Center for Health Statistics

Marriage Data

The Washington State Marriage Certificate System gathers information about each marriage that occurs in Washington State. The information on the marriage certificate is provided by the couple themselves and the officiant. The filing of marriage certificates at the state level began in 1968.

The main purposes of the marriage system are: 1) to provide a legal record of the marriage and 2) to collect information on population trends, especially in regards to the age and location of the participants.