Pend Oreille County Marriage Records

Marriage records in Pend Oreille County are issued and maintained by the County Auditor on the second floor of the courthouse in Newport, with both in-person and mail-in options for couples applying for a license. The county's Digital Archives collection covers over 13,700 records from 1911 to 2005, and recent records can be requested directly from the Auditor's office, which now accepts credit cards following a 2025 fee update.

Pend Oreille County Auditor

The Pend Oreille County Auditor's office is located on the second floor of the courthouse in Newport. This office handles all marriage license applications and records the completed certificates when they are returned by officiants after a ceremony. You can apply in person during business hours or submit a mail-in application with notarization if needed.

The current license fee is $154, effective July 27, 2025. This is a significant increase from the prior fee of $54. The office now accepts credit cards as well as other payment methods. Certified copies of marriage certificates cost $3 each. Arrive by 3:30 PM to ensure your application is processed before the office closes at 4:00 PM.

The Auditor's office is the only place in Pend Oreille County where marriage licenses are issued. There is no online-only processing option. If one party cannot appear in person, the mail-in process allows that person to complete and notarize their portion of the application and submit it by mail.

Applying for a Marriage License

Washington State requires a three-day waiting period after a marriage license is issued before a ceremony can take place. This rule is set by RCW 26.04.180 and cannot be shortened or waived. The license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue. The ceremony must be held somewhere within Washington State.

Both applicants must be 18 years of age or older. A valid government-issued photo ID is required. No blood test is needed. No witnesses are required at the time of application, but two witnesses must be present at the ceremony and must sign the completed certificate.

If one or both parties cannot appear in person, Pend Oreille County allows a mail-in application process. The party who cannot appear must complete the application and have it notarized by a notary public. The notarized form is then mailed to the office. This option requires advance planning, so contact the office before starting the process to make sure you understand what is needed and allow adequate time for mailing and processing.

The Pend Oreille County marriage license page covers application steps, fees, the 3-day wait, and how to request a mail-in application if one party cannot appear in person.

Under RCW 26.04.170, all marriage license applications are public record. The information in your application may be published in a local newspaper. If you are enrolled in Washington's Address Confidentiality Program, notify the Auditor's office at the time of application so your residential address is not disclosed.

Recording and Certified Copies

After the ceremony, the officiant must complete the marriage certificate, collect the signatures of both spouses and two witnesses, and return the signed certificate to the Pend Oreille County Auditor within 30 days. Failing to return the certificate is a misdemeanor under Washington law and can result in a fine up to $300.

The Pend Oreille County Recording Division page outlines fees and services for recorded documents, including certified copy requests for marriage certificates.

To request a certified copy of a marriage certificate from Pend Oreille County, contact Samantha Hepp at samantha.hepp@pendoreille.org. You can also call (509) 447-6473. Certified copies cost $3 each. For copies by mail, include the names of both parties at the time of the marriage, the approximate date of the ceremony, a check or money order for the fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

For marriages from 1968 onward, the Washington State Department of Health also maintains statewide records. Certified copies can be ordered through DOH via VitalChek for $25 per copy. This is a useful backup if the county copy is unavailable or if you need a record from a county other than Pend Oreille.

Historical Marriage Records

Pend Oreille County was created in 1911 from Stevens County. The county's marriage records begin that same year. The Washington State Digital Archives holds 13,721 records from Pend Oreille County, spanning from 1911 to 2005. This includes Marriage Statistic Books from 1911 to 1947, which are particularly useful for early county marriage research.

The Digital Archives Pend Oreille County collection holds records from 1911 to 2005, including Marriage Statistic Books from 1911 to 1947 that document early marriages in the county.

The Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov are free to use. You can search by name and filter by date range. For records from before 1911, Stevens County held jurisdiction over this area, so you may find relevant records in the Stevens County collections at the Digital Archives or through the Washington State Archives Eastern Region Branch.

Washington's Marriage Equality Act took effect on December 6, 2012. Marriage records before that date list a Groom and a Bride. Records from December 6, 2012 onward use Person A and Person B instead. This distinction matters when searching online indexes, since the field names changed in the records after 2012.

For records not yet digitized or for copies of certificates not available in the Digital Archives, contact the Pend Oreille County Auditor directly at (509) 447-6473 or samantha.hepp@pendoreille.org. The office can also direct you to the Washington State Archives if records have been transferred.

Officiants and Ceremony Requirements

Washington law at RCW 26.04.050 lists who can perform a marriage ceremony. Authorized officiants include judges, retired judges, court commissioners, and ordained ministers or religious officials. An officiant does not need to be a county resident, but they must be legally authorized under Washington State law.

Two witnesses must be present at the ceremony and sign the marriage certificate. Witnesses must be 18 or older. There is no residency or county-specific requirement for witnesses. After the ceremony, the officiant fills in their information on the certificate and is responsible for making sure everyone signs before returning it to the Auditor's office within 30 days.

The ceremony must take place within Washington State for the Pend Oreille County license to be valid. A license issued in Washington cannot be used for a ceremony in another state. If you plan to marry outside Washington, you will need to obtain a license from the appropriate jurisdiction in that state.

Cities in Pend Oreille County

Pend Oreille County is a rural county in northeastern Washington. All marriage licenses and records for the county are processed at the Auditor's office in Newport.

Communities in Pend Oreille County include Newport, Cusick, Ione, Metaline, Metaline Falls, and Tiger. None of these communities currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city records page. All residents apply for licenses at the Pend Oreille County Auditor in Newport.

Nearby Counties