Lake Stevens Marriage Records
Lake Stevens marriage records are issued and maintained by Snohomish County, not by the city itself. Residents who need to apply for a marriage license, order a certified copy of a marriage certificate, or search historical records must contact the Snohomish County Auditor's Office in Everett. This guide explains the application process, the required three-day wait, how to order copies, and how to access a digital archive holding nearly 400,000 Snohomish County marriage records going back to 1867.
Lake Stevens Overview
Getting a Marriage License in Snohomish County
Lake Stevens residents get their marriage licenses from the Snohomish County Auditor's Office at 3000 Rockefeller Avenue, Everett, WA 98201. The phone is (425) 388-3693 and the email for the auditor's office is auditor@snoco.gov. Both people who plan to marry must appear in person. Each person needs a valid government-issued photo ID. The fee is $72 and covers the license and the Certificate of Marriage.
The office accepts cash, check, money order, and card payments. After you apply, the three-day waiting period begins. This wait is required by state law under RCW 26.04.180. It cannot be shortened or waived for any reason. Plan your ceremony date around this requirement. If you apply on a Wednesday, the earliest ceremony date is Saturday.
Your license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue. Washington licenses are only valid within Washington State. If you do not hold the ceremony within 60 days, the license expires and you must apply again.
| Office | Snohomish County Auditor |
|---|---|
| Address | 3000 Rockefeller Avenue, Everett, WA 98201 |
| Phone | (425) 388-3693 |
| auditor@snoco.gov | |
| License Fee | $72 (cash, check, money order, or card) |
| License Validity | 60 days; Washington State only |
| Website | snohomishcountywa.gov/294/Marriage-Licenses |
The Snohomish County marriage license page has current fee and hour information for Lake Stevens residents planning to apply. 
The page covers both the application process and the copy ordering options for existing records.
Ceremony Requirements and Officiant Rules
Two witnesses must attend your ceremony. Both must observe the vows and sign the Certificate of Marriage after the ceremony. The officiant is then required to return the completed certificate to Snohomish County within 30 days. That return step creates the formal record that certified copies are later issued from.
Authorized officiants include judges, court commissioners, and ordained or licensed clergy under RCW 26.04.050. Washington also allows certain civil officials to perform ceremonies. If you plan to use a friend or family member who was ordained online, confirm their ordination meets state standards before the ceremony.
If you want a civil ceremony performed by a judge or commissioner, contact the Snohomish County District Court or Superior Court to ask about scheduling. Fees and availability vary. The auditor's office can point you to the right court contact if you are not sure who to call.
Ordering Certified Copies of Marriage Certificates
Certified copies of Snohomish County marriage certificates cost $3 each. Non-certified copies are $1 each. For records from before 1976, there is a search fee of $8 per hour in addition to the copy fee. Postage for mailed copies is $1 for up to 10 copies.
You can order copies online, in person, by phone, or by mail. The Snohomish County copy ordering page at snohomishcountywa.gov/297 covers all four methods and explains what information you need to include with each type of request. For mail requests, send the names of both parties, the approximate year, and payment to the Auditor's Office in Everett.
For marriages from 1968 to present anywhere in Washington State, the Department of Health holds statewide records. The fee is $25 per certified copy through VitalChek. VitalChek processes orders in 3 to 7 business days. The DOH option is useful if you do not know the county or want a single search to cover the whole state.
The Washington State Department of Health records page covers all Washington marriages from 1968 forward and is one of the main sources for Lake Stevens residents who need recent certified copies. 
Orders go through VitalChek for online, phone, or mail submissions.
Historical Snohomish County Marriage Records
The Washington State Digital Archives holds 396,425 Snohomish County marriage records covering 1867 to 1999 and 2004 to 2005. The collection at digitalarchives.wa.gov is free to search and includes images of the original documents. Searchable by name. Soundex is supported for variant spellings. No login is required.
There are known gaps in the Snohomish collection. The digitized index is missing records from 1948 to 1950, 1953 to 1956, 1960 to 1964, and 1993. If the marriage you are looking for falls in one of those periods, contact the Snohomish County Auditor directly. The physical records may be available even when the digital index is incomplete.
The collection includes marriage certificates, licenses, and applications. Bulk scanned certificates cover 1873 to 1919 and 1968 to 1985. For the gap years between 2000 and 2003, and for records after 2005, contact the auditor's office for records.
Records from after December 6, 2012, use Person A and Person B instead of groom and bride. This change resulted from Washington's Marriage Equality Act. If you are searching across that date boundary, keep in mind that the field labels changed even though the underlying records are the same type of document.
How to Find Lake Stevens Marriage Records Online
The fastest free option is the Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov. Search the Snohomish County collection by name. Try Soundex if your first search returns nothing. The archive covers most years from 1867 to 2005 with some gaps noted above.
For records after 2005 or for a certified copy, contact the Snohomish County Auditor. The recording office at snohomishcountywa.gov/278/Recording can be reached at 425-388-3483 and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
If you are not certain which county a marriage took place in, the DOH statewide database at doh.wa.gov covers all Washington marriages from 1968 forward. You do not need to know the county. The fee is $25 per copy through VitalChek.
All Washington marriage license applications are public records under RCW 26.04.170. The index is open to any person. Certified copies are available to any requester who pays the fee.
Snohomish County Marriage Records
Lake Stevens is in Snohomish County. Marriage licenses for Lake Stevens residents come from the Snohomish County Auditor. The county page has full office details and historical record resources.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities also use their county auditor for marriage records.