Search Free King County Marriage Records (Historical & Recent)

Access free King County marriage records and uncover details of anyone who was married locally.

In Kings County, you can look up marriage records online and in person. Washington’s Public Records Act makes this information available to all citizens.

Marriage records can be used as part of a genealogy search as you put together the pieces of your family history. They may also be used to provide legal proof of one’s marital history. Often, however, people look them up to simply learn more about a friend, neighbor or colleague.

Now that you know you have a right to this information, figuring out the best way to affordably find these records is key. This resource covers the most efficient and effective methods for tracking down marital records in King County, Washington, at no cost.

This resource was written by Attorney Robert Bailey Jr, who holds a Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law.

How To Look Up King County Marriage Records at No Cost

If you are planning to conduct a search of local marriage records, the custodian where you will find this information is the King County Recorder’s Office.¹

To access marital records online for free, a citizen can use the King’s County Recorder’s Office Records Search Tool.² There are different options for the type of search you want to perform, but for marital records, you will likely want to select the name icon to begin your search.

This search tool is used for many different types of records, so the first step is limiting your search to marriage records. On the document type option, click on the “select” button and choose either marriage application or marriage certificate. You can also select marriages under the “document category” to narrow down your search results.

Once you make that selection you can set a date range and then enter the person’s name you want to search. The search results will provide you with the names of all matches to the information you entered. You can also view the date the marriage record was recorded and the physical location for this certificate.

You can view the full online marital record once you click on a person’s name. You can also view a PDF of the marriage certificate for some marriage records. Printing this certificate or the other marital record information is also an option.

You can also add the marriage record to your cart and mail it to you within seven to ten business days.

You can also request a copy of a marriage record with the King County Recorder’s Office by mail or in person from August 1991 to the present (older records will have to be requested by the Archives Office, which will be discussed in the next section).^{3, 4}

To do so, you will need to complete the Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate Request Form.⁵ In order to complete this form, you will need to have the full names of both individuals, the license number and the date of marriage.

A certified marriage record costs $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for any subsequent pages. An uncertified copy will cost $1.00 per page. If you need the King County Recorder’s Office to search for records, they will do so at $8.00 per hour.

For additional questions, you can contact the King County Recorder’s Office by phone at 206-477-9521 or by going to the address below:

King County Recorder’s Office
201 South Jackson St., Ste 204
Seattle, Washington 98104

The Recorder’s Office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Next,will be information on how to access archived marriage records.

How Do You Access Historical Marriage Records in King County for Genealogical Purposes?

The type of King County marital records you’ll need largely depends on your purpose for obtaining them. If you are conducting a genealogy search, you will likely need to delve into older archived married records.

Sometimes, archived marriage records are held with the same custodian as newer records; however, sometimes, they are maintained by a separate archives office. In King County, they do have a separate archives office. The King County Archives Office maintains all marriage records prior to August of 1991.⁶

The King County Archives has several different historical marriage records that can be searched or requested.⁷ You can use the Washington State Digital Archives Tool to search or request these documents.⁸

Select “marriage records” under the collection option to use this search tool. Then, you can enter a person’s name as well as a range for when the marriage occurred. The results will provide you with both parties’ names, the marriage year, the recording year and whether or not an image exists.

If it does, you can view and download the record for free. You can also order a certified record for download online for a $5.00 fee.⁹

You can also search these archived marriage records in person. The King County Archives is located at the following address:¹⁰

King County Archives
1215 East Fir Street
Seattle, Washington 98122

They are open for self-service document research on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. They are available to answer inquiries via phone or email, Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You can email them at [email protected] or call them at 206-263-2480.

You can check with religious institutions, historical societies, and public libraries for additional archived records. They may have marriage records located in indexes and other types of records. You may even locate marriage records in unlikely documents such as old newspapers.

For records related to marriages, it depends on what you are looking for. Washington does not recognize common-law marriages, so those documents do not exist. However, Washington does recognize domestic partnerships which can be searchable through the options discussed throughout this article.

If you need to expand your search, you can also conduct a search with the Washington State Archives.¹¹ For inquiries about archived marriage records, you can send an email to [email protected] or call them at 360-586-1492. The Washington State Archives is located at:

Washington State Archives
1129 Washington St. SW
Olympia, Washington 98501

How Do You Find Washington Marriage Records Outside of King County?

While you have all the tools you need to search for marriage records within King County, you may want to look for other marital documents in Washington.

One option is to check with the government agency that is responsible for marriage records in that county. This can be a cumbersome task if you are looking up many marriage records or do not know what county the person was married in.

An option that will allow you to request records throughout the entire state is to order a marriage record through the Washington State Department of Health.¹² They have marriage records available from 1968 to the present. The standard fee to request either a certified or noncertified informational copy is $25.00.

In some states, only certain qualified individuals can request a marriage record. That is not the case in Washington. Any type of marriage record can be requested by any citizen.

To make a request by mail or in person, you can complete the Marriage Certificate Order Form.¹³ This signed form, along with photo identification, can then be mailed to the address below:

Washington Department of Health
P.O. Box 9709
Olympia, Washington 98507

A check or money order for the fee should be made payable to DOH. You can also bring your application to any local Washington Health Department location.¹⁴

You can also order a marriage certificate online through the state’s only approved third-party vendor, VitalChek.¹⁵ You can receive a record in 3-7 business days, but there are additional shipping and processing fees.

If you have any questions, you can view their marriage records FAQ page or call the Washington State Department of Health at 800-525-0127.^{16, 17}

How To Get a King County Marriage License

If you are ready to get married, then it is time to apply for a marriage license. Each county has its own process for applying for a marriage license, so it’s important to understand their nuances, fees and any other helpful tips.

To apply for a marriage license in King County, you can do so with the Recorder’s Office.¹⁸ Before you go to apply for a marriage license, make sure you meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Both parties are at least 18 years old (there are exceptions with either parental consent or emancipation)
• Both applicants are not married
• Applicants are not related closer than second cousins
• Both people applying for a marriage license must have a current government-issued identification such as a driver’s license, U.S. passport or U.S. military ID

The cost of a marriage license is $69.00. You do not have to be a resident of King County (or Washington) to apply for a marriage license. In addition, you can apply for a marriage license in King County even if you are getting married somewhere else in Washington.

If you qualify for a marriage license, you can apply either online or by mail. For the first option, you can provide the information needed through the King County Online Marriage License Application.¹⁹

You can then complete the rest of the process either over the phone or in person. For either option, make sure you know your transaction number, as you will need to provide it.

You can also complete a physical copy of the King County Marriage License Application and mail it, along with your fee, to the following address:²⁰

King County Recorder’s Office
201 South Jackson Street, Suite 204
Seattle, Washington 98104

You can then retrieve your marriage license by going in person. Regardless of the type of marriage license application you plan to submit, you and your partner will be required to provide the following essential information:

• Full name
• Address (current and previous)
• Date of birth
• Marital status
• Phone number
• Planned wedding date

Once the marriage license has been issued, there is a state-mandated three-day waiting period before you are allowed to finalize your marriage. You should also have a clear understanding that marriage licenses are valid for 60 days after the three-day waiting period. If you fail to finalize your marriage in that timeframe, you will have to start the process from scratch.

If you have more questions regarding the application of a marriage license, you can visit the King County Recorder’s Office Marriage FAQ page.²¹ If you need to talk to someone, you can email the marriage licensing office at [email protected] or call them at 206-477-9521. They are available for inquiries Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Use the steps outlined above when applying for a marriage license. You also can access a variety of archived and new King County marriage records by following the steps outlined in this article.