Marriage License in Skamania County

Skamania County marriage licenses are issued by the County Auditor's Office in Stevenson. The county is a rural area in southwest Washington along the Columbia River Gorge. Both parties must appear in person to apply. The auditor's office handles all marriage licensing, recording of signed certificates, and requests for certified copies. If you need to look up a marriage record in Skamania County, the county has an online document search tool, and historical records are available through the Washington State Digital Archives. This page explains the application process, what you need, and how to access marriage records in Skamania County.

Skamania County Auditor's Office

The Skamania County Auditor's Office in Stevenson handles marriage licenses for the county. Auditor Robert Waymire has served in this role since January 1, 2015. The office is at 240 NW Vancouver Avenue, Room 27, in Stevenson. You can reach the office by phone at (509) 427-3730 or by fax at (509) 427-3740. Email inquiries can go to rwaymire@co.skamania.wa.us.

Hours of operation should be confirmed by contacting the office directly, as the published schedule for Skamania County is subject to change. The office also handles recording of real estate documents, vehicle licensing, elections administration, and other county services. For marriage license matters, call ahead to verify current hours and any appointment requirements before making the trip to Stevenson.

The auditor's recording page at skamaniacounty.org/auditor/recording covers recording services including how to submit documents and access recorded records. Marriage licenses are recorded through this division after the ceremony.

Skamania County is a small, rural county with limited services compared to larger Washington counties. If you are traveling to Stevenson specifically to get a marriage license, call ahead to confirm the office is open and ready to process your application.

Marriage License Requirements in Skamania County

Both parties must appear in person at the Skamania County Auditor's Office to apply for a marriage license. Each person must bring a government-issued photo ID that shows their date of birth. Acceptable ID types include a driver's license, U.S. passport, state ID card, or military ID. Both applicants must be 18 or older. Washington State does not require you to live in the state or in Skamania County to apply there. You can apply in any county in Washington, and the ceremony can be held anywhere in the state.

The application asks for each person's Social Security number, or a signed exemption if you do not have one. You must also provide each parent's full legal name, including the mother's maiden name, and each parent's birthplace. No blood test or medical exam is required. You do not need to prove a prior marriage ended, but any past marriage must be legally finalized before a new license can be issued. The law at RCW 26.04.160 outlines what the application must include.

Washington's full framework for marriage licenses is in RCW Chapter 26.04. Skamania County applies these statewide rules. There are no extra county-level requirements beyond what state law specifies. The license, once issued, is valid anywhere in Washington for 60 days.

Military members and veterans may be eligible for fee exemptions on certain county services. Contact the auditor's office to ask about any applicable exemptions before you apply.

Skamania County Marriage License Fees and Waiting Period

Skamania County's marriage license fee should be confirmed by contacting the office directly at (509) 427-3730. Fee amounts can change, and the auditor's office can give you the current rate. Certified copies of a recorded marriage certificate cost $3 each. You can purchase certified copies in person at the office. The county also offers an online option through its Digital Research Room at auditor.co.skamania.wa.us/DigitalResearchRoom/, where you can order certified copies with a credit card. Orders placed online are processed the next business day.

Washington law requires a mandatory 3-day waiting period after you apply for a marriage license. The ceremony cannot take place until those three days have passed. There are no exceptions to this rule and no process to waive the waiting period. If you apply on Monday, Thursday is the earliest you can marry. If you apply on Friday, you can marry the following Monday. The license remains valid for 60 days from the date of issuance.

Once the ceremony occurs, the officiant signs the original license. You are responsible for returning the signed original to the Skamania County Auditor's Office. After the office records the returned certificate, you can request certified copies. Current and former military members may qualify for certain fee exemptions. Ask the office about this when you call.

How to Apply for a Skamania County Marriage License

The application process in Skamania County requires both parties to visit the auditor's office in person. Come to 240 NW Vancouver Avenue, Room 27, in Stevenson. Bring valid government-issued photo ID for each person. Complete the application at the office, provide the required personal information, and pay the license fee. The license is issued at the time of payment.

Skamania County is one of the smaller and more remote counties in Washington. Stevenson is the only incorporated city in the county, and the offices there serve the entire county. If you live far away and would prefer not to travel twice, keep in mind that the 3-day waiting period means you will need to plan at least three days between applying and your ceremony. Some couples apply, travel home, and return for the ceremony within the 60-day window.

After the ceremony, the officiant returns the signed marriage license to the auditor's office. Note that the office can only provide certified copies of documents recorded in Skamania County. If your license was issued and recorded in a different county, you would need to contact that county's auditor for copies.

Searching Skamania County Marriage License Records

Skamania County maintains a document search system that allows you to look up recorded land records, marriage licenses, and other public documents by name, document type, or book type. You can access this through the county's auditor website. This covers documents recorded through the county's recording office.

Under RCW 26.04.180, marriage records in Washington are public. Anyone can request access to marriage applications and recorded certificates. The exception covers people enrolled in Washington State's Address Confidentiality Program. For certified copies, contact the Skamania County Auditor by phone or order online through the Digital Research Room.

For historical marriage records in Skamania County, the Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov holds older records that predate the county's current digital system. This free resource covers statewide marriage records and is useful for genealogy research. You do not need to create an account to search the archives.

The image below shows the Washington State Digital Archives collection page for Skamania County, where you can search historical marriage license records.

The Digital Archives provides free access to historical Skamania County marriage records and is a key resource for finding older documents not yet in the county's online system.

The Washington State Department of Health at doh.wa.gov also maintains statewide vital records including marriages. If you need certified copies and cannot obtain them directly from Skamania County, you can also use VitalChek to order certified records online.

What Skamania County Marriage Records Contain

A Skamania County marriage license application includes the names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers of both applicants. It also includes each parent's full name and birthplace. The planned ceremony date and location are noted on the application. After the ceremony, the signed license is returned and recorded. The recorded certificate then shows the names of both spouses, the ceremony date and place, and the officiant's name and credentials.

Certified copies of the recorded marriage certificate are the documents most people need for practical purposes. They work for legal name changes, updating Social Security records, passport changes, opening joint financial accounts, and other legal matters. Each certified copy costs $3 and carries the official county seal. You can order in person, online through the county's Digital Research Room, or by contacting the auditor's office.

The auditor's office can only provide copies of documents it has recorded. If your license was originally issued and recorded in a different Washington county, you need to contact that county's auditor directly. The law under RCW 26.04.160 governs what marriage license records must contain statewide.

Cities in Skamania County

Skamania County is a rural county in southwest Washington. Stevenson is the county seat and the only incorporated city in the county. All marriage licenses are handled through the auditor's office in Stevenson.

There are no cities in Skamania County that meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Residents throughout the county use the Skamania County Auditor's Office in Stevenson for marriage licensing and record services.

Nearby Counties

These counties border or are near Skamania County in southwestern Washington. Washington allows you to apply for a marriage license in any county, so you are not limited to applying in Skamania if another county is more convenient.