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King County Washington home

So You're Being Audited

What to expect from a performance audit by the King County Auditor’s Office and resources to help you through the process.

What is a performance audit?

Performance audits are a systematic examination of evidence to independently assess the performance and management of government activities against objective criteria. They result in a written report communicating the results of the audit and are typically presented to the King County Council. Audits typically last 8-12 months are conducted according to a strict set of standards intended to ensure the accuracy and usefulness of findings and recommendations to decisionmakers.

What's in it for you?

Audits can...

  • introduce new knowledge, perspectives, tools, and approaches
  • help solve an operational problem
  • provide independent feedback
  • provide objective support for a new course of action
  • recognize achievement and identify opportunities

Our approach

The King County Auditor's Office is committed to working with you to make the county more efficient, effective, and equitable. We work collaboratively and strive to make efficient use of everyone’s time. We emphasize straightforward and regular communication throughout the project so there are no surprises at the end. After a project is complete, we engage in continuous quality improvement by asking you to give feedback on our performance and the impact of our work. We take our responsibility for working with you to dismantle systems of racism.

We are an independent office. This means that the Auditor’s Office alone determines our audit objectives, findings, and recommendations based on the evidence. Our independence means that no external interference or influence adversely affects our independent and objective judgment. We adhere to Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards and compliance is reviewed every three years.

KCC 2.20.065 grants the Auditor’s Office unfettered access to people and records. This applies to any county department, agency, or program or any entity receiving county appropriations or funds. If needed, we may issue a subpoena compelling access. We ask that only invitees attend interviews. Please ensure that you provide information promptly and completely.