Washington state has a strong tradition of open government and public access to records. This means that most records generated or maintained by state and local government agencies are available to the public, with some exceptions for sensitive or confidential information. In Washington, there are several different types of public records, including birth, death, marriage, divorce, criminal, court, and property records. In this article, we will provide an overview of these different types of records and explain how you can access them.
Public records in Washington state are subject to the Public Records Act, which is a state law that requires government agencies to make their records available to the public upon request. The Act applies to all state and local agencies, including cities, counties, and school districts. It also applies to many quasi-governmental organizations, such as port districts and public utility districts.
Birth records in Washington are maintained by the Department of Health and are considered confidential until they reach a certain age (100 years for individuals born before 1921, and 75 years for those born after). To access a birth record in Washington, you must be the person named on the record, the parent or legal guardian of the person, or have a court order or other legal authorization. You can order birth records over the phone, in person or online though the Department of Health. You can also request a certified copy of a Washington birth certificate by completing the appropriate form and mailing it to:
Department of Health
PO BOX 9709
OLYMPIA WA 98507-9709
Washington death records are maintained by the Department of Health and are available to the public once they reach a certain age (50 years for deaths that occurred before 1971, and 20 years for those that occurred after). To access a death record in Washington, you can contact the Department of Health or visit their website. You may also be able to access death records through the county health department where the death occurred.
Marriage records in Washington are maintained by the county auditor's office in the county where the marriage took place. Marriage records are typically available to the public, although some counties may have restrictions on who can access them. To access a marriage record in Washington, you can contact the county auditor's office or visit their website.
Washington divorce records are maintained by the county superior court in the county where the divorce took place. Divorce records are typically available to the public, although some counties may have restrictions on who can access them. To access a divorce record in Washington, you can contact the county superior court or visit their website.
Washington criminal records are maintained by the Washington State Patrol and are available to the public through the Washington State Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) system. To access a criminal record in Washington, you can request a copy of your own criminal history or the criminal history of another individual by submitting a request to the Washington State Patrol. There are fees associated with accessing criminal records through the CHRI system.
Washington court records are maintained by the county superior court in the county where the case was heard. Court records are typically available to the public, although some cases may be sealed or have restrictions on who can access them. To access a court record in Washington, you can contact the county superior court or visit their website. You may also be able to access court records through the Washington State Court System website.
The Washington State Sex Offender Registry is located on the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs website. They are organized by county.
The delinquent taxpayer list is hosted on the Washington State Department of Revenue website, and lists persons or public entities with large unresolved tax liabilities. It is broken up into Eastern and Western Washington, and is updated on a monthly basis.
You can find information on every corporation registered in the state of Washington via the search engine on the Washington Secretary of State’s website. There, you can search for corporations either by name, or by UBI number. Other pertinent business records can be located on the Department of Revenue’s website, which includes records of all registered businesses in the state.
The Washington State Department of Corrections makes available to the general public the name, DOC number, and location of all incarcerated individuals in the state of Washington. This information can be located on the Department of Corrections website. You can also find information on all prisoners currently on death row, as well as persons on their Most Wanted list.
You can check the status of a driver’s license through the Washington State Department of Licensing Website. You can run a simple search on a driver’s license number to determine if that license is current or not. You can also acquire a complete driving record through the same place.
You can find information on banks or other financial institutions through the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions website. There are online forms there for you to fill out and send in for an official records request on a specific institution.
The Public Disclosure Commission has aggregated records for electoral and other political records for the state of Washington. This includes information on campaign financing, lobbying groups, Political Action Committees, or PACs, and money associated with each individual political candidate for office.
Public records in Washington state are a critical tool for promoting transparency and accountability in government. The Public Records Act gives members of the public the right to access a wide range of materials produced by state and local agencies. While there are some limitations on this right, the Act is designed to ensure that the public has access to the information it needs to hold its government accountable.