Jefferson County Marriage Records

Jefferson County marriage records are kept by the County Auditor in Port Townsend. If you need a new marriage license, a certified copy of a marriage certificate, or want to search historical records for genealogy or legal purposes, the Auditor's office is where you start. Jefferson County has marriage records going back to 1872, and over 23,000 of them are searchable free of charge through the Washington State Digital Archives. This guide covers the full process: how to apply, what fees apply, how to get copies, and where to find older records.

Jefferson County Auditor

The Jefferson County Auditor handles marriage licenses, recording, elections, voter registration, passports, and vehicle and vessel licensing. The office is open Monday through Friday. Passports are available by appointment only. All other services, including marriage licenses and recording, are available during standard hours without an appointment.

Jefferson County maintains marriage records from 1872 to the present. Certified copies are available on request from the Recording office. If you are not sure which phone line to call, the Recording line at (360) 385-9116 handles marriage certificate requests and general recording questions.

Applying for a Marriage License in Jefferson County

Both applicants must appear together in person to apply for a marriage license in Jefferson County. Each person must present a valid government-issued photo ID. Washington State does not require blood tests, birth certificates, or any medical documentation to get a marriage license.

Under RCW 26.04.180, every marriage license in Washington has a mandatory three-day waiting period from the date the license is issued. This waiting period cannot be shortened or waived under any circumstances. Once the waiting period is over, the license is valid for 60 days. It can only be used for a ceremony in Washington State. If you do not use the license within 60 days, it becomes void and you will need to apply and pay again.

Both applicants must be 18 years of age or older. If either party was previously married or in a registered domestic partnership, those prior relationships must have been legally dissolved before the new license can be issued. Bring dissolution decrees or other documentation if there is any question about prior marital status.

After the ceremony, the officiant must return the completed marriage return certificate to the Auditor's office within 30 days. This paperwork is what creates the official county record of the marriage. Without the return, the marriage may not appear in the county's records or the state's vital records system.

Note: Jefferson County offices are closed on weekends and all nationally observed holidays. Keep this in mind when counting days for the three-day waiting period.

Certified Copies of Jefferson County Marriage Certificates

You can request certified copies of Jefferson County marriage certificates from the Auditor's recording office by phone at (360) 385-9116 or by submitting a written request by mail to PO Box 563, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Include the names of both parties, the year of the marriage, and your contact information along with payment.

Certified copies are the standard proof of marriage accepted by government agencies, courts, and financial institutions. They are typically used for name changes at the Social Security Administration and the Department of Licensing, for updating passports, and for legal proceedings that require proof of marital status.

For marriages recorded on or after January 1, 1968, you can also order a certified copy through the Washington State Department of Health. The DOH fee is $25 per copy. Orders placed through the DOH online vital records portal take 3 to 7 business days to process. Mail requests take 6 to 8 weeks. You will need the full names of both spouses and the county where the license was filed.

Historical Records and Digital Archives

Jefferson County is one of Washington's oldest counties, organized in 1852 by the Washington Territorial Legislature. The county's marriage records reflect that long history. The Washington State Digital Archives holds 23,377 Jefferson County marriage records. The collection covers marriage certificates from 1872 to the present. Electronic copies are transferred directly from the Jefferson County Auditor, with recently recorded documents added periodically.

Document types in the collection include dissolution records, marriage applications, and marriage certificates. You can search by groom or person A name, bride or person B name, or year range. Soundex search is available to help locate records with variant spellings. Records before December 6, 2012 use the labels Groom and Bride. Records from after that date use Person A and Person B.

For questions about the Digital Archives collection or records not yet digitized, contact the Washington State Archives Northwest Regional Branch at (360) 650-3125 or nwbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov. The Washington State Library notes that Jefferson County Auditor marriage records are available from 1872 through 2024.

The Jefferson County Auditor page lists all available services, hours, phone numbers for each division, and instructions for requesting marriage records and certified copies.

The Digital Archives collection page for Jefferson County shows the 23,377 available records, coverage dates from 1872 to the present, searchable fields, and instructions for using Soundex to find name variations.

FamilySearch also maintains a Jefferson County, Washington Genealogy resource page at familysearch.org. It includes links to various record collections that may supplement what is available through the Digital Archives, particularly for research before 1872 or for records in other categories like probate or land records held by the County Clerk.

Searching Jefferson County Marriage Records

The fastest free tool is the Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov. You can search by name or year range without creating an account. Results link to scanned images of the actual documents where available. The collection goes back to 1872 and is updated as the Auditor transfers new records.

For very recent records, contact the Auditor's Recording office directly. Staff can search by name or date during business hours. If you need a certified copy and cannot visit in person, a written mail request is the standard option. The Jefferson County Auditor's mailing address is PO Box 563, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

The state Department of Health is another option for marriages after January 1, 1968. Their online portal accepts both certified and non-certified copy requests. For older records before 1968, the county Auditor or Washington State Archives Northwest Regional Branch are the right sources to contact.

Cities in Jefferson County

Jefferson County includes Port Townsend, Sequim area communities, and small towns throughout the Olympic Peninsula. All marriage licenses in the county are issued through the Auditor's office in Port Townsend. None of the cities in Jefferson County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties