Benton County Marriage Records Search

Benton County marriage records are issued and maintained by the County Auditor, with offices in both Kennewick and Prosser. The Auditor handles marriage license applications, certified copies of marriage certificates, and document searches going back to the early 1900s. If you need to find a marriage record in Benton County, you can search online for free through the Washington State Digital Archives, visit or contact one of the Auditor's offices, or request a certified copy from the Washington State Department of Health for marriages from 1968 forward. This page explains each option and what to expect.

Benton County Auditor Offices

Benton County has two Auditor locations. Most residents use the Kennewick sub-office because it is more centrally located to the county's population. The Prosser office is at the county seat and handles the same services. Both offices can issue marriage licenses, provide certified copies of marriage certificates, and assist with document searches.

The Auditor's office is run by County Auditor Brenda Chilton. The Kennewick office is the main recording hub for documents filed since January 1, 1972, and those records are searchable online through the county's EagleWeb system. The Prosser office also holds records and serves the western part of the county. After August 2025, the Prosser office moved to an appointment-only model due to facility changes. Call ahead if you plan to visit Prosser.

Note: The Prosser office now operates by appointment only. Call (509) 786-5620 ahead of time to schedule your visit before heading to Prosser.

Getting a Marriage License in Benton County

To apply for a marriage license in Benton County, both parties must appear in person at one of the Auditor's offices. Bring valid, government-issued photo identification. You do not need to bring a birth certificate, proof of prior divorce, or blood test results unless staff specifically ask. If one party absolutely cannot appear in person, a notarized application form may be accepted. Call the Auditor's office before attempting this option to confirm it is allowed.

Washington State law under RCW 26.04.180 mandates a three-day waiting period after you apply. The license is not valid until three days after the application date. This waiting period cannot be waived under any circumstances. The license is then valid for 60 days. If you do not hold a ceremony within that 60-day window, the license expires. You would need to apply and pay the fee again.

After your ceremony, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the Benton County Auditor. That signed document becomes the official marriage certificate. Certified copies cost $3 each at the Auditor's office. Plain photocopies cost $1 per page. These fees are set by the county and may change; check with the office before you go.

Both applicants need to be at least 18 years old. There is no residency requirement for Benton County or Washington State, but the ceremony must take place within Washington. The Benton County Auditor's website at bentonwa.org/Auditor has current forms and more detail on the application process.

Certified Copies of Benton County Marriage Records

Certified copies of Benton County marriage certificates are available from the Auditor's office for $3 per copy. This is one of the lower fees in the state for certified marriage records at the county level. You can request in person at either office, or by mail. Mail requests must include a check payable to the Benton County Auditor, along with the names of both parties and the approximate date of marriage. Send mail requests to: Benton County Auditor, 620 Market Street, Prosser, WA 99350, or to the Kennewick office at 7122 W Okanogan Pl, Suite E120.

For marriages from 1968 to the present, you can also order a certified copy from the Washington State Department of Health. The DOH charges $25 per certified copy. You can order by mail to Department of Health, P.O. Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507-9709, or through their online service via VitalChek. The DOH also accepts in-person appointments at their Tumwater office. Per WAC 246-491-340, requests must include the first and last name of one spouse, the month and year of marriage, and the filing county.

For marriages before 1968, contact the Benton County Auditor. Those older records were not transferred to the state and exist only at the county level or in archive collections.

Historical Benton County Marriage Records

Benton County was formed in 1905 from parts of Yakima and Klickitat Counties. The county's marriage records collection reflects its relatively recent origin compared to some Washington counties. The Washington State Digital Archives holds 73,301 Benton County marriage records covering 1987 to the present. These include marriage applications and certificates transferred periodically by the Auditor's office.

There is also a second collection at the Digital Archives covering Benton County Marriage License Applications filed with the Auditor's office for the periods 1939 to 1949, 1952 to 1953, and 1977 to 1980. That collection at digitalarchives.wa.gov/Collections/TitleInfo/2029 contains 12,819 records and was sourced from the Central Regional Archives. Keep in mind that a license application only shows that someone applied to marry, not that the marriage actually took place. If you need proof that a marriage occurred, look for the certificate, not just the application.

The county's online document search tool covers records recorded since January 1, 1972. Older records, including records from the county's early years, may require a direct request to the Auditor or the Central Regional Archives. Historical document indexes for years before the online system are available at the Auditor's office for in-person review.

Note: The Marriage Equality Act changed record terminology starting December 6, 2012. Records before that date list Groom and Bride. Records after list Person A and Person B. Keep this in mind when searching the Digital Archives by name.

Search Benton County Marriage Records Online

The county's online document search tool is a good first stop for records from 1972 forward. Access it through the Benton County Auditor's EagleWeb system at erecording.co.benton.wa.us. You can search documents recorded since January 1, 1972 by name, document type, or date. Choose "Marriage" from the document type menu to filter results. The index is updated regularly.

For records going back further or for broader date coverage, use the Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov. Benton County has two separate collections there covering different date ranges and record types. Both are free to search. You can look up by name using standard or Soundex searches, and images are available for many records in the collection.

The DOH vital records page handles requests for certified copies of marriages from 1968 to present.

The Benton County Auditor official website details marriage license requirements, certified copy fees, and office locations.

The Auditor's site covers both Kennewick and Prosser office locations, the $3 certified copy fee, and how to apply for a marriage license in Benton County.

The Benton County EagleWeb online document search allows free searching of recorded documents including marriage certificates from 1972 to present.

EagleWeb lets you search by name or document type. Select "Marriage" to filter for marriage certificates and related documents filed with the Auditor's Recording Division.

The Washington State Digital Archives collection for Benton County marriage records covers 73,301 records from 1987 to present.

The Digital Archives page for Benton County describes the record count, date range, and how records were transferred from the Auditor's office to the state archive.

The Benton County Marriage License Applications collection at the Digital Archives covers selected years between 1939 and 1980.

This second Benton County collection at the Digital Archives holds 12,819 license application records and was sourced from the Central Regional Archives.

Cities in Benton County

Benton County includes several cities. The two largest have their own pages on this site.

Other communities in Benton County include Prosser, West Richland, Benton City, and Finley. All residents in the county get marriage licenses from the Benton County Auditor regardless of which city they live in.

Nearby Counties

Benton County is in south-central Washington. These counties border it or are in the same region.