Home News County Council Department Favorites
San Juan County Auditor

Marriage Licenses

Directory:

Requirements
Fees & Copies
Who Can Perform a Ceremony
The Marriage Ceremony
Witnesses
Public Disclosure


 Requirements
  • Both applicants must be at least 18 years of age or older and picture identification is required showing birth date.
  • If one or both applicants are 17 years of age they must be accompanied by one parent or legal custodian that provides their consent.
  • If one or both applicants are under the age of 17 they must obtain permission from the Juvenile Court.
  • There is no residency requirement.
  • Same sex marriages are not recognized in the State of Washington.
  • If divorced, proof of divorce is not required but divorce must be final.
  • Application must be made a minimum of 3 days prior to marriage as there is a 3 day waiting period and no exceptions can be made.
  • Licenses issued by San Juan County are valid anywhere in the State of Washington.
  • License is valid for 60 days.

An application may be obtained by:

 Telephone  (360) 378-2161
 E-mail  Auditor@co.san-juan.wa.us
 Mail  San Juan County Auditor PO Box 638 Friday Harbor, WA 98250

back to top


 Fees and Copies
  • Marriage License $60.00 (Includes certified copy of marriage certificate)
  • Payable at the time of application in cash or check
  • Certified Copy of Marriage $3.00
  • Uncertified Copy of Marriage $1.00
  • Non-refundable
  • Fees are authorized and established by the State Legislature

Copies of Marriage Certificates and Applications

All records are kept in the Recording Department

back to top


 Who Can Perform a Marriage Ceremony

State law prescribes who can perform marriage ceremonies. Specifically the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) states the following:

RCW 26.04.050: Who may solemnize.
The following named officers and persons, active or retired, are hereby authorized to solemnize marriages, to wit: Justices of the supreme court, judges of the court of appeals, judges of the superior courts, superior court commissioners, any regularly licensed or ordained minister or any priest of any church or religious denomination, and judges of courts of limited jurisdiction as defined in RCW 3.02.010. [1987 c 291 § 1; 1984 c 258 § 95; 1983 c 186 § 1; 1971 c 81 § 69; 1913 c 35 § 1; 1890 p 98 § 1; 1883 p 43 § 1; Code 1881 § 2382; 1866 p 82 § 4; 1854 p 404 § 4; RRS § 8441.] NOTES: Court Improvement Act of 1984--Effective dates--Severability-- Short title--1984 c 258: See notes following RCW 3.30.010.

Washington State does not license ministers, this is a function of the religious affiliation.

However, the RCW also permits unlicensed clerics to perform marriage cermonies.

RCW 26.04.060: Marriage before unauthorized cleric--Effect.
A marriage solemnized before any person professing to be a minister or a priest of any religious denomination in this state or professing to be an authorized officer thereof, is not void, nor shall the validity thereof be in any way affected on account of any want of power or authority in such person, if such marriage be consummated with a belief on the part of the persons so married, or either of them, that they have been lawfully joined in marriage. [1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 42 § 25; Code 1881 § 2388; 1866 p 83 §§ 10 and 11; 1854 p 405 § 6; RRS § 8442. Formerly RCW 26.04.060 and 26.24.200.] NOTES: Severability--Savings--Construction--1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 42: See RCW 26.26.900 through 26.26.905.

Ministers from any state may perform ceremonies.

The bride and groom may not perform their own ceremony.

back to top


 The Marriage Ceremony

There is no prescribed way in which a ceremony must be performed. The Revised Code of Washington states the following:

RCW 26.04.070: Form of solemnization.
In the solemnization of marriage no particular form is required, except that the parties thereto shall assent or declare in the presence of the minister, priest or judicial officer solemnizing the same, and in the presence of at least two attending witnesses, that they take each other to be husband and wife. [Code 1881 § 2383; 1866 p 82 § 5;RRS § 8443.]

The bride and groom must agree to take each other as husband and wife in front of two witnesses and the officiant.

Proxy marriages are not allowed.

A Washington State license can only be used in the State of Washington.

back to top


 Witnesses

State law:

  • Requires marriage ceremonies be performed in the presence of two witnesses
  • Does not specify the minimum/maximum age of witnesses

back to top


 Public Disclosure

All marriage records are a matter of public record. The one exception to this is for person or persons enrolled in the State's Address Confidentiality program.

Once a marriage has been recorded it cannot be unrecorded.