Wasco County Marriage Licenses
Marriage licenses are issued by the Wasco County Clerk, not the Circuit Court. Applicants complete the online application first, then call the Clerk's Office at 541-506-2530 for an appointment to finish the process, show proof of identity, and pay for the license. Completion may be by video conference or in person.
Wasco County uses Oregon's standard marriage timing rules. The license has a three-day waiting period from issuance until it can be used, then remains valid for 60 days. A Wasco County license can be used anywhere in Oregon. The Clerk's instructions state that there are no extensions or refunds once the license is issued, and a waiver of the three-day waiting period must be in writing with an added fee.
The Wasco County Clerk recording page explains how the Clerk records marriage licenses and other recorded documents after review.
That recording step is why the County Clerk is the correct office for Wasco County marriage records after a ceremony is complete.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
Prepare the application carefully before the appointment. The Clerk's instructions tell applicants to fill out all fields, check information for mistakes, and have prior-marriage and parent birthplace details ready. Medical exams and blood tests are no longer required in Oregon.
- Complete the online marriage license application and click Finish or Submit.
- Call 541-506-2530 to schedule the appointment with the Wasco County Clerk.
- Finish the license process by video conference or in person, show proof of identity, and pay the license fee.
- Wait three days unless the Clerk gives a written waiting-period waiver.
- After the ceremony, mail the license back to the Clerk so it can be recorded.
The Wasco marriage license instructions are the official source for appointment and application steps.
Use the appointment line after the online application because the application alone does not issue the license.
Marriage License Application Fields
The full online application field capture was not available in the research, so only fields documented by Wasco County instructions and the official marriage inquiry form should be treated as confirmed. Applicants should expect identity proof at completion and should check every entry before submission.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All online application fields | Yes | County instructions say to complete all fields before finishing or submitting the application. |
| Proof of identity | Yes | Shown during the appointment to complete the application process. |
| Parent birthplace | Yes | Wasco instructions tell applicants to note the birthplace of each parent. |
| Prior divorce date | If previously married | Previously married applicants need the exact date of divorce. |
| Contact appointment details | Yes | The Clerk appointment is required to complete the license process. |
Wasco County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Research captured copy and courthouse-wedding fees, but not a Wasco marriage license fee or a divorce filing fee. Do not infer those amounts from another county. Marriage certified copy fees come from the County Clerk. Divorce decree copy fees come from the Circuit Court because divorce files are court records.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| County Clerk certified marriage copy | $7.75 for one page, plus $0.25 each additional page |
| County Clerk public terminal print | $0.25 per page |
| Circuit Court paper copy per case request | $3.00 plus per-page charge |
| Circuit Court certified paper copy | $5.00 plus per-page charge |
| Courthouse marriage by judge | $117 under ORS 106.120(4)(a), with waiver option noted by the court |
| Wedding away from courthouse or outside normal hours | Judge may charge an additional $100 |
Search Wasco County Marriage Records
Wasco County marriage records from 1974 to present are indexed in the County Clerk's Digital Research Room and can be searched by name or marriage date. If the record appears, the copy order starts by selecting the Application number. If the database returns no match, the license may have been issued in another Oregon county or may predate the online index.
For pre-1974 records or uncertain county filing, use the Marriage Record Inquiry Form, call the County Clerk, or visit the office. The inquiry form captures Party A first name, Party A last name before marriage, Party B names when available, and marriage date. The Digital Research Room images are not certified as true, complete, exact copies, so certified copies must be ordered from the Clerk.
The Wasco marriage license records page explains the 1974-present index and pre-1974 inquiry route.
The year of the marriage controls whether the Digital Research Room or the inquiry form is the better first step.
The Wasco marriage record inquiry form is the official path for older or uncertain marriage records.
Use that form when name, date, or county details are incomplete and the online index does not confirm the record.
Find Wasco County Divorce Records
Divorce case files are Circuit Court records in Wasco County. They are not issued by the County Clerk. To request a divorce decree, custody file, or individual divorce case record, use the Wasco County Circuit Court records office, the court counter, mail, OJD public records request route, or OJD/OECI access where available.
A divorce certificate is different from the court case file. The certificate is a state vital record from Oregon Health Authority. It can prove that a dissolution occurred, but it is not the full divorce decree, parenting plan, property order, custody file, or docket record. Historical divorce files are also listed in the Oregon Secretary of State Wasco County inventory, including 1859-1916 divorce case files in the Oregon Historical Records Index.
Getting Certified Copies
Certified marriage copies are ordered from the Wasco County Clerk in person, online through the Digital Research Room, or by U.S. Postal Service. Certified copies cannot be sent by email. Mail requests must include a check, or payment can be made in advance by credit card over the phone. Land documents and marriage licenses must have been recorded in Wasco County to be copied by the Clerk.
For apostille use, Wasco County warns that a certified copy should be ordered from Oregon Health Authority's Oregon Vital Records and Certificates page or by calling VitalChek at 888-896-4988. If ordering through the county, tell staff the copy will be used for apostille. Divorce decree certified copies are requested from the Circuit Court, while divorce certificates come from Oregon Health Authority.
The Oregon Health Authority marriage certificate page handles state certified marriage certificate orders.
State certificate ordering is most useful when a vital-record certificate is needed instead of a county recorded copy.
Wasco County Courthouse Weddings
Wasco Circuit Court judges may perform weddings at judge discretion and based on court availability. Couples must schedule in advance, provide their own witnesses who are at least 18 years old, and obtain the marriage license at least three days before the ceremony unless a written waiver applies. The research also states that in-custody weddings are not allowed.
Courthouse wedding scheduling is handled by email to Wasco@ojd.state.or.us with contact information. The statutory courthouse marriage fee captured in the research is $117 under ORS 106.120(4)(a), and a fee waiver may be submitted. A judge may charge an additional $100 for weddings away from the courthouse or outside normal business hours. The ceremony is a court service, but the marriage license and later recorded marriage copy remain County Clerk functions.
Note: A courthouse wedding does not replace the County Clerk license process or the return of the completed license for recording.
Oregon Vital Records Office
Oregon Health Authority vital records handles state marriage certificates and divorce or dissolution of domestic partnership certificates. Those certificates are not the same as Wasco County marriage license records or Wasco Circuit Court divorce files. Use OHA when a state vital certificate is the required record, and use the local office when the full license, recorded copy, decree, or court file is needed.
Oregon Health Authority Vital Records
State certificate ordering is handled through OHA online order pages.
VitalChek for apostille-related orders: 888-896-4988
The OHA divorce certificate order page is the state route for divorce or dissolution certificates.
Use the Circuit Court when the needed record is a decree or case file rather than a state certificate.