Find Lacey Marriage Records

Lacey marriage records are created and held by Thurston County, not the city of Lacey. Anyone in Lacey who wants to apply for a marriage license, get a certified copy of a marriage certificate, or find historical marriage records must go through the Thurston County Auditor's Office in Olympia. This guide covers what to bring to the auditor's office, the three-day mandatory wait under state law, copy fees, where to hold a civil ceremony in Thurston County, and how to search digital archives that hold Thurston County marriage records going back to 1891.

Thurston County Auditor: Marriage Licenses for Lacey

The Thurston County Auditor's Office issues marriage licenses for all Lacey residents. The office is at 3000 Pacific Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501. The phone number for copies and general inquiries is 360.786.5405. Regular hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. On the first Wednesday of each month, the office opens at 9:00 AM instead. Applications are accepted from 8:00 AM to 4:15 PM on regular days.

Both people who plan to marry must appear in person at the auditor's office. If one party cannot be present, that person's portion of the application can be notarized in advance. The notarized section and the in-person applicant can then complete the process together. Call the office ahead of time to confirm what format they accept for notarized sections.

The fee is $172. The office accepts cash, check, or credit card. After you pay and apply, the three-day waiting period begins. Washington law under RCW 26.04.180 makes that wait mandatory. The license is valid for 60 days and only within Washington State.

The Thurston County Auditor's marriage license page walks through the full application process for Lacey residents and others in the county. The page includes what ID is required, payment options, and the rules for the three-day waiting period.

License Rules and the Three-Day Wait

Washington State sets the waiting period by law. You apply. You wait three days. Then the ceremony can happen. There is no process to waive this requirement, and the county auditor cannot make exceptions. If your ceremony date is fixed and close, apply with enough lead time to clear the three-day window.

The 60-day validity period starts on the date the license is issued, not the date you plan to hold the ceremony. Most couples apply well before their ceremony date and leave plenty of time. If you wait too long and the license expires, you have to apply again and pay the $172 fee a second time.

Two witnesses must be at the ceremony. Both must watch the vows and sign the Certificate of Marriage. Your officiant is required by law to return the completed certificate to the county within 30 days of the ceremony. That filing closes the legal record. Without it, getting a certified copy later becomes harder.

Authorized officiants in Washington include judges, court commissioners, district court commissioners, and ordained or licensed clergy under RCW 26.04.050. Confirm your officiant qualifies under the statute before your ceremony date.

Civil Ceremonies in Thurston County

If you want a judge or commissioner to perform the ceremony, Thurston County has two options. The Thurston County Superior Court performs civil ceremonies at 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Building 2, Olympia, WA 98502. Contact the court at 360-754-4108 to ask about scheduling and fees.

The Thurston County District Court also performs ceremonies. The standard time is Monday through Friday at 5:00 PM. Weekend and off-site ceremonies are available as well. Call 360-786-5562 to schedule. Fees vary by day and location so ask when you call.

The Thurston County Auditor also has a separate office location at 2000 Lakeridge Dr SW, Room 118, Olympia, WA 98502, with a phone of (360) 786-5224. That office handles certain licensing and recording functions. If you are calling to ask about ceremonies, the district court number above is the right one.

Certified Copies of Lacey Marriage Certificates

Certified copies of Thurston County marriage certificates cost $3 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Non-certified photo copies are $1 per page. To request copies by mail, write to: Thurston County Auditor, Attn: Copy Request, 3000 Pacific Ave. SE, Olympia, WA 98501. Include the full names of both parties, the year of the marriage, and payment for the fee.

In-person copy requests can be made at the same office during regular business hours. Have the names and approximate year ready. Staff can usually locate the record quickly if you have that basic information.

For copies of any Washington State marriage from 1968 to present, the Department of Health holds statewide records through VitalChek. The fee is $25 per certified copy. Orders placed through VitalChek process in 3 to 7 business days. Mail orders sent directly to DOH take 6 to 8 weeks or longer.

Historical Lacey and Thurston County Marriage Records

The Washington State Digital Archives holds a Thurston County marriage collection with 179,143 records. The collection at digitalarchives.wa.gov covers marriage returns from 1891 to 1898 and marriage certificates and applications from 1970 to present. The archive is free to search. No account or login is required. Search by name and use the date fields to narrow results.

Thurston County records before 1891 are sparse in the digitized collections. If you need records from that period, contact the Thurston County Auditor's Office directly or try the Washington State Historical Society's research collections. Some early territorial records are preserved in physical form only.

Washington's Marriage Equality Act took effect on December 6, 2012. Marriage records before that date list groom and bride. Records from that date forward use Person A and Person B. If you are searching across that boundary in the Digital Archives, the field labels differ but the records are part of the same collection.

The Washington State Digital Archives Thurston County collection is a useful tool for genealogical research on Lacey-area families. The collection spans both early returns and modern certificate records, giving broad coverage for Thurston County marriages over more than a century.

How to Search Lacey Marriage Records

Start with the Washington State Digital Archives. The Thurston County collection at digitalarchives.wa.gov is free and covers records from 1891 to 1898 and 1970 to present. Search by name. If you do not find the record there, contact the Thurston County Auditor's Office directly for records from other years.

For a statewide search covering all Washington marriages from 1968 to present, the DOH database at doh.wa.gov covers the full state. You do not need to know the county to use that search. The fee is $25 per certified copy through VitalChek.

All marriage license applications are public records in Washington under RCW 26.04.170. Anyone can request access to the records and order copies. No special relationship to the parties is required.

Thurston County Marriage Records

Lacey is in Thurston County. Marriage licenses for Lacey residents come from the Thurston County Auditor. The county page has full office details and historical record resources.

View Thurston County Marriage Records

Nearby Cities

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