Where to Find a Washington County Marriage Certificate

Looking for records of a Washington county marriage? The procedure’s pretty straightforward.
 
Since the creation of Washington Territory in 1853, the law has required the filing of marriage records with county officials.

The fact is, marriage laws and procedures may vary not only from state to state, but also from county to county, and Washington has 39 counties. Therefore, in Washington State, be prepared to check for a marriage certificate or other record with the county where the marriage took place. You may also be able to check with local offices in certain cities, such as Seattle.

Some Places You Need to Approach to Get Your Marriage Record

 
For certificates from the last 4 months, you will need to contact the County Auditor where the license was filed. For certificates from January 1st 1968 to four months before now, please contact the Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, P.O. Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507-9709. Certificates dating before January 1st 1968 require you to again contact the County Auditor where the license was obtained.

Typical Contents of the Marriage Certificate

You can typically expect to find at least the bridal couple’s full names, marriage date and the county where the marriage occurred. Many records will include addresses of the bride and groom, evidence of previous marriages, names and birthplaces of the bride and groom's parents, names of witnesses and the person conducting the wedding. You may also find identification by religion and denomination, depending on individual choice.

Making Your Application Work

Keep your request letter brief and topical. Take care not to confuse with unnecessary details. Do also remember that it is best not to make more than two requests at any one time.

Help the office conduct a thorough job by providing as much information as possible. If a person goes by more than one name, do please mention them all, including nicknames and alternate spellings.

Be accurate about the marriage date. If you are unsure, name a time span for searching. Keep it narrow because he wider the search, the more it will cost you.

Write all names and addresses in block letters to avoid misreading.

Remember that you need not pay anything in advance, unless you are sure of the costs. Consider sending a signed blank check instead with "Not to exceed $__.00" (the maximum likely amount) preferably in red ink, under the check’s "$____" line.

It is probably best to write two letters. The first one should state your requirements, provide information and ask for a cost estimate. Send over the check in the second letter.

Remember to enclose a stamped and self-addressed envelope.

State and county offices are almost always short-staffed and overloaded with work. Though the people there are ready to help you, please remember that they have other work too. So it is a good idea to show a little patience and courtesy, especially if you find that it is taking some time to get the information you need.

Remember the Essentials

Finally, do remember the following points when you are sending your request for the marriage certificate. Here they are:

•    Date of request
•    Full name of husband (last name in caps)
•    Full name of wife (maiden name in caps)
•    Date of marriage
•    Place of marriage (city or town, county, state)
•    Relationship to you
•    Purpose for which the record is needed
•    Your name & address
•    Your driver's license number & state (some counties require it)
•    Your signature

You can also send over your request by using the Internet. This is a great convenience because it helps you save time, and there are a lot less hassles too.