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Washington court records

Who holds it: State 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.1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. What is public and what is sealed
  2. Related records in Washington
  3. How Washington handles it
  4. Court records in Washington counties with a full guide
  5. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  6. Sources

Fees

Superior 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

Statewide case search

Washington Courts Case Records Search (dw.courts.wa.gov) indexes municipal, district, superior and appellate cases; for complete superior-court records the AOC points to Odyssey Portal (37 listed counties), King County Superior Court's DJA portal (dja-prd-ecexap1.kingcounty.gov) and Pierce County LINX; listed participating limited-jurisdiction courts via re:SearchWA.3

What is public and what is sealed

What is public
Court records are presumptively public except as restricted by federal or state law, court rule, court order or case law; juvenile offender records are not shown on public websites but may be accessed at the clerk's office.4
Sealed and confidential records
Courts may seal or redact records only on written findings that compelling privacy or safety concerns outweigh public access; party agreement alone is not enough (GR 15).5
Criminal history checks: state repository
Washington State Patrol, Identification and Criminal History Section (WASIS).6
Criminal history checks: online portal
WATCH (Washington Access to Criminal History): watch.wsp.wa.gov6
Criminal history checks: 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.6
Divorce records: who holds it
Divorce decrees: county superior court clerk where the divorce was finalized. DOH issues one-page divorce certificates (1968-present).7
Probate: who holds it
Superior court of the county (clerk of the superior court keeps the file).8

How Washington handles it

  • 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)9
  • County clerk is the clerk of the superior court (court records, divorce, probate) — separate from the auditor1
  • Court records are outside the Public Records Act; governed by court rules GR 31 (case records) and GR 31.1 (administrative records)10
  • Superior court case systems split: Odyssey Portal for 37 counties; King and Pierce run their own3

Court records in Washington counties with a full guide

The local office, its official online search and its own fee, for each county with a full guide. Local fees can differ from the statewide figures above.

CountyOfficeSearch onlineFee
Benton County—Benton County Superior Court11
Benton County District Court12		Superior Court Clerk (schedule effective June 11, 2026): certified copies $5.00 first page + $1.00 each additional; non-certified $.50 per page; emailed copies $.50 per page; civil filing $290.00. District Court records: research $20.00/hour, certified $5.00 first page + $1.00 each additional, copies $.50/page paper or $.25/page e-mailed13
Clark County—Clark County Superior Court14
Clark County District Court15		Superior Court Clerk: certified copies $5.00 first page + $1.00 each additional page per document; non-certified $.50 per page mailed or emailed; pre-1996 microfilm may add a $30 search fee14
Cowlitz County—Cowlitz County Superior Court16Fees: copy: Copies without a seal $.50 per page; search fee $30.00 per hour (large requests); recording of court proceedings $25.00 per hearing date17
Franklin County—Benton-Franklin Superior Court18
Franklin County District Court19		Superior Court copies: uncertified $0.50 per page; certified $5.00 first page, $1.00 each subsequent page per document; authenticated $3.00 per seal plus certified copy fee; 1983 cases and older $30.00 search fee per request plus copy fees; by mail $2.50 postage plus $2.00 handling20
Grant County—Grant County Superior Court21—
Island County—Superior Court22Non-certified 50 cents per page; certified $5 first page, $1 per page thereafter22
King County—King County Superior Court23
King County District Court24		Superior Court Clerk copies: non-certified $.50 per page; certified $5.00 first page and $1.00 per page thereafter; exemplified $9.00 first page and $1.00 per page thereafter; expedited $40.00 per case; $10 page-count fee for microfilm records23
Kitsap County—Kitsap County Superior Court25
Kitsap County District Court2627
Statewide index28		Superior Court Clerk: authenticated/exemplified copies $9.00 first page + $1.00 each subsequent page; electronic delivery adds $5.00 (fee updates effective July 1, 2026); audio CD $30 per hearing day25
Lewis County—Lewis County Superior Court29
Lewis County District Court30		Fees: copies: $0.50 per page31
Pierce County—Pierce County Superior Court32Superior Court Clerk: certified copies $5 first page, $1 each additional page; non-certified $.50 per page in person or by mail, $.25 per page online through LINX; audio transcript request $2533
Skagit County—Skagit County Superior Court34Fees: copy: Non-certified copies $0.50 per page; self-service lobby copier $0.50 per page; records search $30.00 per hour (1-hour minimum)35
Snohomish County—Snohomish County Superior Court36
Snohomish County District Court37		Superior Court copies $.25 per page; certified $5.00 first page + $1.00 each additional; exemplified $9.00 first page + $1.00 each additional; audio $25 per hearing date; research $30 per hour36
Spokane County—Spokane County Superior Court38Certified copies $5 first page + $1 each additional page; non-certified $0.50 per page (new fees as of June 11, 2026, per House Bill 2543)38
Thurston County—Superior Court39
District Court40		Fees: copy: $0.50 per page, hard copy or electronic41
Whatcom County—Whatcom County Superior Court42
Whatcom County District Court42		Superior Court Clerk copies: electronic $0.25 per page; non-certified $0.50 per page; certified $5.00 first page / $1.00 each additional page; research may be charged $30 an hour; hearing audio CD $2543
Yakima County—Superior Court44
District Court45		Fees: copy: $0.50 per page ($1 minimum) paper; $0.25 per page ($1 minimum) electronic/emailed46

For any other county, see the county list on the Washington guide.

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.

Rules in other states: court records in every state. Everything else in Washington: Washington public records guide.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. A Guide to Washington Courts: Superior CourtsWashington State Administrative Office of the Courtschecked November 4, 2026
  2. RCW Chapter 36.18 Fees of county officersWashington State Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
  3. Washington Courts Case Records Search (About This Site)Washington State Administrative Office of the Courtschecked November 4, 2026
  4. GR 31 Access to Court RecordsWashington Courts (Supreme Court rules)checked November 4, 2026
  5. GR 15 Destruction, Sealing, and Redaction of Court RecordsWashington Courts (Supreme Court rules)checked November 4, 2026
  6. WATCH - Washington Access to Criminal HistoryWashington State Patrolchecked November 4, 2026
  7. Ordering a Marriage or Divorce RecordWashington State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  8. RCW 2.08.010 Superior courts - Original jurisdictionWashington State Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
  9. RCW Chapter 65.04 Duties of county auditor (recording)Washington State Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
  10. GR 31.1 Access to Administrative RecordsWashington Courts (Supreme Court rules)checked November 4, 2026
  11. Odyssey PortalBenton County Clerkchecked November 5, 2026
  12. District Court Records RequestBenton County District Courtchecked November 5, 2026
  13. Benton County Clerk's Fee Schedule (Word document)Benton County Clerkchecked November 5, 2026
  14. Access to RecordsClark County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  15. District Court Records RequestsClark County District Courtchecked November 4, 2026
  16. Court RecordsCowlitz County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  17. Cowlitz County Clerk's Fee ScheduleCowlitz County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  18. Court RecordsFranklin County, WAchecked November 7, 2026
  19. District CourtFranklin County, WAchecked November 7, 2026
  20. Superior Court Clerk Records Request FormFranklin County, WAchecked November 7, 2026
  21. Clerk | Grant County, WAGrant County, WAchecked November 7, 2026
  22. Island County: Access to Court RecordsIsland County, Washingtonchecked November 8, 2026
  23. Accessing Superior Court RecordsKing County Department of Judicial Administration (Superior Court Clerk)checked November 4, 2026
  24. E-Filing and Case Access Portal HelpKing County District Courtchecked November 4, 2026
  25. Clerk: Requesting Court RecordsKitsap Countychecked November 4, 2026
  26. Kitsap County District CourtKitsap Countychecked November 4, 2026
  27. District CourtKitsap County, WAchecked November 8, 2026
  28. Washington Courts Case Records Search (About This Site)Washington State Administrative Office of the Courtschecked November 4, 2026
  29. Odyssey Portal RegistrationLewis County, WAchecked November 8, 2026
  30. District CourtLewis County, WAchecked November 8, 2026
  31. Court Records/Records RequestsLewis County, WAchecked November 8, 2026
  32. LINX - Pierce County Legal Information Network eXchangePierce County (Superior Court Clerk / District Court)checked November 4, 2026
  33. Request Court RecordsPierce County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  34. Washington Courts Case Records SearchWashington Courts (AOC)checked November 4, 2026
  35. Superior Court and Clerk Fee ScheduleSkagit County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  36. Access Court Records (County Clerk)Snohomish County, WAchecked November 4, 2026
  37. Public RecordsSnohomish County, WAchecked November 4, 2026
  38. Obtain Copies of Documents (Clerk)Spokane Countychecked November 4, 2026
  39. Searching for Case and Hearing InformationThurston Countychecked November 4, 2026
  40. District CourtThurston Countychecked November 4, 2026
  41. Obtaining Copies of DocumentsThurston Countychecked November 4, 2026
  42. Washington Courts Case Records Search (home)Washington State Administrative Office of the Courtschecked November 4, 2026
  43. Document Requests (Superior Court Clerk)Whatcom Countychecked November 4, 2026
  44. Clerk of Superior CourtYakima Countychecked November 4, 2026
  45. District Court Record RequestYakima Countychecked November 4, 2026
  46. Clerk Copy FeesYakima Countychecked November 4, 2026