Couples can now apply for Clark County marriage licenses online

Couples who want to marry in Clark County now can apply for a license online.

The Clark County Auditor’s Office launched the online application in July to improve its services to the public, said Auditor Greg Kimsey.

“Some of the questions on the applications sometimes people need to do research on, such as, ‘Where was your mother born?'” Kimsey said. “We are finding people find it very convenient to be able to do the application from the comfort of their own home or in their car on their mobile device.”

Applicants still have to go to the Clark County Recording and Marriage License Department at 1300 Franklin St. to pay the $64 marriage license fee, in cash, and provide a signature certified by the auditor’s staff. No appointment is necessary.

There are no efforts under way to allow applicants to pay their fee online with a credit or debit card, Kimsey said. Using an electronic signature also isn’t in the foreseeable future.

“We don’t envision a time when people would be signing it outside of our office,” Kimsey said.

So far, the online tool has not been well-publicized. Only about 10 percent of applicants use it, said Paul Harris, recording manager at the Clark County Auditor’s Office.

Clark County receives about 2,500 marriage license applications each year, Harris said.

To access the online application, visit https://e-docs.clark.wa.gov/recorder/web.

Paris Achen: 360-735-4551; http://twitter.com/Col_Trends; http://facebook.com/ColTrends; paris.achen@columbian.com.