Richland Marriage Records Search

Richland marriage records are handled by the Benton County Auditor, which has two offices serving the county. The main office is in Prosser at 620 Market Street, and there is a sub-office in Kennewick at 5600 West Canal Drive that is closer to Richland. Both offices handle marriage licensing and certified copies. Benton County has marriage records going back to 1853 through the Washington State Digital Archives, and the Auditor holds both licensing and recording functions for the county. This guide covers both offices, fees, the licensing process, and how to search historical records.

Benton County Auditor - Two Office Locations

Benton County has two auditor office locations that serve Richland residents. The main office is at 620 Market Street, Prosser, WA 99350, and the phone number is (509) 786-5620. The email is auditor@co.benton.wa.us. The Kennewick sub-office is much closer to Richland and is located at 5600 West Canal Drive, Kennewick, WA 99336, with a direct number of (509) 736-2727.

For most Richland residents, the Kennewick sub-office is the more convenient choice. It provides the same services as the main office in Prosser, including marriage licensing and certified copy requests. Call (509) 736-2727 before going to confirm hours and available services, as the sub-office may have slightly different hours than the Prosser main office.

Marriage licensing information and office details are at co.benton.wa.us. The Auditor handles both marriage licensing and the recording of marriage certificates after ceremonies. Both are at the county level in Washington. The City of Richland does not hold or issue marriage records.

Getting a Marriage License in Richland

The three-day waiting period under RCW 26.04.180 applies to all Washington couples, including those in Richland. You must wait at least three days after receiving your license before holding a ceremony. This rule is fixed. There is no waiver. Apply at least three days before your ceremony date, and ideally a bit sooner to leave a buffer.

Both parties must appear in person with valid photo ID at either the Prosser or Kennewick auditor office. The license is valid for 60 days. If the ceremony does not happen within 60 days, the license expires and you must reapply. After the ceremony, the officiant has 30 days to return the signed Certificate of Marriage to the Benton County Auditor.

Under RCW 26.04.050, authorized officiants include judges, licensed ministers, and ordained clergy. Washington's Marriage Equality Act has been in effect since December 6, 2012. All licenses use Person A and Person B terminology. All applications are public records under RCW 26.04.170.

Certified Copies and Copy Requests

Certified copies of Benton County marriage certificates cost $3 each. Photo copies cost $1 per page. Requests can be made in person at either auditor office or by mail. For mail requests, write to Benton County Auditor, 620 Market Street, Prosser, WA 99350. Include both parties' full names, the year of the marriage, a return address, and a check or money order for the appropriate fee.

The Benton County Clerk handles divorce records and probate records. The Clerk is separate from the Auditor. The Clerk has two offices: the Prosser Courthouse at 620 Market Street in Prosser, and the Benton County Justice Center at 7122 West Okanogan Place, Building A, in Kennewick. The Clerk's email is clerk@co.benton.wa.us and the phone numbers are (509) 786-5624 for Prosser and (509) 735-8388 for Kennewick. If you need a divorce record, contact the Clerk, not the Auditor.

For marriages from 1968 to the present, the Washington State Department of Health holds statewide certified records. DOH charges $25 per certified copy and processes orders through VitalChek or by mail. Online orders take 3 to 7 business days. Mail orders take 6 to 8 weeks. The DOH vital records page is at doh.wa.gov.

Benton County Auditor and Clerk Records

The Benton County Auditor website at co.benton.wa.us covers marriage licensing, recording services, and copy requests. The image below links to the county's records page which includes both auditor and clerk functions.

The auditor handles marriage licenses and certificates. The clerk handles divorce decrees, probate, and court records. Both offices have locations in Kennewick that are more convenient for Richland residents than the main Prosser offices. Knowing which office handles which type of record saves time on both calls and visits. For marriage licenses and certified copies, the auditor at (509) 736-2727 is the right call.

The Washington State Department of Health is the other major source for certified marriage records from 1968 forward. The link below goes to the DOH vital records ordering page.

DOH at doh.wa.gov accepts requests online, by phone through VitalChek, or by mail. Certified copies are $25 each and anyone can request one. For marriages before 1968, the Benton County Auditor or the Washington State Digital Archives are the correct sources.

Historical Benton County Marriage Records

Benton County has marriage records going back to 1853 according to the FamilySearch genealogy guide at familysearch.org. The Auditor holds marriage and land records. The County Clerk holds divorce and probate records from 1890. The distinction between the two offices matters for genealogy research because they hold different types of records covering different aspects of family history.

The Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch at (509) 963-2136 holds historical Benton County records that may not be fully indexed online. If you are researching an older marriage and cannot find it through the Digital Archives or the Auditor, the Regional Branch is a good next step. They can assist with research requests and may be able to locate records that are not in the main online collections.

The Benton-Franklin County Health District at 7102 W Okanogan Place, Kennewick, WA 99336, (509) 460-4200, also serves the Richland area for public health records. While the Health District is not the primary source for certified marriage records, they may be able to assist with some vital records inquiries or point you to the right agency.

Ancestry.com and FamilySearch carry portions of the Benton County marriage record collection. These third-party databases are useful for genealogy research, especially for older records where county filing may have been inconsistent. The Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is the best free starting point for historical Benton County research.

Other Resources for Richland Residents

Richland is part of the Tri-Cities area along with Kennewick and Pasco. All three cities are in separate counties, which means each has its own county auditor. Richland is in Benton County. Pasco is in Franklin County. Kennewick is also in Benton County. Residents in each city go to their respective county auditor for marriage records. If you are not sure which county a past marriage was recorded in, DOH can search statewide for records from 1968 forward.

For single-status verification in Benton County, contact the Auditor at (509) 786-5620 for Prosser or (509) 736-2727 for Kennewick. For a statewide search, DOH at 1-800-525-0127 can cover records from 1968 forward across all Washington counties. Both can assist with this type of search, though the scope and fees differ.

If you need records for a marriage that happened in both Benton and Franklin counties at different times, you will need to contact each county separately. Marriage records are county-level in Washington and do not cross county lines in the filing system.

Benton County Marriage Records

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

View Benton County Marriage Records

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities also use county auditors for marriage records.