Marriage Records in Chelan County

Chelan County marriage records are managed by the County Auditor in Wenatchee, Washington. The Auditor's office issues marriage licenses, records completed marriage certificates, and provides certified copies to anyone who requests them. Chelan County has one of the larger marriage record collections in central Washington, with over 151,000 digitized records available through the Washington State Digital Archives going back to 1900. This page covers how to apply for a license, how to get a certified copy, and the best ways to search both recent and historical Chelan County marriage records.

Chelan County Auditor

The Chelan County Auditor's office in Wenatchee is the official repository for all marriage records issued in the county. The office handles new license applications, takes in completed licenses from officiants after ceremonies, and provides certified copies of marriage certificates. Staff can look up records by name and assist with both in-person and mail requests.

Chelan County was formed in 1899 from parts of Okanogan and Kittitas Counties. The county takes its name from a Native American word meaning "deep water." Its county seat is Wenatchee, and the Auditor's office is located there at 350 Orondo Avenue. The Auditor's records go back to 1900, and many of those older records are now indexed and searchable online through the Washington State Digital Archives at no cost. The office also maintains a separate court records system through the Chelan County Superior Court Clerk.

Marriage License Requirements in Chelan County

To get a marriage license in Chelan County, both applicants must appear together at the Auditor's office in Wenatchee. Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID. Washington State does not require blood tests, witnesses, or birth certificates as part of the marriage license process. You do not need to be a Washington resident, but the ceremony must take place within the state.

Washington requires a three-day waiting period between when you apply for the license and when it becomes valid. This comes from RCW 26.04.180 and cannot be waived. Count the day after your application as day one. On the third day, your license becomes valid. From that point, you have 60 days to use it. If the ceremony does not happen within 60 days, the license expires and you start over. Both applicants must be 18 years old or older. Per RCW 26.04.140, no ceremony can legally take place without a valid license issued beforehand.

If one party cannot appear in person, ask the Auditor's office about their policy on notarized applications. Processing times for mail requests are about two working days after the office receives your order. If you are planning a ceremony and need to time your license application correctly, call (509) 667-6800 to confirm current procedures and any recent changes.

After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the Auditor's office. That document becomes the official marriage certificate of record. Certified copies of marriage licenses cost $10 each, payable by cash, check, or credit card. Plain copies from the Auditor are less expensive, but certified copies carry the official seal needed for legal uses.

Certified Copies of Chelan County Marriage Certificates

Certified copies of Chelan County marriage certificates cost $10 each. You can request them in person at the Auditor's office at 350 Orondo Ave in Wenatchee. Staff can typically look up and print certified copies the same day for records in their system. Mail requests take about two working days after the Auditor receives your order.

Mail requests should include the full names of both parties, the date of the marriage, and a check made out to the Chelan County Auditor for $10 per copy requested. Send to 350 Orondo Avenue, Level 5, Wenatchee, WA 98801. Include a return address where they can send your copies.

For marriages from 1968 to the present, you can also request certified copies from the Washington State Department of Health. The DOH fee is $25 per copy and you can order through their online vital records page, by mail, or in person by appointment at their Tumwater office. The county fee of $10 is lower than the state fee of $25, so if you can go to the Auditor, it is usually cheaper. The DOH does accept phone orders through their VitalChek vendor.

Phone orders to the state's DOH can be placed at (860) 236-4313. The Chelan County Superior Court Clerk can be reached at superiorcourt.clerk@co.chelan.wa.us for court-related record requests separate from marriage certificates.

Note: For a marriage that happened within the past five months, go to the Chelan County Auditor rather than the DOH. The state may not yet have the record on file. It takes several months for new records to be transferred from the county to the state.

Historical Chelan County Marriage Records

Chelan County has one of the more substantial historical marriage record collections in central Washington. The Washington State Digital Archives holds 151,063 Chelan County records covering marriage returns from 1900 to 1910, marriage applications from 1900 to present, and marriage certificates from 1911 to present. The collection also includes Community Property Agreements from 1974 to 1988, which can be useful for older estate and property research.

The records were digitized by a team of volunteers and archive staff including Patricia Allen, Diane Huckabay, Wanda Fujimoto, Wendy Williams, Samantha Robbins, and Brigid Clift. This volunteer digitization effort produced a clean, searchable index that allows you to look up marriages by name, date, or document type. Soundex search options help when you are unsure of a spelling. Images are available for many of the older records.

The records in the Digital Archives came from two sources. Older documents, including marriage returns from 1900 to 1910 and certificates from 1911 to 2003, were physically scanned and submitted by the Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch. More recent records including applications from 1900 to present and certificates from 2004 forward were transferred electronically from the Chelan County Auditor. The County Auditor has maintained marriage records going back to the county's formation in 1899.

The FamilySearch genealogy page for Chelan County notes that the County Auditor has marriage records from 1900 forward. FamilySearch also indexes the 1969 to 2014 Washington Marriage Index, which covers Chelan County marriages for that period and is free to search on their platform. This can be a useful cross-reference when looking up marriages that fall in that date range.

Search Chelan County Marriage Records

The Washington State Digital Archives is the best free tool for searching Chelan County marriage records online. Go to digitalarchives.wa.gov and search by name and county. You can also narrow by year range. The collection covers most of the county's records from 1900 forward with some images. Basic index searching does not require an account.

Recorded documents, including marriage certificates, cost $3 for the first page and $1 for each additional page at the auditor level. Certified copies of marriage licenses specifically cost $10 each. Free in-person inspection of records is available at the courthouse for those who want to review documents without paying copy fees.

For court records related to marriage, such as annulments or domestic cases, the Chelan County Superior Court Clerk handles those separately. The Superior Court Clerk's office is also at 350 Orondo Avenue in Wenatchee, Suite 501. The District Court uses a separate email: DistrictCourt.Clerk@co.chelan.wa.us. Remote court record access is available through the Odyssey Portal.

The Washington State Digital Archives collection page shows the full scope of Chelan County's digitized marriage records going back to 1900.

The Digital Archives page for Chelan County describes the 151,063 records available, including marriage returns, applications, and certificates from 1900 to present.

The Chelan County public records site provides fee information and guidance for requesting marriage certificates from the Auditor.

This resource covers copy fees, free in-person inspection options, and links to other Chelan County public records tools including the Digital Archives.

The Chelan County court records resource outlines how to request marriage records from both the county and state.

This page explains the Auditor's process for marriage records requests, including mail request procedures and contact details for the Superior Court Clerk in Wenatchee.

Note: Marriage licenses are separate from court records. The Auditor handles licenses and certificates. The Superior Court Clerk handles court cases, including annulments and domestic filings. Make sure you contact the right office for what you need.

Cities in Chelan County

Chelan County includes Wenatchee and several smaller communities. Wenatchee is the county seat and the largest city in the county.

Other communities in Chelan County include Cashmere, Leavenworth, Entiat, and Chelan. All residents in the county get marriage licenses through the Chelan County Auditor in Wenatchee.

Nearby Counties

Chelan County sits in central Washington. These counties share borders with it or are in the same region.