Marriage Records in Kittitas County

Kittitas County marriage records are maintained by the County Auditor's Office in Ellensburg. The Auditor issues marriage licenses, records completed certificates, and handles requests for certified copies. The county's records go back to 1884, and over 60,000 of them are available free of charge through the Washington State Digital Archives. This guide covers how to apply for a marriage license in Kittitas County, what it costs, how to get certified copies, and where to find both recent and older historical records.

Kittitas County Auditor

The Kittitas County Auditor handles marriage licensing, recording, elections, voter registration, and land records. The office is located at the Kittitas County Courthouse in Ellensburg. Staff can issue new marriage licenses, provide certified copies of marriage certificates, and help with basic searches of marriage records on file.

Free parking is available in the courthouse lot, accessed from 6th Avenue. The courthouse is located about eight blocks from the Central Washington University campus. If you need to apply for a marriage license, plan to arrive before the lunch closure to make sure you have time to complete the process.

The WAGenWeb Kittitas County vital records page lists office addresses, phone numbers, and records available from both the County Auditor and County Clerk going back to the county's earliest years.

Marriage License Requirements in Kittitas County

Both applicants must appear together at the Auditor's office to apply for a marriage license. Both must have valid photo identification. Washington State does not require blood tests or birth certificates to apply for a marriage license. Both applicants must be 18 or older.

If either applicant was previously married, they must bring documentation showing that prior marriage has been dissolved. Dissolution decrees from Washington or another state are both acceptable, but the dissolution must have been valid under the laws of the state where it occurred.

The marriage license fee in Kittitas County is $64. Under RCW 26.04.180, there is a mandatory three-day waiting period from the date the license is issued before the couple can be married. This waiting period applies statewide and cannot be waived. Once the waiting period ends, the license is valid for 60 days. It may only be used for a wedding held in Washington State.

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

Note: The Kittitas County Courthouse has a lunch closure from noon to 1 PM on weekdays. Plan your application visit outside of that hour to avoid delays.

Certified Copies of Marriage Records

Certified copies of Kittitas County marriage certificates cost $15 each. You can request them in person at the Auditor's office at 205 W 5th Avenue in Ellensburg, or by mail. For mail requests, include the names of both parties, the year of the marriage, your return mailing address, and a check or money order payable to the Kittitas County Auditor.

Certified copies are used to change your name with the Social Security Administration, Department of Licensing, and other agencies. Courts, banks, and insurers often require a certified copy rather than a plain photocopy. The Auditor can issue multiple copies at the time of your request.

For marriages on or after January 1, 1968, the Washington State Department of Health can also issue certified copies at $25 each. Orders through the DOH vital records portal take 3 to 7 business days for online submissions and around 6 to 8 weeks for mail requests. You will need the full names of both spouses and the county where the license was filed.

Historical Marriage Records for Kittitas County

The Washington State Digital Archives holds 60,120 Kittitas County marriage records. The collection covers marriage returns from 1891 to 1910 and marriage certificates from 1910 to 2005. All records in the collection are free to search and view online. The collection was indexed and digitized by Brigid Clift and Samantha Robbins.

The search fields allow you to look up records by groom or person A name (last, first, middle), bride or person B name, or year range. Soundex search is available to catch spelling variations. Records filed before December 6, 2012 use the labels Groom and Bride. Records after that date use Person A and Person B, consistent with Washington's Marriage Equality Act.

The county Auditor also holds marriage records going back to 1884. The County Clerk holds divorce, probate, and civil court records from the 1890s. For questions about older holdings or records not yet in the Digital Archives, contact the Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch at (509) 963-2136 or cebrancharchives@sos.wa.gov. FamilySearch also provides a Kittitas County, Washington Genealogy resource page with links to additional record collections for the county.

The Digital Archives collection page for Kittitas County shows the 60,120 available records, coverage from 1891 to 2005, searchable fields, and Soundex search options for the free online database.

Searching Kittitas County Marriage Records Online

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is the primary free tool for searching Kittitas County marriage records. The database covers returns from 1891 and certificates through 2005. For records after 2005, contact the Kittitas County Auditor directly at (509) 962-7531.

The county Auditor's Self-Service search platform and the County Clerk's records request portal are also available for searching more recent records. These tools let you request documents online without visiting the office in person. For records restricted to the individual named, immediate family, or genealogical researchers, requests are accepted by mail or in person at the courthouse.

For state-level vital records, the Washington Department of Health maintains marriage records from January 1, 1968 forward. Their online portal is the quickest way to order a certified copy if the marriage falls within that date range and you do not need an in-person visit to the county. For older records, the county Auditor and the Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch are the right sources.

Cities in Kittitas County

Kittitas County includes Ellensburg, Cle Elum, Roslyn, and other communities across the county. All marriage licenses are issued through the Auditor's office at the courthouse in Ellensburg. None of the cities in Kittitas County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties