South Hill Marriage License
South Hill residents who need a marriage license apply through the Pierce County Auditor's office in Tacoma. South Hill is an unincorporated community in Pierce County, so there is no city hall or city clerk here. All marriage license services for this area go through the county. This page explains where to apply, what you need to bring, how much the fee is, what the waiting period is, and how to search for South Hill and Pierce County marriage records.
South Hill Overview
Getting a Marriage License in South Hill
South Hill is not an incorporated city, so there is no South Hill city government. The area is governed by Pierce County directly. For marriage license purposes, this means you go to the Pierce County Auditor's Office, which handles marriage licensing for all unincorporated parts of Pierce County including South Hill. The office is at 2401 S 35th St, Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409. The main phone for the Pierce County Auditor is (253) 798-7427. Their marriage licensing page is at piercecountywa.gov/356/Marriage-Licensing.
Washington law requires both applicants to appear at the office in person. RCW 26.04.160 sets this rule for the whole state. You cannot mail in an application or complete the process remotely. One exception: if one party has already signed the application before a notary, the other can go to the office alone. For most couples, plan to make the trip to Tacoma together. The drive from South Hill to the Pierce County Auditor in Tacoma is roughly 20 to 25 minutes depending on traffic.
The Pierce County Auditor is one of the offices in Washington that uses the county auditor model, which is common outside of King County. The auditor's office handles a range of records and licensing services, and marriage licenses are one of them. Check the Pierce County marriage licensing page for current hours before you go, as they can change.
| Office | Pierce County Auditor's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 2401 S 35th St, Room 200 Tacoma, WA 98409 |
| Phone | (253) 798-7427 |
| Website | piercecountywa.gov/356/Marriage-Licensing |
The Pierce County Auditor's office at piercecountywa.gov/93/Auditor manages marriage licensing for all Pierce County residents, including those in the South Hill area.
South Hill Marriage License Requirements
The requirements for a Pierce County marriage license follow Washington State law under RCW Chapter 26.04. Both applicants must be at least 18 years old. There is no requirement to live in Washington or in Pierce County. Couples from out of state can apply here. The ceremony must take place within Washington State for the license to be valid.
Each person must bring a valid government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID works. The ID must show your birth date. Social Security numbers are required for both applicants. You do not need to bring the physical card. If either person was married before, know the date that marriage ended and whether it ended by divorce, annulment, or death. The application also asks for your parents' full names, your mother's maiden name, and both parents' birthplaces for each applicant. Having these details ready before you arrive saves time at the counter.
No blood test is required. Washington State removed that requirement years ago. No witnesses are needed at the time of application either. Witnesses are typically part of the ceremony, not the license application. After your ceremony, the officiant signs and returns the license to Pierce County, where it is recorded and becomes the official certificate of marriage.
Note: Pierce County may have a pre-application option online. Check the auditor's website before your visit to see if this is available and whether it can speed up your time in the office.
Fees and Waiting Period
Pierce County charges $72 for a marriage license. This is noticeably lower than some other Washington counties, like King County, which charges $169. The fee is paid at the time of application at the Pierce County Auditor's office. Call (253) 798-7427 to confirm current accepted payment methods before you go. The fee is non-refundable once it is paid.
Washington State requires a three-day waiting period between the date you apply and the earliest date your ceremony can take place. This rule is set by RCW 26.04.180 and applies statewide. Pierce County does not waive this waiting period. If you apply on a Monday, your earliest ceremony date is Thursday. The license remains valid for 60 days from the issue date. If 60 days pass without a ceremony, the license expires and you would need to apply again and pay the fee again.
The ceremony can take place anywhere in Washington State, not just in Pierce County or near South Hill. Any legally authorized officiant can perform the ceremony. After it is complete, the officiant has a set number of days to return the signed license to the county. The county then records it and it becomes the permanent official marriage record.
Marriage License Records for South Hill
Marriage records for South Hill residents are held by Pierce County. After a wedding is recorded, certified copies of the marriage certificate can be requested from the Pierce County Auditor's office at 2401 S 35th St, Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409. Call (253) 798-7427 for current copy fees and procedures. Certified copies are needed for name changes, updating government IDs, and other official purposes. Plain informational copies may work for genealogy research or personal use.
For older records that predate the county's current electronic system, the Washington State Digital Archives is a free resource worth checking. The digital archives hold marriage records from Pierce County and other Washington counties going back many decades. The archive is maintained by the Washington State Archives. Searching it is free and does not require an account. It is useful for genealogy work and for tracking down historical family records from the South Hill area.
The Washington State Department of Health maintains statewide marriage records generally from 1968 onward. Certified copies can be ordered from DOH directly. If you prefer third-party ordering, VitalChek connects to state and county records and allows online requests. The Washington State Association of County Auditors is a good reference if you need to confirm which office holds a particular record or if you need help navigating the county system.
A Pierce County marriage record typically includes both parties' full legal names, birth dates, birthplaces, addresses at the time of application, parents' names and birthplaces, the ceremony date and location, the officiant's name, and witness signatures. Social Security numbers are collected during the application but are not part of the public record.
Pierce County Marriage License Resources
South Hill is in Pierce County. All marriage license applications for South Hill residents go through the Pierce County Auditor's office in Tacoma. Visit the Pierce County page for the complete list of resources and county-level information.
Nearby Cities
These cities near South Hill are also in Pierce County and use the same Pierce County Auditor's office for marriage license applications.