Thurston County Marriage Records

Marriage records in Thurston County are issued and maintained by the County Auditor in Olympia, with two Digital Archives collections totaling over 180,000 records spanning from 1891 to the present and convenient online application tools that let couples start the process before they arrive at the office. As the county seat of Washington's state capital, Olympia, Thurston County also offers couples access to Superior Court and District Court judges who can perform civil ceremonies.

Thurston County Auditor's Office

The Thurston County Auditor handles all marriage licensing and certificate recording for the county. The office is at 3000 Pacific Ave SE in Olympia. License applications are accepted Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:15 PM. The general office closes at 4:30 PM. On the first Wednesday of every month, the office opens at 9:00 AM instead of 8:00 AM.

The license fee is $172. The office accepts cash, check, and credit card. Certified copies of marriage certificates cost $3 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Photo copies are $1 per page. To request copies by mail, send your request to: Thurston County Auditor, Attn: Copy Request, 3000 Pacific Ave. SE, Olympia, WA 98501. Include the names of both parties, the approximate marriage date, and payment by check or money order.

Note that the Voter Services office is at a different location: 2915 29th Ave SW in Tumwater. If you are looking for the Auditor's licensing or recording services, use the Pacific Ave address in Olympia, not the Tumwater voter services location.

Applying for a Marriage License in Thurston County

Couples can complete an online application before visiting the office to save time at the counter. Both parties must still appear in person, or one party can complete and notarize their portion and have it submitted separately if they cannot be present. Contact the office at (360) 786-5405 to confirm the exact process for absent applicants before starting a mail-in application.

Washington State law at RCW 26.04.180 mandates a three-day waiting period after the license is issued. The period cannot be shortened or waived. The license is then valid for 60 days from the issue date. The ceremony must take place within Washington State. Both applicants must be 18 or older and present valid photo ID.

No blood test is needed. No witnesses are required at the time of application. Two witnesses must be present at the ceremony and sign the completed certificate. All marriage license applications are public record under RCW 26.04.170 and may be published in a local newspaper. Washington's Address Confidentiality Program participants should notify the office at application time to protect their address from disclosure.

Civil Ceremonies and Officiants

Thurston County has multiple options for couples who want a civil ceremony performed by a judge. Superior Court judges conduct ceremonies at 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Building 2, Olympia, WA 98502. Call (360) 754-4108 to schedule, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. You must schedule in person at the courthouse.

District Court judges also perform ceremonies. They are available Monday through Friday at 5:00 PM, and can also do weekend or offsite ceremonies. Call (360) 786-5562 for District Court scheduling. Both Superior Court and District Court judges are authorized officiants under RCW 26.04.050. Ordained ministers and religious officials are also authorized.

After the ceremony, the officiant must return the signed certificate to the Thurston County Auditor at 3000 Pacific Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501, within 30 days. Failure to return the certificate is a misdemeanor and can result in a fine up to $300. The returned and recorded certificate becomes the official Thurston County marriage record.

Thurston County Marriage Records Online

Thurston County has two separate Digital Archives collections. The first holds 179,143 records including marriage returns from 1891 to 1898 and marriage certificates and applications from 1970 to present. This collection has Soundex phonetic search capability and is updated with new records on a regular basis.

The primary Digital Archives collection for Thurston County covers marriage returns from 1891, applications and certificates from 1970 onward, and includes Soundex name searching. Both collections are free to use at digitalarchives.wa.gov.

The second collection holds 1,826 records of Thurston County marriage certificates from 1927 to 1950. Indexing of this collection is ongoing, so coverage may expand over time.

This second Thurston County collection at the Digital Archives covers marriage certificates from 1927 to 1950 and is being actively indexed by volunteers and archive staff.

Together, these two collections cover most of the county's marriage record history. For marriages between 1899 and 1926 that are not in either collection, contact the Thurston County Auditor directly or the Washington State Archives Southwest Region at (360) 753-1684. Physical records from that period may be held at the state level.

Washington State Library Resources

The Washington State Library maintains a genealogy guide for Thurston County marriage records and related vital records research. This guide is useful for researchers who want to understand all available sources before making a request.

The Washington State Library genealogy guide for Thurston County identifies available sources for marriage records research, including both digital and physical collections.

The library guide points researchers toward the Digital Archives, the county Auditor's office, and the Washington State Archives. For marriages from 1968 to present, the Washington State Department of Health also holds statewide certified copies available through DOH VitalChek for $25 per copy.

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. When searching across this boundary in any online index, check both name field types to avoid missing a record.

Contact and Copy Request Information

The Thurston County Auditor contact page provides current phone numbers, office hours, and the mailing address for sending copy requests or reaching the licensing staff.

To request a copy by mail, include the full names of both parties at the time of the marriage, the year of the marriage, a check or money order payable to Thurston County Auditor, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail to: Thurston County Auditor, Attn: Copy Request, 3000 Pacific Ave. SE, Olympia, WA 98501. Certified copies are $3 for the first page and $1 per additional page.

Cities in Thurston County

Thurston County includes several cities in the South Puget Sound region. All marriage licenses for the county are issued through the Auditor's office in Olympia.

Other communities in Thurston County include Yelm, Tenino, Rainier, and Rochester. All residents apply for marriage licenses at the Thurston County Auditor at 3000 Pacific Ave SE in Olympia.

Nearby Counties