Yakima County Marriage Records

Yakima County marriage records are maintained by the County Auditor in downtown Yakima, where both parties must appear in person before a license is issued, and the Digital Archives collection of over 281,000 records covers marriages from 1896 through 2008 with active volunteer indexing underway for the 1952 to 1992 gap in the digital collection.

Yakima County Auditor's Office

Jennifer Richter is the Recording Manager at the Yakima County Auditor's office. The Recording Department is located at 128 N 2nd Street, Room 117, in downtown Yakima. Mailing address is PO Box 12570, Yakima, WA 98909-2570. Office hours for marriage licensing are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Call (509) 574-1400 for general inquiries.

The license fee is $176. There is an additional surcharge for payment by credit or debit card. The office accepts cash, personal checks, signed money orders, cashier's checks, and debit and credit cards. Certified copies of marriage certificates cost $3 each. For automatic mailing of the certified copy after the ceremony is complete, the fee is $4.

The Yakima County marriage license page covers requirements, fees, the in-person requirement, and options for couples who need to use the print-and-notarize application method.

Applying for a Marriage License

Both parties must appear in person at the Yakima County Auditor's office. An online application is available to start the process, but both people must still come to the office to finalize it. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Both must be at least 18 years old.

For situations where one or both parties cannot appear in person, a print-and-notarize option is available. Print the application, have both parties sign before a notary public, and submit it to the office. This option requires planning ahead, so contact the Recording Department before starting this process to confirm what materials are needed and current turnaround time.

Washington State law at RCW 26.04.180 requires a three-day waiting period after the license is issued. This waiting period cannot be waived. The license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue and is valid only for ceremonies in Washington State. Under RCW 26.04.140, the license must be obtained before the ceremony.

No blood test is needed. No witnesses are required at the application stage. Two witnesses must be present at the ceremony itself and must sign the completed certificate. Authorized officiants under RCW 26.04.050 include judges, retired judges, court commissioners, and ordained ministers or religious officials.

After the ceremony, the officiant must return the signed certificate to the Yakima County Auditor within 30 days. Failure to do so is a misdemeanor under Washington law and can result in a fine up to $300. All marriage license applications are public records under RCW 26.04.170 and may be published in a local newspaper. Washington's Address Confidentiality Program participants should notify the office at the time of application.

Requesting Certified Copies

To request a certified copy of a Yakima County marriage certificate, use the online copy request form or contact the Recording Department directly. Include the names of both parties at the time of the marriage and the date of the marriage with your request.

The Yakima County copy request page lets you submit a certified copy request online for marriage certificates and other recorded documents. Include the marriage details and payment information in your request.

Certified copies are $3 each. If you want the county to mail the certified copy automatically after the ceremony is processed, the fee is $4. For mailed requests, include a check payable to Yakima County Auditor, the names of both parties, the marriage date, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail to: PO Box 12570, Yakima, WA 98909-2570.

Digital Archives and Historical Records

The Washington State Digital Archives holds 281,045 Yakima County marriage records. The collection includes marriage returns from 1896 to 1910, marriage certificates from 1910 to 1951 and from 1993 to 2008, marriage applications from 1993 to 2008, and community property agreements. Volunteers are currently working to index records from 1952 to 1992 that are not yet in the digital collection.

The Digital Archives Yakima County collection holds over 281,000 records from 1896 to 2008, with volunteer indexing ongoing for the 1952 to 1992 period. All records are free to search.

A key tip for pre-1938 Yakima County research: before 1938, the county produced two documents for each marriage. The license was issued before the ceremony, and a separate "Return" was filed afterward by the officiant. The Return includes the ceremony date, place, names of witnesses, birth dates, and parents' names. For any pre-1938 marriage, request both the license and the Return document. The pre-1938 license fee was $2; copies were $1 according to historical WAGenWeb county records.

Yakima County Auditor records go back to 1880 for marriage and land records. Divorce, probate, and civil records from 1890 are held by the County Clerk. The county was organized in 1865 from Ferguson County.

Public Records Lookup

Yakima County provides a public records lookup portal that can be used to search for marriage records and other county documents.

The WAGenWeb Yakima County page at wagenweb.org/yakima/ycinfo.html is a useful genealogical resource that describes available county records, including guidance on requesting both the license and Return document for pre-1938 marriages.

For statewide records from 1968 to present, the Washington State Department of Health provides certified copies through DOH VitalChek for $25 each. This is an option if you cannot obtain a county-level copy or if you need a record from a different period than what the Digital Archives covers.

Washington's Marriage Equality Act has been in effect since December 6, 2012. Marriage records before that date use Groom and Bride as field labels. Records from December 6, 2012 onward use Person A and Person B. When searching historical Yakima County records in any index, check both name field types if your search spans that date.

Cities in Yakima County

Yakima County is one of the largest counties in central Washington. The city of Yakima is the county seat and has a dedicated marriage records page.

Other communities in Yakima County include Selah, Union Gap, Wapato, Sunnyside, Grandview, and Zillah. All residents apply for marriage licenses at the Yakima County Auditor at 128 N 2nd Street, Room 117, in Yakima.

Nearby Counties