Find Pierce County Marriage and Divorce Records

Pierce County Marriage License Overview

The Pierce County Auditor handles all marriage licensing in the county. The Auditor's office is not at the main courthouse. It sits at the Pierce County Annex, 2401 S 35th St, Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The phone number on the marriage page is 253-798-7435.

Washington has a mandatory three-day waiting period before a couple can marry after purchasing a license. The wait cannot be waived under any circumstances, and it does not start when you fill out an online application. The clock begins only after the license is paid for and issued. The license is valid for 60 days from the date of issuance. If you do not marry within that window, the license expires and you must purchase a new one.

Both people must be at least 18 years old. Each must bring a government-issued photo ID to the appointment. Washington does not require a blood test or additional health documents. Once a license is issued and the ceremony takes place, the signed original certificate must be returned to the Auditor's Office by mail or in person at the Annex.

Waiting Period Table

The table below shows the first day a couple can legally marry based on the day the license is purchased. Count the day of purchase as day zero; the three-day wait starts from there. Weekends and holidays count as calendar days.

The Auditor's site states clearly that the waiting period begins after purchase, not after submission of an online application. Plan your ceremony date with this in mind so you do not show up on the wrong day.

How to Apply for a Pierce County Marriage License

There are two ways to apply: in person at the Auditor's Annex office, or by mail using the printable form. The in-person path is faster because the license is issued at the time of purchase. The mail path adds time for delivery and return. Both paths require payment of the full license fee.

In-Person Application Steps

1. Go to the Auditor's marriage licensing page and complete the online application. Click "Apply" to start.
2. No printed copy is required for an in-person submission. The online application is sufficient.
3. Schedule an appointment. Appointments are served first. A limited number of standby walk-in tickets are available based on daily capacity, but they are not guaranteed.
4. Both people must come into the office together. Appearing separately is not allowed.
5. Bring valid government-issued photo ID. Both applicants must be 18 or older.
6. Pay the $172 license fee. Cash, money orders, checks, and credit or debit cards are all accepted.
7. The license is given at the time of purchase. Remember the three-day wait before the ceremony.

Mail Application Steps

1. Complete the online application at the Auditor's marriage licensing page.
2. Follow the mail-in instructions shown after clicking Apply.
3. Print the marriage application by mail PDF.
4. Both parties must sign the printed form before a Notary Public. Notarization is required for mail submissions.
5. Mail the notarized application with a check or money order for $172 made payable to Pierce County Auditor.
6. The marriage packet will be mailed to the residence address on the application unless you note otherwise.
7. Mail to: Pierce County Auditor, Attn: Marriage License, 2401 S 35th St, Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409.

After the ceremony, the original signed marriage certificate must be returned to the Auditor's Office. An officiant for a religious ceremony can be a minister, priest, imam, rabbi, or similar official of any religious organization. Civil ceremonies may use a sitting or retired judge. The state courts website maintains a list of judges available for civil ceremonies.

The Auditor's marriage licensing page explains both the in-person and mail-in paths in detail.

The Auditor's page covers the waiting period, validity, in-person steps, mail steps, and the public-record notice that applies to all applicants.

Marriage License Application Form Fields

Both the in-person and mail application paths collect the same information about each applicant. The table below lists the fields drawn from the official Pierce County marriage application PDF. Have this information ready before you start so the process goes quickly.

Note: The exact PDF field labels come from the official form. Visual inspection of the downloaded PDF is recommended to confirm any fields added or changed since this information was gathered.

Pierce County Marriage and Divorce Record Fees

The Auditor sets the fees for marriage licenses and copies of marriage records. These are separate from fees charged by the Clerk of the Superior Court for divorce documents. The fee schedule below comes from the Auditor's marriage license fee page.

The Auditor accepts cash, money orders, personal checks, and credit or debit cards for all marriage-related services. Certified copies are commonly required when applying for a Social Security name change, updating military benefits, or getting a new driver's license after marriage.

For divorce documents, fees are set by the Clerk of the Superior Court under RCW 36.18.016. Certified Superior Court copies cost $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. Non-certified copies run $0.50 per page in person or by mail, and $0.25 per page online through LINX.

The Auditor's fee schedule is shown below as published on the county's marriage licensing page.

The fee page also lists accepted payment methods and confirms the amounts for certified and non-certified copies of marriage records.

Getting Certified Copies of Marriage Records

Certified copies of Pierce County marriage records are ordered from the Auditor, not from the Superior Court Clerk. A certified copy carries the Auditor's official seal and is accepted by agencies that require proof of marriage. Non-certified photocopies cost less but may not be accepted for legal or government purposes.

Copies can be ordered online through the Auditor's site for mail or pickup, or by mailing the marriage records request form with payment. The request form asks for the year the license was issued, a brief record search description, and the requester's payment and mailing information. Submit by mail to the Auditor's Annex address listed above, or use the online ordering path for faster processing.

Certified copies at $3 each are affordable for most needs. Order two or three at once if you expect to submit them to multiple agencies, since getting a second copy later requires another request and mailing.

Searching Pierce County Divorce Records

Divorce, legal separation, and invalidity of marriage cases are all filed as Superior Court Domestic cases in Pierce County. The Auditor does not hold these records. Search them through LINX, the county's online case system. Select Superior Court, enter the party's name in last name, first name format or enter the cause number if you have it, and filter by Domestic case type.

LINX Domestic covers dissolution of marriage, legal separation, third-party custody, invalidity of marriage, parenting plan or child support modifications, and contempt proceedings. The case index and docket entries are generally public. Certified copies of divorce decrees and other signed documents in the file are ordered from the Clerk of the Superior Court, not from the Auditor. The Clerk's office is at 930 Tacoma Ave S, Room 110, Tacoma, WA 98402, open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Washington courts restrict some content in family-law files. General Rule 22 limits public access to sensitive family-law and guardianship documents such as financial statements, medical records, and information about minor children. The case index entry and docket may still be searchable even when certain documents inside the file are sealed.

Pierce County Superior Court provides a self-help resource for divorce, legal separation, and invalidity under its Self-Help Resources section. That resource points people to standard forms and court instructions. For questions about the process, the legal help and advice page lists the family law facilitator, lawyer referral services, and the law library.

Washington State Marriage and Divorce Law

Washington marriage law is collected in chapter 26.04 RCW, which sets the rules for who may marry, how licenses are issued, and what records must be filed. The specific provision making marriage applications public comes from RCW 26.04.170, which covers the filing and public-record status of marriage certificates.

Washington is a no-fault divorce state, meaning neither party needs to prove fault to obtain a dissolution of marriage. Either spouse can file for divorce by citing an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. The Superior Court handles all dissolution filings. Pierce County Superior Court runs a Domestic calendar, and commissioners as well as judges handle these cases.

The statutes governing Washington marriage are shown on the official state legislature site.

Chapter 26.04 RCW covers both the application requirements and the certificate filing rules that apply in Pierce County and throughout Washington.

Officiants and Certificate Return

Once you have the license and the three-day wait has passed, you can hold the ceremony. Washington allows a wide range of officiants. Religious ceremonies can be performed by a minister, priest, imam, rabbi, or any official of a recognized religious organization. For civil ceremonies, a sitting or retired judge may officiate. The Washington Courts website lists judges who are available for civil ceremonies.

After the ceremony, the original signed certificate must be signed by both parties, the witnesses, and the officiant. That signed original goes back to the Auditor's Office. You can mail it to 2401 S 35th St, Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409, or drop it off in person at the Annex during regular office hours. Do not wait too long to return it. The Auditor records the certificate, and that recorded copy becomes the official marriage record from which future certified copies are made.

Note: The license is valid for 60 days. Return the signed certificate to the Auditor promptly after the ceremony; filing delays can complicate future copy requests.

Washington State Vital Records

The Washington State Department of Health holds certified copies of marriage certificates for marriages that occurred in Washington going back to 1968. The state's vital records office is in Tumwater and handles requests by mail or online. State-level copies are useful if the county copy is unavailable or if an agency requires a state-issued document rather than a county-issued one.

For Pierce County marriages, the Auditor is the primary source and is generally faster for local searches. The state office is the backup option and also provides death, birth, and divorce records at the state level. Divorce records at the state level are indexes only; full certified copies still come from the Superior Court Clerk in the county where the divorce was filed.

Related Pierce County Records

Marriage and divorce records connect to several other record types in Pierce County. Estate and probate matters that follow a death are handled as Superior Court case types; see Pierce County probate records for the search steps and filing process. For a broader look at what records the county and its offices maintain under Washington's open-records framework, see public records.

Certified copies of any Superior Court document, including divorce decrees, are handled by the Clerk of the Superior Court. General case searching in LINX, for both Superior and District Court, is covered on the court records page. That page also explains what LINX shows, how to read a docket, and how to request older pre-imaged documents.

• Probate Records - wills, estates, and guardianship cases in Superior Court
• Public Records - open-records requests for county agency files
• Clerk of the Superior Court - certified copies, filings, and case records
• Court Records - LINX search portal and all Superior Court case types