paid to the lienor when the bond is recorded. The underlying dispute continues exactly as before, except your title is clean. If the lienor eventually proves the claim in court, the bond responds; if not, it doesn't.
How is the bond amount set?By RCW 60.04.161: for a lien of $10,000 or less, the bond is the greater of $5,000 or twice the lien amount; for a lien over $10,000, it's at least one and a half times the lien. So a $100,000 lien means a $150,000 bond. Use the figure in your attorney's filing or the court order in the application.
How much does it cost?A flat 2% of the bond amount, one time, $100 minimum. A $150,000 bond runs $3,000. The rate is posted and identical for everyone — no surge pricing because you have a closing on Friday.
How fast can this happen?Submit the application and the lien/court documents today, and a licensed underwriter responds within 48 hours. Straightforward liens move fastest; large or heavily contested liens can take longer if financials are needed. Recording the bond with the county auditor is then your attorney's same-day errand.
Will I need collateral or financials?It depends on the size of the lien and the shape of the dispute. Smaller, clearly documented liens are often approved from the application alone; larger or messier ones can require financial statements. Either way you'll get one checklist, once — and a soft credit check that never affects your score.
Does bonding off the lien mean admitting it's valid?No. Under RCW 60.04.161 recording the bond releases the property from the lien and moves the claim to the bond — it is not payment of the lien, and the statute does not treat it as an admission that the claim is valid. The dispute proceeds on its merits, which is precisely why most owners and GCs bond liens off.
Related bonds

Other Washington bonds.

WA Performance & Payment
Required for WA public works at $150K and up. Flat 3%.
View bond →
WA Bid Bond
Required with most public bids. Completely free — yes, really.
View bond →

Get the lien off the title this week.

Five-minute application, flat 2%, underwriter response within 48 hours. Your attorney files; the project moves.

Start application
Your premium @ 2%$3,000
Apply now →