Access Puyallup Marriage Records

Puyallup marriage records are handled by the Pierce County Auditor at 2401 S. 35th Street, Room 200, in Tacoma. Washington does not issue marriage licenses at the city level, so all Puyallup residents who need a license, a certified copy of a marriage certificate, or access to historical records must work through Pierce County. The county holds nearly 500,000 marriage records in the Washington State Digital Archives covering 1889 to the present. Puyallup also has a strong genealogy record base, with historical newspapers and county-level records dating back well into the 1800s. This page explains the full process.

Pierce County Auditor - Marriage Licensing Office

The Pierce County Auditor at 2401 S. 35th Street, Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409, is the office for all Puyallup marriage records. The phone number is (253) 798-7435. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office closes during lunch. If you are planning to visit late in the morning, arrive before noon to give yourself enough time before the break.

Puyallup City Hall does not issue marriage licenses and does not hold marriage records. If you contact the City of Puyallup about a marriage license, they will direct you to Pierce County. The Auditor in Tacoma is the only office with authority over marriage licensing and certificates for Puyallup. Email is Auditor@PierceCountyWa.gov.

The Pierce County marriage licensing page at piercecountywa.gov/356/Marriage-Licensing has instructions for applying, ID requirements, and the three-day waiting period rules. You can start the application online before your in-person visit. Both parties must still appear in person to pick up the license, or one party can mail a notarized portion in some circumstances.

Marriage License Process for Puyallup Residents

Washington State requires a three-day waiting period between the date a marriage license is issued and the date of the ceremony. This rule comes from RCW 26.04.180 and applies to all couples in the state. The waiting period cannot be waived. Apply at the Tacoma office at least three days before you need to get married.

Both people must appear in person with valid photo ID. The license is valid for 60 days. Miss the 60-day window and the license expires. You would then need to apply again and pay again. There is no extension option. The typical approach is to apply one to two weeks before the ceremony to give some buffer while still keeping the license fresh.

After the ceremony, the officiant must return the signed Certificate of Marriage to the Pierce County Auditor within 30 days. Under RCW 26.04.050, authorized officiants include judges, licensed ministers, and ordained clergy. Without the returned certificate, the marriage will not appear in county records. Washington's Marriage Equality Act, effective December 6, 2012, applies Person A and Person B terminology on all licenses. All applications are public records under RCW 26.04.170.

Certified Copy Requests for Puyallup Marriages

Certified copies of Pierce County marriage certificates cost $3 each. Non-certified copies cost $1. For in-person requests, bring the names of both parties and the approximate year of the marriage. Staff will search and issue a copy. In most cases, this happens the same day. For older records, there may be a short delay while staff searches physical files.

Mail requests take about 7 working days. Include both parties' names, the year of marriage, a return address, and a check or money order payable to Pierce County Auditor. Mail to: Pierce County Auditor, 2401 S. 35th Street, Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409. For phone orders, have a credit card ready and ask about the VitalChek convenience fee when you call (253) 798-7435.

For marriages from 1968 forward, the Washington State Department of Health at doh.wa.gov holds statewide certified records. Copies cost $25 each. VitalChek orders take 3 to 7 business days. Mail orders to DOH take 6 to 8 weeks. For marriages before 1968, DOH has no records. Use the Auditor or the Digital Archives for those.

Washington State Department of Health Records

The Washington State Department of Health holds certified marriage records statewide from 1968 to the present. This is a useful resource for Puyallup residents who prefer to order online without visiting the Tacoma office. The image below links to the DOH vital records ordering page.

DOH accepts orders online through VitalChek, by phone at 1-866-687-1464, or by mail. Certified copies are $25 each. Anyone can request a copy regardless of whether they are a party to the marriage. For marriages before 1968, go to the Pierce County Auditor or the Digital Archives instead.

The Washington State Digital Archives holds nearly 500,000 Pierce County marriage records. The link below goes directly to the Pierce County collection in the Digital Archives.

The Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov has 491,019 Pierce County records covering 1889 to 1947 and 1984 to the present. Search is free and includes original document images. This is the best free starting point for anyone researching historical Pierce County marriages connected to Puyallup.

Historical Puyallup Marriage Records

Puyallup and the surrounding Pierce County area have a solid genealogy record base. Historical newspapers that covered Puyallup include the Pierce County Herald, the Puyallup Valley Tribune, and older publications like the Puyallup Commerce and the Hop Reporter and Fruit Journal from 1887 to 1888. These are useful for supplementary research when trying to verify details around old marriages.

The Washington State Library holds the Pierce County Auditor's marriage record collection covering 1876 to 1947 and 1984 to 2023. That collection is accessible through partner libraries or the State Library's digital holdings. Puyallup city records are also at the Washington State Digital Archives and may be searched along with county records for more comprehensive coverage.

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is the most accessible online starting point. The collection includes images of original certificates, returns, and applications depending on the year. Records from 1984 forward are indexed and searchable online. Older records from 1889 to 1947 are also included, with images for most of the collection.

The Pierce County courts guide at piercecountycourts.org is also worth reading if you need to distinguish between marriage records (auditor) and divorce records (court). The guide explains both systems clearly and links to the right offices for each type of request.

Other Pierce County Resources for Puyallup

For single-status verification, contact the Pierce County Auditor at (253) 798-7435. This type of search confirms whether someone has a marriage on record in Pierce County. Fees vary depending on the scope of the search.

For divorce and dissolution records, contact the Pierce County Superior Court. Marriage certificates and licenses are auditor records. Divorce decrees are court records. They are kept in different systems and you need to contact different offices depending on what you need.

If you are a Puyallup resident doing family history research and need help figuring out where to start, the Pierce County Auditor at (253) 798-7435 can point you in the right direction. Staff are familiar with what records the office holds and can often tell you on the phone whether a specific record is likely to be in their system.

Pierce County Marriage Records

Puyallup is in Pierce County. Marriage licenses for Puyallup residents come from the Pierce County Auditor. The county page has full office details, fee schedules, and historical record resources.

View Pierce County Marriage Records

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities also use county auditors for marriage records.