Find a Marriage License in Columbia County

Columbia County issues marriage licenses through the County Auditor's Office in Dayton, the county seat. Both people who plan to marry must appear in person to apply. The office handles all marriage license applications and maintains local marriage records. You can also search for older Columbia County marriage records through the Washington State Digital Archives. Whether you are applying for a new license or need to locate a past marriage record, this page covers how to work with Columbia County's Auditor's Office and the state-level resources available to you.

Columbia County Auditor's Office

The Columbia County Auditor's Office in Dayton is the place to go when applying for a marriage license. This office manages marriage license applications, records, and certified copy requests for the county. Staff can help you understand what you need to bring and walk you through the application process. The office follows the same Washington State requirements that apply to all 39 counties.

Columbia County is a small rural county in southeastern Washington. Because it has a small population, the Auditor's Office handles all county functions including elections, licensing, and recording in a single location. For marriage license services, contact the office directly to confirm current hours and any changes to fee schedules. The Washington State Auditors Association at wsaca.org maintains a directory of all county auditor offices in Washington.

Columbia County is one of Washington's less populous counties, which means the Auditor's staff can often give you more direct attention than larger urban offices. Still, call ahead before visiting to confirm that staff are available to process marriage license applications on the day you plan to come in.

The Washington State Digital Archives holds marriage records from across Washington, including older Columbia County records. The image below shows the statewide Digital Archives portal, which is the main resource for searching historical marriage records from Columbia County and across the state.

The Washington State Digital Archives provides free online access to historical marriage records from Columbia County and other Washington counties.

Marriage License Requirements in Columbia County

Washington State law under RCW 26.04.160 requires both parties to appear in person when applying for a marriage license. You cannot apply by proxy or through a representative. Columbia County's Auditor's Office follows the same state rules that govern all Washington counties. There is no residency requirement, so couples from out of state can apply here.

Each applicant needs to bring a valid government-issued photo ID that includes their date of birth. A state driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID will all work. You also need to provide Social Security numbers for both parties, though you can sign an exemption if you prefer not to provide them. The application collects your parents' full legal names, including your mother's maiden name, and the birthplaces of both parents. If either party was previously married, you must declare that history on the application. No supporting documents proving divorce or death are required, but your declaration must be truthful. Both people must be at least 18 years old. No blood test or medical screening is needed.

Mail applications may be available in certain cases. Contact the Columbia County Auditor's Office directly to ask about mail application procedures. Both parties must sign the application before a notary public if applying by mail. You will need to include payment and your planned wedding date with the mailed forms.

Note: Confirm fees and accepted payment types with the Columbia County Auditor's Office before visiting, as these can change.

Fees and Waiting Period

Columbia County charges a marriage license fee in line with state guidelines. Contact the Auditor's Office directly to confirm the current fee amount before you apply. Fees are set locally and can vary by county across Washington. Certified copies of a recorded marriage certificate typically cost $3 per document. Non-certified copies cost $1 per page.

All Washington counties enforce a mandatory three-day waiting period. This is required by RCW 26.04.180 and there are no exceptions. The waiting period starts the day you submit your application. Once three days have passed, the license becomes valid. After that, you have up to 60 days from the date of issuance to use the license. The ceremony must take place between day three and day 63 from the date you applied. If the license expires before the ceremony, you would need to apply again and pay the fee a second time.

The marriage license is valid anywhere in Washington State. You apply in Columbia County, but you can hold your ceremony in a different county or anywhere else in the state. The ceremony must take place within Washington.

Searching Columbia County Marriage Records

For recent marriages, the Columbia County Auditor's Office is the primary source. Staff can look up recorded marriage documents by name or document number. Certified copies of recorded marriage certificates are available directly from the office. This is the best option if you need a copy of a marriage that took place in the past few years.

Older marriage records are available through the Washington State Digital Archives. The Digital Archives indexes historical records from Washington counties and allows free name-based searches online. Some records include images you can view and download at no cost. This is the primary tool for genealogical research on Columbia County marriages that predate the modern auditor record system.

For marriages that occurred from 1968 onward, the Washington State Department of Health also maintains statewide marriage records. The DOH Vital Records office issues certified copies for $25 each. You can order through VitalChek online, by mail, or by calling 1-866-687-1464. Online orders ship within 3 to 7 business days. Mail orders may take six to eight weeks. No relationship to the parties is required to request a marriage record from the DOH.

Note: If the marriage happened within five months of your request, the DOH may not have received the record yet. In that case, the county auditor is your best source.

What Marriage Records Contain

A Columbia County marriage license captures key details about both applicants at the time of application. The license document includes the license number, issue date, full legal names of both parties, ages, birthplaces, current addresses, and the application date. The three-day waiting period notation and the expiration date also appear on the license. All of this becomes part of the public record once the license is issued.

After the ceremony, the officiant completes the marriage certificate section and returns it to the county. The certificate adds the date of the ceremony, the location where it was performed, the officiant's name, title, and signature, the names and signatures of two witnesses, the date the certificate was returned to the auditor, and the recording book and page number. Social Security numbers collected during the application do not appear on the public record.

Washington State marriage records from Columbia County can show:

• Full legal names of both parties at the time of marriage
• Dates and places of birth for each person
• Residential addresses
• Date the license was issued
• Date and location of the ceremony
• Officiant name and witnesses
• Recording information from the Auditor's Office

Certified copies are the form most often needed for legal and administrative purposes. You may need one to update your name on a passport, driver's license, or Social Security card. The county auditor can provide certified copies, and the DOH can as well for marriages recorded after 1968.

Cities in Columbia County

Columbia County is a small county in southeastern Washington. The county seat is Dayton, which is also the largest community in the county. All marriage licenses in Columbia County are processed through the single Auditor's Office in Dayton.

Dayton and other small communities in Columbia County, including Starbuck and Waitsburg, do not have separate marriage license offices. All residents apply at the county auditor location in Dayton. No cities in Columbia County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

Columbia County borders several other southeastern Washington counties. Couples can apply for a marriage license in any Washington county, not just the one where they live. Check the county line if you are unsure which county you reside in.