Kent Marriage Records Search

Kent marriage records are created and held at the King County level, not by the city of Kent itself. Residents who want to get married, order a copy of a marriage certificate, or search historical marriage records must go through the King County Recorder's Office in Seattle or use the Washington State Digital Archives for older records. This guide covers the application process, the mandatory three-day waiting period, certified copy fees, and where to find Kent-area marriage records going back to 1853. Kent City Hall and the Maleng Regional Justice Center both have roles in the process, but neither one issues marriage licenses.

King County Recorder: Where Kent Residents Apply

All Kent residents get their marriage licenses from the King County Recorder's Office. The office is in Seattle, not in Kent. The address is 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104, and the main phone number is (206) 296-1655. Both people planning to marry must appear in person. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID for each applicant. The office does not require a blood test.

The fee is $69. That covers the license itself and the Certificate of Marriage that your officiant will complete after the ceremony. The Recorder accepts standard payment methods. Check the current hours before you go, since the office is closed on state holidays and hours can change.

Once you apply, the three-day waiting period begins. You cannot hold the ceremony until that window has passed. Washington law under RCW 26.04.180 makes the wait mandatory and it cannot be waived. Plan your ceremony date with that in mind. The license is good for 60 days and is valid only within Washington State.

The King County Recorder's Office has held marriage records for the county going back to 1853. That makes it one of the oldest continuous records collections in Washington State. Current records as well as the index for historic marriages are accessible through this office or through the Digital Archives described further below.

The King County Recorder marriage records page is the main starting point for Kent residents. The page covers license applications, certified copy orders, and single status searches for the full King County record set.

The Three-Day Wait and License Requirements

Washington State requires a three-day waiting period between the date you apply and the earliest date you can legally hold the ceremony. Apply on a Tuesday and the earliest ceremony date is Friday. The rule is set by state law and neither the county nor any court can waive it for you.

Your license expires 60 days from the date of issue. If your ceremony does not happen within that window, the license is void and you will need to apply again. Washington does not allow you to renew or extend a marriage license.

Two witnesses must be present at the ceremony. Both must observe the vows and sign the Certificate of Marriage. Your officiant is then required to return the completed certificate to the county within 30 days of the ceremony. That return step completes the legal record. If your officiant fails to return it, the marriage still happened, but getting a certified copy becomes complicated until the record is filed.

Authorized officiants in Washington include judges, district court commissioners, court commissioners, and ordained or licensed clergy under RCW 26.04.050. If you plan to use a friend ordained online, confirm their status meets state requirements before the ceremony date.

Ordering Certified Copies of Kent Marriage Records

Certified copies of King County marriage certificates cost $3 each from the Recorder's Office. Non-certified copies are $1 each. If you need to confirm whether a person was married in King County, a Single Status Search costs $8 for a one-to-five-year range, and increases by $8 for each additional five-year span.

You can request copies in person at 201 S Jackson St, or you can submit a request by mail. Include the full legal names of both parties, the approximate year of the marriage, and payment for the fee. The Recorder's Office also has an online ordering option through the King County website.

For marriages that took place from 1968 to the present across all of Washington State, the Department of Health holds copies. Their fee is $25 per certified copy through VitalChek. VitalChek orders process in roughly 3 to 7 business days. Mail orders sent directly to DOH take significantly longer, often 6 to 8 weeks. Use VitalChek if you need the record promptly.

The Washington State Department of Health marriage records page covers all state marriages from 1968 forward. Orders go through VitalChek for the fastest turnaround, with options for online, phone, or mail submission.

Historical Kent Marriage Records

King County marriage records go back to 1853, which makes them among the earliest in Washington Territory. The Washington State Digital Archives holds a collection of over 1.6 million King County marriage records spanning 1855 to 2017. The collection is free to search and includes index entries and images. Go to digitalarchives.wa.gov to search by name, date, or other fields.

Historical Kent-area marriage notices also appeared in local newspapers. The White River Journal published Kent-area marriage announcements from 1893 to 1912, and the Kent Journal carried similar notices from 1915 to 1916. These newspaper records can fill gaps when county records are incomplete or hard to locate. The Washington State Library holds microfilm copies of both papers.

The Washington State Library also holds the King County Marriage License Registers from 1889 to 1895 and from 1916 to 1917, along with an index to King County marriage records covering 1853 to 1884. These are reference tools, not certified copies, but they can help you confirm a marriage date and then request the official record from the Recorder's Office.

Records from after December 6, 2012, reflect changes from the Washington Marriage Equality Act. Certificates issued before that date list groom and bride. Certificates issued on or after that date use Person A and Person B instead. If you are searching Digital Archives records across that boundary, be aware that search filters behave differently depending on which era you are looking in.

Dissolution Records at the Maleng Regional Justice Center

Kent is home to the King County Superior Court's Maleng Regional Justice Center. This courthouse handles King County Superior Court cases for the southern portion of the county, including divorce and dissolution proceedings. The address is 401 4th Avenue N, Kent, WA 98032.

Dissolution records are not the same as marriage records. A marriage certificate documents the marriage. A dissolution decree documents the legal end of the marriage. The Superior Court Clerk holds dissolution records, not the Recorder's Office. If you need a copy of a dissolution decree from a Kent-area case, contact the King County Superior Court Clerk through the Maleng Regional Justice Center.

Marriage records and dissolution records are separate filings in separate offices. Do not confuse one for the other when you are searching. If you need both, you will likely need to contact both offices.

How to Search Kent Marriage Records Online

The fastest free search is through the Washington State Digital Archives. Go to the King County collection and search by name. The archive covers 1855 to 2017 and supports Soundex searches for variant spellings of surnames. No account is required to view images.

For records after 2017, or for a certified copy of any King County marriage, contact the Recorder's Office directly. They take in-person, mail, and online requests. If you do not know which county a marriage occurred in, the DOH statewide database at doh.wa.gov covers all Washington marriages from 1968 forward. One request covers the whole state without needing to know the county in advance.

All marriage license applications in Washington are public records under RCW 26.04.170. That means the index is accessible to anyone. Certified copies are available to any person who requests one and pays the fee.

King County Marriage Records

Kent is in King County. Marriage licenses for Kent residents come from the King County Recorder. The county page has full office details and historical record resources.

View King County Marriage Records

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities also use their county auditor for marriage records.