Washington People Search
A Washington people search pulls together the public records tied to a person in the state. You can look up court cases, criminal history, inmate status, vital records, business filings, and professional licenses. Most of these records live with state agencies or the County Clerk at the local Superior Court. This page shows you where to go, what each source covers, and how to search. Use the tools below to find a person by name across Washington courts and state databases. Start with a name, then work outward through the right office.
Washington People Search Overview
Washington Court People Search
Court filings are the first place most people look. The Washington Courts Name and Case Search is free. It pulls cases from superior, district, and municipal courts across the state. You search by party name or case number. The system shows case type, filing date, status, and docket entries. Data is refreshed each day at 3:00 am. The site makes clear that these entries are reference only. The court of record holds the true file.
For superior court files, the Washington Odyssey Portal is the go-to tool. It covers the Case Management System used by most counties. You can run a party name search across courts that have moved to Odyssey. Basic details like case type, filing date, and current status are free. The portal also lists County Clerk contacts for ordering certified copies. King and Pierce run their own systems, so use those direct.
King County has the KC Script Portal. It gives access to records for cases filed November 1, 2004 or later. You can view civil, adult criminal, probate, guardianship, and family law files. Non-certified copies run $0.25 per page online. Certified copies are $5 for the first page and $1 per page after. Access is set under Local General Rule 31. Pierce County uses LINX, a free public portal for its Superior Court cases. Name searches must be entered as last name, first name.
Note: Court staff enter data into these systems, so results may lag the actual file by a day or more.
Washington Criminal History Search
The Washington State Patrol is the official source for a statewide criminal history people search. WSP runs WATCH, short for Washington Access to Criminal History. You get results right away online. The WATCH fee is $11 per search, paid by credit or debit card. Results cover conviction records plus arrests under one year old with dispositions still pending. Registered sex and kidnapping offender info is also returned.
For a mail or in-person request, WSP charges $32 for name and date of birth lookups. Fingerprint-based requests run $58. The office sits at 106 11th Ave SW, Suite 1300, in Olympia. Hours are 8 to 5, Monday through Friday, with a lunch break from noon to 1. You can add a notarized letter for $10. Non-conviction data for self-review is $12 with a fingerprint card. Records are kept under RCW 10.97.
WATCH is the correct tool for a Washington people search focused on convictions. The court name search at courts.wa.gov should not be used as a background check substitute. WSP rules stop it from acting that way. A person can also ask to delete non-conviction records under RCW 10.97.060.
Note: WATCH is for public conviction info only and does not return the full rap sheet that criminal justice agencies receive.
Washington People Search Tools
Washington hosts a mix of state portals that back up a people search. The WATCH portal is the entry point for criminal history lookups run by WSP. You log in, pay the fee, and pull a report. The login page shows the payment flow and the terms tied to each search.
Anyone can run a name search after setting up an account. The system returns results right on the screen.
Court data in Washington goes back decades through the Washington State Digital Archives. It was the first digital archive in the nation to hold state and local electronic records. The search page groups records by type.
You can dig through birth, death, marriage, divorce, naturalization, and superior court records for older files.
The King County Superior Court runs the KC Script Portal for case records and e-filing. It is the main tool for any King County people search tied to a court case.
From the portal you can view dockets, order copies, and pay court fines on criminal cases.
Pierce County puts its own LINX portal online at no cost. It lists Superior Court cases plus the current county jail roster.
You can filter by case type, year, and name. It is a fast people search for any Pierce County case.
Spokane County has its own public tool, the Spokane County Court Viewer. The site shows Superior and District Court hearing dates and case info.
Name searches need a case type, so pick civil, domestic, or probate before you hit search.
Washington Inmate People Search
The Washington Department of Corrections Incarcerated Search lets anyone find someone held in a state prison. Results show DOC number, name, age, and facility. You can look up people at places like the Washington State Penitentiary, Monroe Correctional Complex, and the Washington Corrections Center.
DOC also runs a warrant search by name, county, or crime. For escapees the public should call 911.
County jails keep their own rosters. Pierce County shows its jail roster right on LINX. King County, Kitsap County, Snohomish County, Lewis County, Score, and Nisqually each post their own booking lists. DOC does not give out criminal history info. For that you want WATCH.
Victims and witnesses can sign up for the Washington statewide automated Victim Notification Network, known as WA VINE. It sends alerts when custody status changes. The tool is free to use.
Vital Records People Search
Vital records tie names to births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. The Washington Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics is the state source. They issue certified copies for events that happened in Washington. Orders go through VitalChek, the only contracted third-party vendor, or by calling 1-866-687-1464. Mail requests go to PO Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507.
Walk-ins are not accepted at the Tumwater office. You need an appointment to pick up in person.
Vital records sit outside the broad public disclosure rules of the Public Records Act. They are exempt under RCW 42.56.365. Only qualified applicants with proof of ID and relationship can get a certified copy. That limits how deep a vital records people search can go. For older records, the Washington State Digital Archives keeps indexes that anyone can browse without the same ID rules.
Note: Certified vital records in Washington are restricted to qualified applicants, but index entries older than 100 years are often open through the Digital Archives.
Professional License People Search
Licensed professionals in Washington can be looked up through state agencies. The DOH Provider Credential Search is the primary source for healthcare licenses. You search by name, business name, or credential number. The tool shows license status, issue and expiration dates, and any legal disciplinary actions taken after July 1998. DOH updates the database daily. In March 2026 the tool moves to a new HELMS-powered page with extra details.
Nursing license users still go through NURSYS. Home Care Aide lookups use an exact match tool per RCW 42.56.640.
Other professional licenses sit with the Department of Licensing. That covers real estate agents, cosmetologists, engineers, contractors, and many more. Attorneys are handled by the Washington State Bar Association. Each group offers a name-based search on its own portal. Combined, they form the license side of a full Washington people search.
Business People Search
A person often shows up as an officer, registered agent, or governor of a Washington business entity. The Secretary of State Corporations and Charities Filing System, or CCFS, is the search tool. You can search corporations by name or UBI number. Options include Contains, Begins With, or Exact Match.
The same system covers charity, fundraiser, trust, and trademark searches.
Once you find an entity, the filing history lists governors and officers by name. That ties a person to an active or past business. UCC searches are handled separately by the Department of Licensing. The site also posts a current list of commercial registered agents.
Washington Sex Offender Search
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs hosts the central page for the state sex offender registry. The public registry itself runs at wasor.org. It covers Level II and Level III offenders and non-compliant or transient Level I offenders under RCW 4.24.550. Registration rules sit in Chapter 9A.44 RCW. The definition of a sex offense that requires registration is in RCW 9A.44.128.
Adults with a Class A felony conviction register for life. Class B is 15 years, Class C is 10 years. Offenders under DOC or Juvenile Rehabilitation supervision may face residency limits, curfews, or bans on contact with children. Community notification for Level II and Level III moves follows the Community Protection Act of 1990, set in RCW 9A.44.130.
Public Records Act and People Search
The Washington Public Records Act is the law that lets a people search happen in the first place. RCW 42.56.001 sets the goal: keep people informed about the work of government. Under RCW 42.56.520, agencies must respond within five business days. They can fill the request, post a link, give a time estimate, or deny with a reason. No special form is required to file a request per RCW 42.56.080.
RCW 42.56.210 lists the personal privacy exemptions that shape every people search.
Certain record types are off limits. Investigative files are exempt under RCW 42.56.240. Vital records are exempt under RCW 42.56.365. Library records are protected under RCW 42.56.310. RCW 42.56.070(8) bars lists of individuals from being handed out for commercial use. Agencies must tell you when they withhold or redact, and cite the statute they rely on.
The MRSC PRA FAQ is a good guide for how agencies apply the law. It covers text messages on personal phones, internet browsing history on work devices, and juvenile record rules under RCW 13.50.050. Disciplinary records tied to substantiated misconduct are not exempt and must be released on request.
Note: A records request to a Washington agency gets an answer in five business days, not a finished record in five days.
Browse Washington People Search by County
Each county in Washington holds its own court files and clerk records. Pick a county below to find the local people search tools and contact info.
People Search in Washington Cities
City residents use the Superior Court in their county for case lookups. Pick a city below to jump to local people search info.