Leasehold excise tax

What is the leasehold tax?

It is a tax on the use of public property by private party. This tax is in lieu of the property tax.

How do I pay the tax?

Public entities that lease property to lessees or tenants of a community center report to the Department of Revenue on a quarterly Leasehold Excise Tax Return.

Lessees of federal property report directly to the Department of Revenue on an annual Leasehold Excise Tax Return.

File online

File your return electronically using My DOR. Simply log in to My DOR using your Secure Access Washington (SAW) user ID. You will need your tax account ID and letter ID, printed on correspondence from the Department, to sign up.

What rate do I pay?

The Leasehold Excise Tax rate is .1284 of the rent paid for the property.

What are the funds used for?

Approximately 53 percent of the tax goes into the State General Fund and 47 percent of the tax is returned to the county and city in which the leased property is located.