Search Lincoln County Marriage Records

Lincoln County marriage records are maintained by the County Auditor in Davenport, Washington. The office has records going back to 1883 and can help you get a certified copy or confirm a marriage took place in the county. If you prefer not to visit in person, Lincoln County accepts notarized mail applications for marriage licenses. The Washington State Digital Archives also has over 14,000 Lincoln County marriage records available to search at no cost online. This page covers the auditor's location, hours, fees, and the best ways to find the marriage record you need.

Lincoln County Auditor

The Lincoln County Auditor in Davenport issues marriage licenses and keeps the official record of every marriage in the county. The auditor's office retains a permanent copy of each license and sends a copy to the Washington State Department of Vital Statistics. The auditor also handles recorded documents including real estate filings, liens, and military discharges.

Lincoln County is a smaller rural county in eastern Washington. The auditor's office has limited hours, so it is worth calling ahead before you visit. The office is open Monday through Friday but closes at 3:00 PM, which is earlier than many other county offices in the state.

The Lincoln County Auditor's About page explains the office's role in issuing licenses and retaining records. For divorce records, contact the Lincoln County Clerk separately at (509) 725-1401.

Marriage License Requirements in Lincoln County

To apply for a marriage license in Lincoln County, both people must appear in person at the Auditor's office in Davenport. Each person needs a valid government-issued photo ID. There is no residency requirement. You don't have to live in Lincoln County or even in Washington to get a license here. No blood test is required.

Washington State requires a three-day waiting period after the license is issued before the ceremony can take place. This is set by RCW 26.04.180 and cannot be waived. The license is good for 60 days. If you don't use it within that window, it expires and you will need to apply again. Marriage applications are public record in Washington under RCW 26.04.170.

Lincoln County does not accept personal checks. Payment must be made in cash or by credit or debit card. There is a fee for card transactions. If you are applying by mail, you need to send a notarized application to PO Box 28, Davenport, WA 99122. The office has information about the mail process on their website at lincolncountywa.com/325/Recording.

The Lincoln County Auditor's website provides information on services available online, by phone, or by mail. Many marriage license steps can be started remotely before your in-person visit.

Certified Copies of Lincoln County Marriage Records

To get a certified copy of a Lincoln County marriage certificate, contact the Auditor's office at (509) 725-4971. The standard fee is $3 for the first page, which is the typical county rate in Washington. The office can search records by name and pull copies for you. If you prefer to request by mail, send your notarized request to PO Box 28, Davenport, WA 99122.

For marriages from 1968 to the present, you can also order a certified copy from the Washington State Department of Health for $25 per copy. State mail orders take six to eight weeks. Online orders through VitalChek take three to seven business days. It can take up to five months after the wedding for the record to be sent to DOH, so very recent marriages may not yet appear in the state system.

The About the Auditor's Office page explains how the office retains official copies and reports to state vital statistics after each marriage is recorded.

Historical Lincoln County Marriage Records

The Washington State Digital Archives has 14,056 Lincoln County marriage records available for free online search. These include marriage returns from 1891 to 1916 and marriage certificates from 1883 to 1884 and 1895 to 2004. You can search by name using the standard fields or the Soundex phonetic option, which helps if the spelling of a name has changed over time.

The Digital Archives collection for Lincoln County spans more than a century of records. The search interface lets you filter by name, year range, and record type at no cost.

Lincoln County was established in 1883 and organized around the same time the earliest marriage records begin. For records that predate the Digital Archives collection, the county auditor's office may have additional materials on file. The county can be reached at (509) 725-4971 to ask about older or hard-to-find records.

The Recording Department page covers current procedures for filing and recording marriage licenses, including e-recording options available through CSC eRecording and Simplifile.

Note: E-recording for documents is available through CSC eRecording Solutions and ICE Mortgage Technology (Simplifile) if you are a title company or legal professional needing to file recorded documents.

How to Find Lincoln County Marriage Records

You have a few ways to search for marriage records in Lincoln County depending on what you need. For free historical research, the Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is the fastest option. The collection covers 1883 to 2004 and is searchable by name.

For recent records or certified copies, call the Lincoln County Auditor at (509) 725-4971 during office hours of 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on weekdays. If you need to request by mail, send to PO Box 28, Davenport, WA 99122. Include the full names of both parties, approximate date of marriage, and your contact information. Remember that Lincoln County does not accept personal checks. If sending a check, it must be a cashier's check or money order.

For state-level certified copies of marriages from 1968 forward, use the DOH ordering portal at doh.wa.gov. The fee is $25 per copy and processing times are three to eight weeks depending on the method.

Cities in Lincoln County

Lincoln County has a small population spread across several rural communities. All marriage licenses for county residents are issued through the Auditor's office in Davenport.

Communities in Lincoln County include Davenport, Harrington, Wilbur, Reardan, Creston, and Odessa. None of these cities currently meet the population threshold for individual pages on this site. All marriage record requests should be directed to the Lincoln County Auditor in Davenport.

Nearby Counties

Lincoln County sits in eastern Washington. These counties border Lincoln County or are nearby. Contact the appropriate county auditor if the marriage you are researching may have taken place elsewhere in the region.