Clallam County Marriage Records

Clallam County marriage records are maintained by the County Auditor in Port Angeles, Washington. The Auditor handles marriage license applications, records completed certificates, and provides certified copies to anyone who asks. Clallam County marriage records go back to 1950 in the Washington State Digital Archives, with nearly 48,000 digitized records available online for free. This page explains how to apply for a marriage license, what fees to expect, how to get a certified copy, and how to search older Clallam County records.

Clallam County Auditor

The Clallam County Auditor's office sits in Port Angeles, the county seat on the northern Olympic Peninsula. The Recording Division within the Auditor's office handles all marriage licenses and marriage certificates. The office records, maintains, and distributes these documents. Clallam County was organized in 1854, making it one of the older counties in Washington State. It was formerly part of Jefferson County and occupies the northwestern corner of the state along the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The Auditor's office has several divisions including Document Recording, Elections and Voter Registration, Marriage Licenses, Passports, and Vehicle and Vessel Licensing. For marriage records specifically, you work with the Recording Division. The office accepts in-person requests without an appointment. Bring photo ID and the names and date of marriage for the record you need. For passport services, the office operates Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

Note: Personal checks are NOT accepted for any payment at the Clallam County Auditor's Recording Division. Bring cash, a money order, a cashier's check, or a debit or credit card when visiting in person. Credit card processing fees are added for in-person card payments.

Getting a Marriage License in Clallam County

To apply for a marriage license in Clallam County, both applicants must appear together at the Auditor's office at 223 E 4th Street in Port Angeles. No appointment is needed. Each person must bring a current photo ID. Washington does not require blood tests, birth certificates, or witness statements as part of this process. However, if you were previously married, you are responsible for making sure your prior dissolution is finalized before you apply for a new license.

If both parties cannot appear together at the same time, you can download the marriage application from the county's website. Both applicants must sign it, and a notary public must acknowledge the signatures. Then the parties can bring or send the completed notarized form to the office. This option is limited; call the office to confirm it is currently available before you count on it.

The marriage license fee in Clallam County is $162, due at the time of application. This is among the higher county fees in Washington. Payment must be cash, money order, cashier's check, or debit or credit card. Personal checks are not accepted. There is a credit card processing fee added for card payments made in person. You do not have to be a Washington State resident to apply, but the ceremony must happen within Washington State.

Washington law under RCW 26.04.180 requires a three-day waiting period. The license becomes valid on the third day after you apply. It is then good for 60 days. If the ceremony does not happen within those 60 days, you need to apply again and pay the fee again. Applicants must be 18 or older. Under RCW 26.04.140, a valid license is required before any marriage ceremony can legally take place in the state.

After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the Auditor. The signed license becomes the marriage certificate. Once recorded, it cannot be unrecorded. Marriages performed in Clallam County are public records, with one exception: individuals enrolled in the Washington State Address Confidentiality Program have their marriage information protected.

Certified Copies of Clallam County Marriage Certificates

Certified copies of marriage certificates from Clallam County cost $3 each. Plain photocopies cost $1 each. Certified copies carry the official seal and are what you need for name changes, insurance updates, immigration documents, and similar legal purposes. Plain copies are fine for personal reference only.

In person: go to the Recording Division of the Auditor's office at 223 E 4th Street, Suite 1, Port Angeles, WA 98362. No appointment needed. Bring photo ID and the names of both parties along with the date of the marriage. Pay with cash, money order, cashier's check, or a debit or credit card. Personal checks are not accepted.

By mail: fill out the Clallam County marriage record request form available on the county's website. Include payment by money order only. Personal checks are not accepted for mail requests either. Send everything to: Recording Division, Auditor's Office, 223 E 4th Street, Suite 1, Port Angeles, WA 98362. Allow processing time for mail requests.

For marriages from 1968 to the present, you can also order from the Washington State Department of Health. The DOH fee is $25 per certified copy, which is higher than the county fee. You can order via their vital records page, by mail, or in person at their Tumwater office by appointment. Per WAC 246-491-340, include the first and last name of one spouse, the month and year of the marriage, and the filing county in your request.

Unofficial document copies are also available at no cost through the county's online Document Search tool, where you can select "Marriage" as the document type. These unofficial copies may be useful for basic research but do not have legal standing.

Note: For a marriage that happened within the past five months, contact Clallam County directly. The DOH may not have the record yet since it can take up to five months for newly filed records to reach the state database.

Historical Clallam County Marriage Records

The Washington State Digital Archives holds 47,964 marriage certificates recorded by the Clallam County Auditor from 1950 to 2014. These records were transferred electronically to the Washington State Archives. You can search them for free at digitalarchives.wa.gov by name and year range. Images are available for many entries in the collection.

For help with records not found online, or for records from before 1950, contact the Washington State Archives Northwest Regional Branch at (360) 650-3125 or by email at nwbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov. The Northwest Branch is the regional archive office responsible for Clallam County records. Staff there can assist with both research questions and formal record requests.

Clallam County was organized in 1854 and was formerly part of Jefferson County. This means that very early marriage records for what is now Clallam County territory may exist in Jefferson County records or in Washington territorial archives. For genealogical research going back to the mid-1800s, contact the Northwest Regional Branch or the Washington State Historical Society for guidance on where to look.

Search Clallam County Marriage Records Online

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is the best free search tool for Clallam County marriage records. The collection covers 1950 to 2014 with nearly 48,000 records. Search by name, year, or document type. Soundex search is available for name variations. You do not need to create an account for basic index searches.

For records not in the Digital Archives, including those from before 1950 or very recent records not yet transferred, go directly to the Clallam County Auditor. The office also maintains an online Document Search tool where you can look up recorded documents free of charge. That search tool is accessible through the county's website. Select "Marriage" from the document type menu to filter results to marriage records.

Public access computers are available at the courthouse and at public libraries in the county for those who need help searching online.

The Clallam County Auditor official page provides full details on marriage licenses, certified copies, payment methods, and the Recording Division.

The Auditor's page describes divisions including Recording, Elections, and Marriage Licenses, and provides access to forms and online document search tools.

The Clallam County Marriage Licenses page has the full details on requirements, fees, and the application process for new licenses.

This page covers the $162 fee, the three-day waiting period, the 60-day validity window, acceptable payment methods, and what happens if one applicant cannot appear in person.

The Washington State Digital Archives collection page for Clallam County shows the 47,964 marriage certificates available from 1950 to 2014.

The Digital Archives collection page describes the Clallam County records, their source, and contact information for the Northwest Regional Branch archive office.

The Washington Court Records page for Clallam County explains how to request marriage records from the Auditor and from the state Department of Health.

This resource details the Auditor's in-person and mail request process, the online document search tool, and the DOH option for records from 1968 forward.

Cities in Clallam County

Clallam County includes Port Angeles, Sequim, Forks, and several smaller communities. None of these cities meet the population threshold for individual city pages. All marriage licenses in Clallam County are issued through the Auditor's office in Port Angeles, regardless of which city in the county you live in.

Nearby Counties

Clallam County is on the northwestern Olympic Peninsula. These counties are its nearest neighbors.