This is the King County Recorder's Office form for ordering certified copies of a recorded marriage certificate, printed on the PDF as the Certificate of Marriage Certified Copy Request Form. It orders copies of a marriage that is already on record; it is not a King County marriage license. You can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the Recorder's Office takes the order by mail, in person or by phone, as described below.
Last updated
What is Request copy of recorded marriage certificate – King County, WA?
The Certificate of Marriage Certified Copy Request Form is the King County Recorder's Office order form for certified copies of a marriage certificate that has been recorded by the county. You complete it with your mailing details, the names of both parties, the date of marriage and the number of copies you want.
The Recorder's Office maintains the marriage certificates and licenses purchased from King County. The form is the mail-order channel for copies of those records. Its heading page also describes ordering in person and by phone, so the same page covers all three ways to order.
The form identifies the record by the License Application Number, which is printed on the back of the red and gold commemorative form, together with the full name of one party, the full name of the other party (both as used on the application) and the date of marriage. The form asks for as much information as you can give, plus a daytime phone number or email address in case the office has questions about your order.
A fee applies for each certified copy. The form prints the per-copy rate and a line for the total, and payment rules differ by channel (see How to submit).
The form is not an application for a marriage license. It only requests copies of a record that already exists. The Recorder's Office also notes that certified copies are the first step in changing your last name after marriage, because you then ask each agency to update its records.
Who needs to file Request copy of recorded marriage certificate – King County, WA?
Anyone who needs certified copies of a marriage certificate recorded by King County uses this form, typically for the mail channel. The form is built around the details of one specific recorded marriage: the License Application Number, the names of both parties as used on the application and the date of marriage.
People who want to take a new last name after marriage are the group the Recorder's Office addresses directly. It says to obtain certified copies of the recorded marriage certificate first and then to work with each agency, such as the Washington State driver's license office, Social Security, immigration services, passport services, banks, insurers, employers, the military and voter registration, to change the name on its records.
This form does not start a marriage. It does not issue a license and does not apply to a marriage that has not been recorded. To check whether your certificate has been recorded, the form points to the King County records search at http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/records-licensing/Recorders-Office/records-search. A court-ordered name change is a separate process handled by King County District Court.
When to file Request copy of recorded marriage certificate – King County, WA
Order copies once the marriage record has been returned to and recorded by King County. From the date the marriage record is returned to King County, certified copies should be available in approximately 10 business days, so ordering earlier than that may be premature; use the records search to check whether your certificate has been recorded.
After you send a mail order, the form says to allow up to 10 business days for it to be fulfilled, and the instructions page says certified copies are generally mailed within 10 business days.
The form sets no other deadline. For name changes, Washington State law does not impose a time limit after the wedding. If you change your name more than a year after the wedding, the Recorder's Office advises checking with each agency whether a certified copy of the marriage certificate will suffice.
Documents you need
- Payment for the certified copies when ordering by mail: a personal check with preprinted name and address (no starter check), a money order or a cashier's check, payable to King County Records.
- The License Application Number from the back of the red and gold commemorative form, if you have it; the form lists it as part of the record information, not as an attachment.
How to fill out Request copy of recorded marriage certificate – King County, WA
Print your name and mailing address
Under PLEASE PRINT, enter your Name, Address and City, ST, Zip. The copies will be mailed to this address.
Add a daytime phone number
Enter a Daytime Phone. The form also asks for a phone number or email address so the office can reach you with questions about your order.
Enter the License Application Number
Under Record Information, write the License Application Number found on the back of the red and gold commemorative form.
Write the name of one party
In Full Name of One Party, enter the name used on the marriage license application.
Write the name of the other party
In Full Name of Other Party, enter the name used on the application, not a name adopted after the marriage.
Enter the date of marriage
Write the Date of Marriage in the space provided.
State the number of copies and total
Enter the number of certified copies ordered, then multiply by the per-copy rate printed on the form and enter the result in the total line.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check names, dates and address, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Prepare your payment and send the order as described under How to submit.
How to submit Request copy of recorded marriage certificate – King County, WA
You can order certified copies by mail, in person or by phone.
- By mail: Complete the form and mail it, with payment, to King County Recorder's Office, 201 S Jackson St STE 204, Seattle, WA 98104. Pay with a personal check with a preprinted name and address (no starter check), a money order or a cashier's check, made payable to King County Records. Copies are mailed to the address you print on the form.
- In person: King Street Center | King County Recorder, 201 S Jackson St STE 204, Seattle, WA 98104.
- By phone: Call (206) 477-6620, Monday–Friday, 9am–2pm, to request the copies and pay over the phone with a debit or credit card.
A fee applies per certified copy; the form prints the rate, and you enter the total for the number of copies you order. The office's website is www.kingcounty.gov/recorder. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the agency's channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mailing the form without payment; the form says to enclose a check, money order or cashier's check with it.
- Paying by mail with a starter check or a check without a preprinted name and address, which the instructions exclude.
- Making the check, money order or cashier's check payable to someone other than King County Records.
- Ordering before the marriage record has been returned to King County; copies are expected about 10 business days after the return, so check the records search first.
- Printing the name and address illegibly or incompletely; the copies are mailed to the address you print on the form.
- Entering names other than those used on the marriage license application for the two parties.
- Leaving out a daytime phone number or email address, which the office uses if questions arise about your order.
- Calling outside Monday–Friday, 9am–2pm to pay by phone with a debit or credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Is this form a King County marriage license application?
No. This form orders certified copies of a marriage certificate that King County has already recorded. It does not issue a King County marriage license. It asks for the license application number, both parties' names and the date of marriage to find the record.
How do I get a certified copy of my marriage certificate in King County?
Order from the King County Recorder's Office by mail, in person at 201 S Jackson St STE 204, Seattle, WA 98104, or by phone at (206) 477-6620, Monday–Friday, 9am–2pm. For mail orders, complete this form and enclose payment.
How long does it take to receive certified copies?
Certified copies should be available about 10 business days from the date the marriage record is returned to King County. For mail orders, the form says to allow up to 10 business days for fulfillment, and copies are generally mailed within that time.
How do I pay for copies by mail?
A fee applies per copy. By mail, pay with a personal check with a preprinted name and address (no starter check), a money order or a cashier's check, payable to King County Records. By phone, the office takes a debit or credit card.
How can I tell whether my marriage has been recorded?
Use the King County records search at http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/records-licensing/Recorders-Office/records-search, which the form names for this check. Order copies only after the record shows as recorded.
Where do I find the License Application Number?
It is on the back of the red and gold commemorative form. Write it under Record Information along with both parties' names as used on the application and the date of marriage. The form asks for as much detail as you can supply.
Do I need certified copies to change my name after marriage?
The Recorder's Office says to get certified copies of the recorded certificate first, then work with each agency to change your name. Washington law sets no time limit; after more than a year, check whether each agency accepts a certified copy.
Can I fill out this form online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent, not connected to King County, and does not send your order; you submit it by mail, in person or by phone.
Ready to fill out Request copy of recorded marriage certificate – King County, WA?
Fill out Request copy of recorded marriage certificate – King County, WA now