Exemption

State government

Property Tax exemption · RCW 84.36.010(1) · enacted 1889

All exemptions & deductions

Details

Citation
RCW 84.36.010(1)
Study reference
E1370-1
Tax type
Property Tax
Preference type
Exemption
Category
Government
Year enacted
1889
End date
None scheduled

Fiscal impact (2024 study estimates)

Revenue if repealed — local ($M)
FY 2024: 0 · FY 2025: 9.565 · FY 2026: 18.607 · FY 2027: 19.265
Revenue if repealed — state ($M)
FY 2024: 0 · FY 2025: 0 · FY 2026: 0 · FY 2027: 0
Taxpayer savings — local ($M)
FY 2024: 315.219 · FY 2025: 328.401 · FY 2026: 342.191 · FY 2027: 356.514
Taxpayer savings — state ($M)
FY 2024: 106.569 · FY 2025: 107.678 · FY 2026: 108.803 · FY 2027: 109.949

CTI = confidential taxpayer information · D = unable to disclose

From the 2024 DOR Tax Exemption Study

84.36.010(1) - State government Description Real and personal property owned by the state is exempt from property taxation. Purpose Property of the state government is exempt under the Washington Constitution. This reflects a long-standing legislative policy not to tax publicly owned property. Taxpayer ($ in millions): savings FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027 State Taxes $106.569 $107.678 $108.803 $109.949 Local Taxes $315.219 $328.401 $342.191 $356.514 Repeal of Repealing a property tax exemption would not increase state revenues. A repeal exemption shifts the state property tax to the currently exempt taxpayers and reduces the tax burden of other taxpayers. It may decrease the local rate and possibly result in local taxing districts at their statutory maximum rate experiencing a revenue increase. A repeal of this exemption would require an amendment to Article VII of the Washington State Constitution. Potential ($ in millions): revenue gains FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027 from full repeal State Taxes $0.000 $0.000 $0.000 $0.000 Local Taxes $0.000 $9.565 $18.607 $19.265 Assumptions - Total estimated exempt value is $49.4 billion. - This repeal takes effect beginning with property

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This is reference data from the 2024 study — not advice, and 2025–26 legislation may have changed it. Three ways to go deeper: