Find Marriage Records in Orchards
Orchards marriage records are handled by the Clark County Auditor in Vancouver. Orchards is an unincorporated community in Clark County, east of Vancouver, and has no city hall or city clerk of its own. All marriage licenses, certified copies, and records searches for Orchards residents go through the Clark County Auditor at 1300 Franklin Street, Suite 175, Vancouver, WA 98660. Clark County holds over 467,000 marriage records in the Washington State Digital Archives, covering returns and certificates dating back to 1843. This guide covers the full process for getting a license, finding old records, and ordering certified copies.
Orchards Overview
Clark County Auditor - Marriage Records Office
The Clark County Auditor is the office that handles marriage licensing and records for Orchards. The office is at 1300 Franklin Street, Suite 175, Vancouver, WA 98660. The phone number is (564) 397-2208 and the email is recording@clark.wa.gov. For marriage licensing information, visit clark.wa.gov/auditor/marriage-licenses.
Orchards is not an incorporated city. It is a census-designated place (CDP) in unincorporated Clark County. Because it has no municipal government, there is no city clerk or city hall to handle public records. All marriage records for the Orchards area, whether new licenses or historical certificates, go through the county auditor. Residents who need marriage records should contact the Clark County Auditor directly and not expect the nearest city hall to have anything relevant.
| Office | Clark County Auditor |
|---|---|
| Address | 1300 Franklin Street, Suite 175 Vancouver, WA 98660 |
| Phone | (564) 397-2208 |
| recording@clark.wa.gov | |
| License Fee | $64 |
| Certified Copy | $3 (first page $5, additional $1) |
The online marriage license application is available through the Clark County Auditor. You can begin the application process online before coming in to pick up the license in person. Both parties still need to appear in person to complete the process. Check the auditor's website at clark.wa.gov for current application instructions and any updates to the process.
Marriage License Requirements for Orchards Residents
The three-day waiting period under RCW 26.04.180 applies to all couples in Washington, including those in Orchards. You cannot get married sooner than three days after the license is issued. This rule cannot be waived. If you apply on a Wednesday, you can hold a ceremony no earlier than Saturday.
The license is valid for 60 days. Get the license too far in advance and it may expire before the ceremony. Apply too close to the date and you risk not having enough time. Most couples aim to apply about a week before the ceremony to give some buffer. The fee is $64 and both people must appear in person with valid photo ID.
Under RCW 26.04.050, authorized officiants include judges, licensed ministers, ordained clergy, and other legally recognized officials. After the ceremony, the officiant must return the signed Certificate of Marriage to the Clark County Auditor within 30 days. That returned certificate creates the official record. Washington's Marriage Equality Act, effective December 6, 2012, means all licenses use Person A and Person B terminology. All applications are public records under RCW 26.04.170.
Certified Copies of Clark County Marriage Records
Certified copies of Clark County marriage certificates cost $3 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. The standard certified copy fee through the recording system may be higher for some document types, so confirm the exact amount with the Auditor's office when you request. You can request copies in person, by mail, or by phone from the Clark County Auditor at (564) 397-2208.
For marriages from 1968 to the present, the Washington State Department of Health also holds certified records. DOH charges $25 per copy and processes orders through VitalChek. Online or phone orders take 3 to 7 business days. Mail orders to DOH take 6 to 8 weeks. The DOH vital records page is at doh.wa.gov.
Court records such as divorce decrees are separate from marriage certificates. The Clark County Clerk of Court handles dissolution and divorce records. The Clerk is at 1200 Franklin Street, Vancouver, WA 98660, and can be reached at 564-397-2292. Do not confuse the Auditor (marriage licensing) with the Clerk (court records including divorces). They are different offices in different buildings.
Historical Clark County Marriage Records
Clark County has one of the oldest and most extensive marriage record collections in Washington. The Washington State Digital Archives holds 467,220 Clark County records at digitalarchives.wa.gov. The collection includes marriage returns from 1843 to 1909, certificates from 1843 to the present, and applications from 2000 to the present. The collection spans over 160 years of Clark County marriage history.
For genealogy research, Clark County's collection is among the deepest in the state. The 1843 start date means records go back to before Washington was even a state. Most of the collection is digitized and searchable for free through the Digital Archives. Images are available for the majority of records in the collection. If you cannot find a specific record, the Southwest Regional Branch of Washington State Archives may have additional physical files. That branch can be reached at (360) 753-1684.
Ancestry.com and FamilySearch also carry some Clark County marriage records, particularly for the older portions of the collection. Using all three sources gives the best coverage for genealogy research on marriages recorded in the Orchards area before the county's online records were available.
Washington State Marriage Records Guide
Some online guides reference Orchards in connection with Spokane County due to a community of the same name in eastern Washington. Our Orchards community is in Clark County near Vancouver.
For Orchards residents in Clark County, the correct offices are the Clark County Auditor for marriage licenses and certified copies, and the Clark County Clerk at 564-397-2292 for any court records related to marriage or divorce. Always confirm you are contacting Clark County offices, not Spokane County, when making requests for Orchards records.
The Washington State Department of Health handles statewide marriage records from 1968 forward. The link below goes to DOH vital records, which is another source for certified copies covering the Orchards area.
DOH at doh.wa.gov accepts requests online through VitalChek or by mail. Certified copies are $25. Statewide coverage makes DOH useful when you are not sure which county recorded a marriage.
Court Records and Other Resources
Marriage licenses and marriage certificates are auditor-level records. If you need records related to a court proceeding involving a marriage, such as a dissolution decree or a legal name change made as part of a marriage, contact the Clark County Clerk of Court at 1200 Franklin Street, Vancouver, WA 98660, or call 564-397-2292.
For a single-status verification, a search that confirms whether a person is currently married or has previously been married in Washington, contact either the Clark County Auditor or the Washington State DOH. Both can assist with this type of request, though fees and processing times differ. The county auditor is generally faster for local searches.
If you have a question about which records a specific office holds for the Orchards area, calling the Clark County Auditor at (564) 397-2208 is the fastest way to get a direct answer. Staff can tell you what records are available, how to request them, and what fees apply.
Clark County Marriage Records
Orchards is in Clark County. Marriage licenses for Orchards residents come from the Clark County Auditor. The county page has full office details, fee schedules, and historical record resources.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities also use county auditors for marriage records.