Clallam County Marriage License

Clallam County marriage licenses are issued by the County Auditor's Office in Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula in northwestern Washington. Both parties must appear in person to apply, and under state law a mandatory 3-day waiting period applies before any ceremony can take place. The office has kept marriage records since 1891, and those through 1947 are searchable for free at the Washington State Digital Archives. Clallam County's license fee is notably higher than most Washington counties, so plan ahead. This page covers application requirements, fees, and how to search Clallam County marriage records.

Clallam County Auditor's Office

The Clallam County Auditor's Office is located in Port Angeles, the county seat on the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula. This office issues all marriage licenses for the county and maintains the official marriage records going back to 1891. The auditor also handles real property recording, elections, and vehicle and vessel licensing. DD214 military discharge recording is available at no cost to veterans. Staff can assist with marriage license questions in person or by phone.

Clallam County's marriage license fee of $162 includes one certified copy of the marriage certificate. This is significantly higher than many other Washington counties, but it does give you a certified copy built into the initial cost. No personal checks are accepted for marriage license payments, so bring cash, a money order, or a debit or credit card. It is worth calling ahead to confirm current payment options before your visit.

The Clallam County Auditor's Office website has specific pages dedicated to marriage licenses and the recording division. Both are good starting points for planning your visit or researching the process.

The Clallam County Auditor's Office in Port Angeles is the official source for marriage licenses and all recorded marriage documents in Clallam County.

For those who want details on the application process, the county maintains a dedicated marriage licenses page with instructions and information about what to expect.

The Clallam County marriage licenses page outlines the application requirements, fee structure, waiting period rules, and the mail-in application option for couples planning ahead.

Marriage License Requirements in Clallam County

Washington State law under RCW 26.04.160 sets the requirements for all marriage license applications. Clallam County follows these rules. Both parties must appear in person at the auditor's office in Port Angeles. There is no residency requirement, so couples from outside Washington State may apply here without any restriction.

Each applicant must bring a valid government-issued photo ID that shows their date of birth. Driver's licenses, passports, military IDs, and state ID cards all qualify. No birth certificate is needed. If either party was previously married, that marriage must be fully and legally dissolved before applying. You do not need to bring divorce papers to the office, but you will declare your prior marital status on the application. Social Security numbers are collected from both parties as required under federal law. If you prefer not to provide yours, you can sign an exemption at the office.

The application also asks for the full names of each person's parents, including the mother's maiden name, and the state or country where each parent was born. Both applicants must be at least 18 years of age, as required by RCW Chapter 26.04. The ceremony must be held somewhere in Washington State. A marriage license from Clallam County is not valid for ceremonies outside the state.

Clallam County offers a mail-in application option. Download the application from the county website, complete it fully, and have both parties sign it before a notary public. Mail the notarized application with payment, your return address, and your planned wedding date. Specify whether you want the packet mailed back or held at the office for pickup. Since personal checks are not accepted, send a money order with your mail application. Contact the auditor's office to ask about current processing times before mailing anything in.

Clallam County Marriage License Fees and Waiting Period

The marriage license fee in Clallam County is $162. This fee is among the highest in Washington State, but it includes one certified copy of the marriage certificate. Additional certified copies cost $3 each. Payment must be made by cash, credit or debit card, or money order. Personal checks are not accepted for marriage licenses. Confirm payment options when you call the office at (360) 417-2220 before your visit. The fee is non-refundable once the application has been processed.

Under RCW 26.04.180, every marriage license in Washington State is subject to a mandatory 3-day waiting period. The period starts the day after your application is submitted. No ceremony can happen during those three days. The waiting period cannot be waived for any reason. After the waiting period, the license remains valid for 60 days from the date of issuance. Your ceremony must take place within that 60-day window. If it does not, the license expires and you must reapply and pay again.

If you need additional certified copies after your initial one, you can request them from the auditor's office for $3 each. For marriages from 1968 onward, the Washington State Department of Health also provides certified copies at $25 each. You can order online through VitalChek, by mail, or by phone at 1-866-687-1464. Uncertified copies from the auditor's office are $1 per page.

Note: It may take up to five months for a marriage record to be sent from the county to the Department of Health. For recent marriages, contact the Clallam County Auditor directly rather than the DOH.

Searching Clallam County Marriage Records

Clallam County maintains marriage records from 1891 to the present. The auditor's office has an online recorded document search tool through the county website. You can search by document number, name, date, or legal description. This is the primary resource for recent Clallam County marriage records. Contact the recording division at (360) 417-2220 if you need help with an in-person or phone search.

For historical records from 1891 through 1947, the Washington State Digital Archives offers free online access. The Clallam County marriage collection at digitalarchives.wa.gov includes indexed marriage records and original document images. Search by name, year, or use Soundex for spelling variations. You can view and download original document images at no cost. No account is required to access the archives.

For marriages from 1968 to the present, the Washington State Department of Health maintains a statewide database and provides certified copies for $25 each. Orders placed through VitalChek online typically arrive within three to seven business days. Mail orders take six to eight weeks after the DOH receives payment. Keep in mind that very recent marriages may not yet be in the DOH database, so contact the county auditor for those.

What Clallam County Marriage Records Contain

A Clallam County marriage record has two main components: the application and license, and the certificate returned after the ceremony. The license documents what was provided at the time of application. The certificate adds information about the actual ceremony. Both become part of the official public record maintained by the county.

The license information includes the full legal names of both parties (using Person A and Person B terminology for marriages after December 2012), their current addresses, dates of birth, and birthplaces by city, state, or country. Father's full name and birthplace are listed for each party. Mother's full maiden name and birthplace are also required for each party. The prior marital status of each applicant appears on the record, noting whether they were single, divorced, or widowed. The date of application and the date the license was issued are recorded. Social Security numbers are collected at application but are not shown on public copies of the record.

After the ceremony, the certificate adds the date of the marriage, the city and county where it took place, the officiant's name, title, and signature, and the names and signatures of two witnesses. The date the certificate was returned to the county and the recording date and document number are included as well. Clallam County marriage records are public. Anyone may request them without showing a relationship to the parties involved.

For officiants, Washington State law under RCW 26.04.050 specifies who may legally solemnize a marriage. Judges, court commissioners, and licensed or ordained ministers and religious officials all qualify. The officiant must complete and return the certificate to the county recording officer within 30 days of the ceremony.

Cities in Clallam County

Clallam County includes Port Angeles, Sequim, Forks, and several other communities on the Olympic Peninsula. All marriage licenses for the county are issued at the Auditor's Office in Port Angeles. No cities in Clallam County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Residents of Sequim, Forks, Joyce, and other Clallam County communities all apply for marriage licenses at the same auditor's office in Port Angeles. The county seat is about 60 miles west of the Hood Canal Bridge.

Nearby Counties

Clallam County sits at the northwestern tip of Washington State on the Olympic Peninsula. It shares borders with Jefferson County to the south and east, and sits across the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Canada.