Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

King County Archives holds records created by King County government departments and employees working in their official capacity for the county. These records are available in many formats including paper, photographs, maps, audio, and visual. They include the following: legislative records such as County Commissioners resolutions (1853-1968) and County Council ordinances and motions (1969-1999); pre-1969 Charter legislation; administration and policy decisions; recorded documents related to property ownership; early road and bridge establishment and inspection records; and records and policies created by former County Executives.

With the adoption of the 1969 Charter, King County changed its form of government and created new county agencies. The county's records, formerly held in a more central manner, were dispersed among those agencies.

King County Archives was not established until 1990. Prior to that, Puget Sound Regional Archives in Bellevue was the official repository for King County. As a branch of the Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Regional Archives still retains some King County records, such as pre-1990 tax assessment records, property assessment records, and historical house photographs.

Some county agencies, such as the Sheriff's Office, Superior and District Courts, and certain divisions within Public Health, maintain their own records because they need to reference them frequently or because those documents contain sensitive information like social security numbers, medical history, or other data that by law must be restricted.

You may access records held at King County Archives remotely or in person.

• To request remote assistance, please email archives@kingcounty.gov or call 206-263-2480.
• To access records in person, please see our Visit the Archives page for more information. Most recorded documents are available in our microfilm research room, where no appointment is required. The bulk of the archival records in our holdings are not available on microfilm, so if you wish to access those, please contact us to schedule a research appointment.
• Archival records held by King County Archives do not circulate and may not leave the facility. We hold these records in trust for the people of the county, so that they may be available for future generations. You are welcome to visit the Archives in person to access the records. If you cannot visit in person, please email archives@kingcounty.gov or call 206-263-2480 about alternative access options.

Whether you need an appointment depends on the types of records you'd like to access.

• For recorded documents on microfilm, you don't need an appointment and may visit the Archives building during our open walk-in hours. Go to our Visit the Archives page for more information.
• For archival records not on microfilm, we ask that you make an appointment. This gives us time to do a research consultation if necessary, locate potentially responsive records, and have them ready when you arrive. Call 206-263-2480 or email archives@kingcounty.gov to schedule an appointment.
• We encourage visitors to bring their personal laptop, mobile device, or digital camera so they may take notes and digital images of materials.
• For more information on appointments, building hours, and directions to the Archives, please go to the Visit the Archives page.

Our facility is located at 1215 E. Fir St. in Seattle. For directions and parking information, please go to the Visit the Archives page.

Yes, there are several sources of property and land use records in King County, including:

• The Permitting Division of the Department of Local Services holds construction and land use records, including permits, for properties in unincorporated King County.
• The King County Department of Assessments holds current property tax assessment records.
• Puget Sound Regional Archives in Bellevue holds historical tax assessment records. The Regional Archives is a branch of the Washington State Archives.

• For recorded documents, please fill out our online order form.
• For other archival records, email archives@kingcounty.gov or call 206-263-2480. Please provide a brief description of the records you want and where they're located in the Archives: which series, record group or box number. If you don't have that information, we are happy to provide a research consultation to determine whether we hold records that may be responsive to your research.
• Marriage Certificates: If your marriage certificate was filed before 1990, you may order a certified, downloadable copy on the Washington State Digital Archives. If your marriage certificate was filed in 1990 or later, you may order a certified copy on the King County Recorder's Office online portal, Landmark.

Except for special formats or very fragile items, King County Archives does not charge for duplication of uncertified copies of county records.

We charge a fee for certified copies of recorded documents and marriage certificates in accordance with state law.

For fragile items or special formats such as video, audio, or large-format documents, please consult the County Archivist as these may need to be duplicated by a specialist.

For more information about fees, please visit our Copy Fees page.

King County Archives does not charge any use or publication fees. Except for very specific types of records, government records are considered part of the public domain, and therefore, not subject to copyright restrictions.

No. Most works created by King County government, including documents prepared by an officer or employee of the county government as part of that person’s official duties, may be freely copied, published, edited, and adapted.

Yes, King County Archives requests that you cite the records in our holdings. Citations helps others find those records if they want to do further research.

Please use the following citation template:

[Title or brief description of material, Date]. [Agency Name], [Record Group # or Series #], [Container #], [Folder / Volume #] or [Photo #]. King County Archives, Washington.