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Washington public records: who holds what

In Washington, deeds are recorded by the County Auditor; birth and death certificates come from the Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics; and requests for other government records fall under the Washington Public Records Act. Below: who holds every other record, what copies cost and the official link for each office.

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Who holds what in Washington
  2. Public records law in Washington
  3. Property and tax records in Washington
  4. How Washington organizes its records
  5. Other records: background checks, voters, businesses, maps
  6. Counties in Washington
  7. Warnings from official sources
  8. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  9. Official directories
  10. Sources

Who holds what in Washington

The office that keeps each record, and the fee the law or the office sets for a copy. Open a record type for the full rules, ordering steps and older records.

RecordWho holds itCopy fee
DeedsCounty auditor (the recording officer) of the county where the property is located; in charter counties, the county official charged with recording (e.g., King County Recorder's Office, Records and Licensing Services).1$1 per page (noncertified copies, up to 8.5x14 in.)2
Property recordsCounty assessor values property; county treasurer bills and collects; Department of Revenue supervises.3—
Court recordsState court system administered by the Administrative Office of the Courts: Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, superior courts (general jurisdiction; felonies, civil, probate, divorce; a courthouse in each of 39 counties, grouped into 30 districts) and courts of limited jurisdiction (district and municipal courts). The elected county clerk keeps superior court records.4Superior court clerk copies: certified $5 first page + $1 each additional page; uncertified 50 cents per page; electronic media $5. Civil filing fee $200 (plus statutory surcharges).2
Marriage recordsCounty auditor of the county that issued the license (recorded license/certificate); Department of Health holds state marriage records from 1968; pre-1968 county marriage records at State Archives regional branches.5$25 per DOH certificate (state); county auditor certified copies per RCW 36.18.010(2): $3 first page, $1 each additional.6
Divorce recordsDivorce decrees: county superior court clerk where the divorce was finalized. DOH issues one-page divorce certificates (1968-present).7DOH certificate $25; certified copy of decree from clerk $5 first page + $1 each additional page.6
Birth certificatesDepartment of Health, Center for Health Statistics (state registrar), July 1, 1907-present; local health jurisdictions offer in-person service for most birth certificates. Pre-July 1907 births were recorded by county auditors (State Archives).8$25 per certified or informational copy (statutory); VitalChek online/phone total starts at $40.50 ($25 + $8.50 VitalChek + $7 DOH processing; optional $3 VitalChek identity quiz makes it $43.50); Heirloom birth certificate fees start at $50.9
Death certificatesDepartment of Health (July 1, 1907-present) and local health jurisdictions; pre-1907 at State Archives (county auditor records).10$25 per certificate or informational copy; VitalChek total starts at $40.50.10
Probate and willsSuperior court of the county (clerk of the superior court keeps the file).11—

Public records law in Washington

Washington Public Records Act (RCW ch. 42.56) Read the law12

This law covers records that agencies hold, such as a county office's correspondence or a property file. Recorded deeds, vital records and court files usually have their own rules, set out in each record section.

Who can ask
Any person; agencies may not distinguish among requesters or require a purpose, except to check whether a list of individuals would be used for commercial purposes or other statutory bars (RCW 42.56.080).12
Response time
Respond promptly; within five business days the agency must provide the record, provide a link, acknowledge with a reasonable time estimate, ask for clarification, or deny (RCW 42.56.520).12
Copy fees
No fee for inspection or locating records; copy charges limited to actual cost published by the agency, or if not calculated: 15 cents/page photocopies, 10 cents/page scans, 5 cents per four electronic files, 10 cents/GB, plus actual media/postage; optional flat fee up to $2; deposit up to 10% (RCW 42.56.120).12
If a request is refused
Internal agency review (deemed complete end of 2nd business day after denial); for state agencies, request Attorney General review (RCW 42.56.530); suit in superior court (RCW 42.56.550) within one year; prevailing requester gets costs/attorney fees and up to $100/day penalty. AG Assistant Attorney General for Open Government provides informal help.12
What is exempt
All public records are open unless a specific exemption in RCW 42.56 or another statute applies; identifying details are deleted where needed to prevent unreasonable invasion of privacy. Courts/judicial records are not under the PRA: case records are governed by court rule GR 31, judicial administrative records by GR 31.1.12
Official guide
Attorney General's Open Government Resource Manual (last revised October 31, 2016) and Open Government page with brochures "Obtaining Public Records" and "Denials of Public Records".13

How to write a public records request

Property and tax records in Washington

Who does what
County assessor values property; county treasurer bills and collects; Department of Revenue supervises.3
Appealing a value
Petition the county board of equalization by July 1 of the assessment year or within 30 days of the value-change notice (some counties allow up to 60 days), whichever is later; appeal BOE decisions to the state Board of Tax Appeals within 30 days.14

How this works in other states: property and tax records by state.

How Washington organizes its records

  • County auditor (not a register of deeds or county clerk) records deeds and issues marriage licenses; charter counties may assign recording to another official (King County Recorder's Office)1
  • County clerk is the clerk of the superior court (court records, divorce, probate) — separate from the auditor4
  • Court records are outside the Public Records Act; governed by court rules GR 31 (case records) and GR 31.1 (administrative records)15
  • Trade names (DBAs) are state-level registrations with the Department of Revenue, not county filings16
  • Statewide voter database records must be requested from the Secretary of State, not counties12
  • Superior court case systems split: Odyssey Portal for 37 counties; King and Pierce run their own17
  • Marriage/divorce certificates only from DOH for 1968+; earlier marriage records via State Archives regional branches18

Other records: background checks, voters, businesses, maps

Criminal history checks

State repository
Washington State Patrol, Identification and Criminal History Section (WASIS).19
Online portal
WATCH (Washington Access to Criminal History): watch.wsp.wa.gov19
Fee
WATCH online: $11 per name and date of birth search (charged regardless of outcome); $15 notary request. By mail/in person: $32 Request for Conviction Criminal History form; $58 fingerprint card; notarized letter $15 additional.19
Who may order
Anyone may obtain conviction records; for non-criminal-justice requesters (the public) WSP releases conviction information, arrests less than one year old with dispositions pending, and registered sex/kidnapping offender information only; other non-conviction information is not public; requester information is logged.20

Sex offender registry

Official registry
Washington Sex Offender Public Registry, www.wasor.org (linked by WASPC, which operates the statewide registry website under RCW 4.24.550). National: www.nsopw.gov21
Restrictions
Website lists level II and III offenders, level I only when out of compliance or transient, and registered kidnapping offenders; others via local sheriff.22

Inmate and jail lookups

State prisons
Department of Corrections Incarcerated Search (doc.wa.gov); WA VINE statewide notification.23

Voter records

Public or restricted
Public in part: name, address, political jurisdiction, gender, year of birth, voting record, registration date and number; lists may not be used for commercial solicitation (political use allowed). Original registration form is confidential.24
Who holds it
Secretary of State maintains the statewide Voter Registration Database (VRDB); county auditors/elections offices hold original records. Requests for VRDB records must go to the Secretary of State.12
Check your registration
VoteWA voter portal (voter.votewa.gov).25

Business names (DBA)

DBA at the state
Department of Revenue Business Licensing Service; $5.00 per trade name, nonrefundable; registration does not give brand protection.26
Index
Free trade-name search on the Department of Revenue Business Lookup (secure.dor.wa.gov/gteunauth, linked as "Look up a business" from dor.wa.gov; has a "Trade name" search option); corporations/LLCs searchable at the Secretary of State's Corporations & Charities Filing System (ccfs.sos.wa.gov).27

Liens and UCC filings

UCC filings
Department of Licensing UCC filing office; online searches free; filings $23; search report with copies $15 per debtor name.28
Fixture filings
Fixture filings, as-extracted collateral and timber: county office where a mortgage on the real property is recorded (county auditor).29
Federal tax liens
Real property: county recorder (auditor) where property is located; personal property: Department of Licensing.30

GIS and parcel maps

State GIS portal
Washington Geospatial Open Data Portal, geo.wa.gov (WaTech State Geospatial Program Office).31

Historical and genealogy records

State archives
Washington State Archives (Office of the Secretary of State), Olympia plus regional branches (Central, Eastern, Puget Sound, Northwest, Southwest) holding county records; online Digital Archives.32
Land grants
Land patents, deeds and assessment records are county records held at regional branches.18
Vital record indexes
Pre-1907 births/deaths and pre-1968 marriages (county auditor records) at regional branches; online death index 1907-2014 (excl. 1960-1964).18

Counties in Washington

16 counties with a full guide

Each guide lists the office for every record type, the official online searches, copy fees, phones and hours.

All 39 counties

Names in bold open our guide. Names with an arrow go to the county's own website, where the US Census Bureau lists one and it opened when we checked.33

Warnings from official sources

  • "State Record Retrieval Board" deed-copy mailer ($87) (Washington State Office of the Attorney General)34
  • National Deed Service mailer ($59.50 deed copy) (Washington State Office of the Attorney General)35
  • Paid DD214 recording services (King County Recorder's Office)36
  • WATCH name search fee is charged even with no match (Washington State Patrol)19

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Washington office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Official directories

Lists that name the office in every county.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 40 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. RCW Chapter 65.04 Duties of county auditor (recording)Washington State Legislature
  2. RCW Chapter 36.18 Fees of county officersWashington State Legislature
  3. Property taxWashington State Department of Revenue
  4. A Guide to Washington Courts: Superior CourtsWashington State Administrative Office of the Courts
  5. RCW Chapter 26.04 MarriageWashington State Legislature
  6. RCW Chapter 70.58A Vital statisticsWashington State Legislature
  7. Ordering a Marriage or Divorce RecordWashington State Department of Health
  8. Ordering a Birth RecordWashington State Department of Health
  9. Ordering a Vital RecordWashington State Department of Health
  10. Ordering a Death RecordWashington State Department of Health
  11. RCW 2.08.010 Superior courts - Original jurisdictionWashington State Legislature
  12. RCW Chapter 42.56 Public Records ActWashington State Legislature
  13. Open Government Resource ManualWashington State Office of the Attorney General
  14. RCW Chapter 84.40 Listing of propertyWashington State Legislature
  15. GR 31.1 Access to Administrative RecordsWashington Courts (Supreme Court rules)
  16. RCW Chapter 19.80 Trade namesWashington State Legislature
  17. Washington Courts Case Records Search (About This Site)Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts
  18. Common Research SubjectsWashington State Archives (Secretary of State)
  19. WATCH - Washington Access to Criminal HistoryWashington State Patrol
  20. RCW Chapter 10.97 Criminal Records Privacy ActWashington State Legislature
  21. Registered Sex Offender InformationWashington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (statutory registry operator, RCW 4.24.550)
  22. RCW Chapter 4.24 (incl. 4.24.550 sex offender information release)Washington State Legislature
  23. Incarcerated SearchWashington State Department of Corrections
  24. RCW Chapter 29A.08 Voters and registrationWashington State Legislature
  25. Public Records RequestWashington Secretary of State
  26. WAC 458-02-300 Trade names - Registration - Fees - SearchWashington State Legislature (WAC)
  27. Business LookupWashington State Department of Revenue
  28. UCC online filing and search feesWashington State Department of Licensing
  29. RCW 62A.9A-501 Filing officeWashington State Legislature
  30. RCW Chapter 60.68 Federal liensWashington State Legislature
  31. State Geospatial Program OfficeWashington Technology Solutions (WaTech)
  32. Washington State ArchivesWashington Secretary of State
  33. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureau
  34. State Record Retrieval Board warning: junk mailWashington State Office of the Attorney General
  35. Cheaper way to buy copies of property deedsWashington State Office of the Attorney General
  36. Record a document (Recorder's Office)King County, Washington
  37. County assessor and treasurer websitesWashington State Department of Revenue
  38. Court Directory by CountyWashington State Administrative Office of the Courts
  39. County Elections Offices in Washington StateWashington Secretary of State
  40. Washington State Local Health JurisdictionsWashington State Department of Health