How to Get Married in Washington State: License, Ceremony, Filing

To get married in Washington State, you apply for a marriage license at any county auditor’s office, wait three days, then hold a ceremony anywhere in Washington with an authorized officiant and at least two witnesses. The officiant files the signed certificate with the issuing county within 30 days, and the recorded document becomes your legal marriage certificate. Start to finish, allow one to two weeks.

Who Can Legally Marry

Both people must be at least 18. Washington allows no exceptions: a marriage where either party is under 18 is void, and neither parental consent nor a court order changes that.¹

You also cannot marry if any of the following applies:

You are already married or in a registered domestic partnership with someone else.
You are closely related. The prohibition covers siblings, parents, children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews, and reaches anyone closer than a second cousin, whether by whole or half blood.¹
Either person cannot understand and consent to the marriage. A marriage entered into through force or fraud is voidable at the request of the affected person.¹

Washington does not allow proxy marriages. Both people have to be physically present in the state for the ceremony.

Applying for the Marriage License

The license comes from a county auditor’s office. You can apply in any Washington county regardless of where you live or plan to marry, but the license is only good for a ceremony held inside Washington.

What to Bring

Both applicants need government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport, state ID, or military ID.² You’ll also give your Social Security numbers, though not the physical card; if you don’t have an SSN, you sign a declaration to that effect. Expect questions about any previous marriages, including how and when each ended.

How the Application Works

Procedures vary by county. King County lets you start online but requires at least one applicant to appear in person to finalize payment and pick up the license.³ Some counties accept notarized applications by mail. Check your chosen county’s auditor page for the exact options.

Fees

A 2025 change to state law added a $100 domestic violence co-responder fee to the license, which pushed the total cost up substantially.⁴³² Most offices accept cash, checks, and cards, sometimes with a small card convenience fee.

The Three-Day Wait and the 60-Day Window

Washington imposes a three-day waiting period after you pay for the license before you can hold the ceremony. It cannot be waived, not even by court order.² The clock starts the day payment is finalized, not the day you first apply.

Once that wait is over, the license stays valid for 60 days.⁵ Miss the window and it expires; you’ll have to apply and pay again. Work backward from your wedding date so the timing lines up.

The Ceremony

Who Can Officiate

Washington authorizes state supreme court justices, court of appeals judges, superior court judges, various court commissioners, judges of courts of limited jurisdiction, federal judges, judges of tribal courts from federally recognized tribes, and any licensed or ordained minister, priest, imam, rabbi, or similar religious official. Both active and retired officials qualify.⁶

Officiants do not register with the county in Washington, so it’s on the couple to confirm their officiant’s credentials.⁷ An officiant ordained in another state can perform the ceremony, but the ceremony itself has to happen in Washington.

Format and Witnesses

No script is required. The only legal requirement is that both parties declare, in the presence of the officiant and at least two witnesses, that they take each other as spouses.⁸ The ceremony can happen anywhere in the state, whether that’s a church, a park, a backyard, or a courthouse. Some counties suggest witnesses be at least 14, though the statute sets no minimum age.⁹

Filing the Certificate and Getting Copies

After the ceremony, the officiant has 30 days to complete and deliver the signed marriage certificate to the county auditor’s office that issued the license.¹⁰ That responsibility falls on the officiant, not the couple, but follow up to make sure it happens. If the certificate never gets filed, your marriage may not appear in official records, and that creates problems later for name changes, tax filing, and anything else that depends on proof of marriage.

Once the county records the license, it becomes your legal marriage certificate. You’ll need certified copies for name changes, insurance updates, joint tax filing, and other administrative tasks. There are two places to order them:

The issuing county auditor’s office is the fastest and cheapest route for recent marriages. Thurston County, for example, charges $3 for the first page and $1 for each additional page, with requests accepted in person, by mail, or by phone depending on the county.¹¹
The Washington Department of Health charges $25 per certified copy, plus possible shipping and processing fees, and has a substantial backlog for recent records.¹²

Order two or three at once. Multiple agencies often need certified copies at the same time, and extras save you from waiting on replacements.

Changing Your Name After Marriage

A certified marriage certificate is the legal basis for a name change, but nothing updates automatically. Contact each agency separately, and go in this order:

Start with the Social Security Administration. Most other agencies check that SSA records match before they’ll process a name change. Bring your certified marriage certificate and proof of identity to a local Social Security office; documents must be originals or certified copies, not photocopies or notarized copies.¹³

Next, update your driver’s license. Once SSA has your new name, schedule an appointment at a Washington driver licensing office with your certified marriage certificate and photo ID. Church or wedding chapel forms are not accepted; the document must be a certified copy filed with the county.¹⁴

Then handle your passport. If you file within one year of both your name change and the passport’s issue date, the State Department waives the fee. Submit Form DS-5504 by mail with your current passport, certified marriage certificate, and a new photo.¹⁵ After that year, you’ll need a full renewal at full cost.

After those three, update your bank, employer, health insurance, mortgage company, and anywhere else that holds your legal name.

Common Law and Out-of-State Marriages

Washington does not recognize common law marriage. Living together, however long, does not make you legally married in this state. You need a license and a ceremony.

Washington does recognize common law marriages that were validly established in states that allow them. More broadly, any marriage recognized as valid where it was performed is valid in Washington, as long as it does not violate Washington’s prohibitions on bigamy or marriage between close relatives.¹

1
Washington State Legislature. Chapter 26.04 RCW – Marriage
2
Clark County. Marriage License
3
King County, Washington. Marriage Licensing
4
Washington State Legislature. RCW 36.18.010 – Auditors Fees
5
Pierce County, WA – Official Website. Marriage Licensing
6
Washington State Legislature. RCW 26.04.050 – Who May Solemnize
7
Clark County. Performing the Ceremony
8
Washington State Legislature. RCW 26.04.070 – Form of Solemnization
9
Clark County. Requirements
10
Washington State Legislature. RCW 26.04.090 – Certificate for Files of County Auditor
11
Thurston County Washington. Marriage Licenses
12
Washington State Department of Health. Ordering a Marriage or Divorce Record
13
Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
14
Washington State Department of Licensing. Change Your Name or Address on Your Driver License
15
U.S. Department of State. Change or Correct a Passport