Obtaining certified copies of marriage records

Marriage certificates of licenses purchased from King County are maintained by the King County Recorder's Office. Marriage certificates from 1947-present are filed in the county where the license was purchased. Marriage certificates from 1853-1946 are filed in the county where the marriage took place.

Bring the correct fees ($3.00 per certified copy) by cash, check or money order to:

King County Recorder's Office in downtown Seattle King County Administration Building 500 Fourth Ave., Suite 311 Seattle, WA 98104 206-296-1570 Monday - Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

King County Archives in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle 1215 E Fir St Seattle, WA 98122 206-296-1538 free parking available Monday - Friday 9am - 4pm

Any King County Community Service Center (locations throughout King County) Click here for a list of locations and hours of operation

August 1, 1991 to present:

Please fill out the Recorder's Office Copy Request Form (PDF) and mail with correct fees ($3.00 per certified copy) by check or money order to:

King County Marriage Records
King County Administration Building
500 Fourth Ave., Suite 311
Seattle, WA 98104

1853 to July 31, 1991:

Please fill out the Archives Copy Request Form (PDF) and mail with correct fees ($3.00 per certified copy) by check or money order to:

King County Archives
1215 E Fir St.
Seattle, WA, 98122 

Search for and locate your marriage record on the Washington State Digital Archives (external link). Then, use your credit card to order at $4.00 per certified copy. Services only available for certificates from 1855-1989.

Additional Information

• Certified copies should be available approximately ten business days from the date the marriage record is returned to King County. To confirm availability, call 206-296-1844.

• If you need certified copies immediately following your ceremony, return the Health Certificate of Marriage to the Marriage License Desk, Suite 311 of the King County Administration Building, 500 Fourth Ave., in downtown Seattle. Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., except holidays.

• If you were married elsewhere according to the local laws and your license was duly recorded, obtain certified copies of your marriage license from the local registrar of the governing body where you were married, including a certified translation into English, if your license is in another language. You can record that document with the King County Recorder's Office but you are not required to do so.

• Statewide marriage certificates from 1968 to present are also available from the Washington State Center for Health Statistics (external link).

• If you have any trouble locating marriage records, including older and other types of marriage records, please contact the King County Archives.

Public Disclosure of Marriage Records

• Marriage records are part of public record, with one major exception. Program participants of the State's Address Confidentiality Program may have their marriage records excluded from the public filing. Only active participants are included, and they must apply for their marriage license at our downtown Seattle office. If the marriage license was obtained prior to becoming an active participant, the record cannot be "unrecorded."

• Newspapers in King County do not print lists of marriage license applications. Couples may pay a newspaper to print an announcement.

Obtaining An Apostille for a Marriage Record

• Apostille certificates are issued by a state government only for documents which have been signed by a government official of that same state. For complete information on obtaining an apostille for your recorded Washington State Marriage Certificate, visit the Washington Secretary of State's website.