Find People Records in Yakima County
Yakima County people search tools give you access to public records held by multiple offices in the Yakima Valley. Court filings, recorded deeds, property assessments, and law enforcement records are spread across the Clerk, Auditor, Assessor, and Sheriff. The county seat is in Yakima. Most offices sit at the courthouse at 128 N 2nd Street. A people search in Yakima County starts with the right office. Pick the Clerk for court cases. Use the Auditor for deeds and recorded documents. Check the Assessor for property ownership. Each Yakima County people search source holds different data tied to the person you need.
Yakima County People Search Basics
The Yakima County Clerk's Office handles all Superior Court filings. Every document filed in a cause of action goes through this office. Staff assigns case numbers, classifies records, enters data, scans and indexes files. The office is at 128 N 2nd Street, Room 323, Yakima, WA 98901. Phone: 509-574-1430. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
The Clerk keeps records for civil, criminal, domestic and family law, probate, guardianship, juvenile offender, dependency, mental illness, and adoption cases. Adoption and dependency files are sealed and not open for public access. The Clerk also issues writs of garnishment, writs of execution, and arrest warrants for failure to comply. In civil matters, it handles subpoenas for witnesses. E-filing is available through the Odyssey portal for attorneys and self-represented litigants.
The Clerk collects statutory fees, fines, and trust funds on behalf of the court. Certified copies of court documents cost $5 for the first page and $1 for each added page. That makes the Clerk's Office the starting point for most Yakima County people search requests tied to court cases.
Search Yakima County Court Records
Yakima County Superior Court covers felonies, large civil disputes, family law, and probate. The Washington Odyssey Portal lets you search for cases by party name. Case type, filing date, and status are free to view. The Washington Courts name and case search covers district and municipal courts too. Data refreshes daily at 3:00 AM.
For deeper access, the JIS-Link subscription gives docket data across court levels. It costs $0.145 per transaction with a $13 monthly minimum. This is useful for anyone doing a broad Yakima County people search across multiple case types. Court data is public under RCW 42.56 and court rule GR 31. Sealed records, juvenile files, and redacted Social Security numbers are the main exceptions.
Note: Copies of case file documents are not on the search site and must be ordered from the Yakima County Clerk directly.
The Yakima County Clerk of Superior Court manages all court filings and case records. Visit the Clerk of Superior Court page for office hours and e-filing details.
The site covers fees, case types, and contact info for both divisions.
Yakima County Recorded Documents
The Yakima County Auditor is the custodian of all recorded documents. Deeds, judgments, liens, marriage licenses, plats, and surveys all go through this office. Recording gives public notice of each document. Once filed, it becomes a permanent record of Yakima County. The office uses an optical imaging system to index, scan, and store each document. Records from mid-February 1997 forward are imaged digitally. Older files sit on microfilm.
The Auditor's Office updated to the Fidlar Imaging System in 2008. This lets staff and the public search documents instantly by computer. Documents recorded since February 23, 1997, are in electronic image format. Records from August 1, 1985, to February 23, 1997, have electronic indexes but the documents themselves are on microfilm. You can view anything at the Recording Division, Room 117, Yakima County Courthouse, 128 N 2nd Street, Yakima, WA 98901.
The Auditor runs a Property Fraud Alert service. It watches for suspicious transactions against your property. The FBI calls property and mortgage fraud the fastest-growing white-collar crime. Anyone doing a Yakima County people search tied to real estate should check the recorded document index for unusual filings.
The Yakima County Auditor's Recording page explains how documents are filed and maintained. Check the Auditor Recording homepage for current details.
The page lists fees set by state statute under RCW 36.18.010.
Property Search in Yakima County
The Yakima County Assessor's Office provides several ways to search property. You can use the Hybrid Parcel Search, the GIS Mapping tool, or the Characteristic Parcel Search. Look up parcels by number, owner name, or address. The office is at 128 North 2nd Street, Suite 117, Yakima, WA 98901. Phone: 509-574-1430. Tax Year 2026 value notice cards went out starting September 19, 2025.
Washington law requires annual property valuations. The Assessor determines assessed value based on fair market value as of January 1 each year. The office publishes a yearly tax levy booklet. Property tax relief is available for flood-damaged property, seniors, disabled persons, and veterans with disabilities. This data ties ownership to names, which makes it useful for a Yakima County people search.
The Yakima County Assessor's homepage gives access to property search tools and assessment data. Visit the Assessor's page for parcel lookups and tax info.
The site links to GIS mapping and value notice tools.
Yakima County Sheriff Records
The Yakima County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement for unincorporated areas. It covers patrol, criminal investigation, and emergency response. Public records can be requested through the online Public Records Portal. Click "Sheriff Public Records" in the left-hand menu. The portal is available 24/7. It is fast and secure.
The Sheriff's Office also runs the Yakima County Jail. Booking and inmate data may be available through the office or the county's public records systems. Concealed Pistol License applications go through this office for residents in unincorporated areas. City residents apply through their local police instead. Under RCW 42.56, the office responds to records requests within five business days. Active investigation files may be withheld under RCW 42.56.240.
Note: City residents must apply for concealed pistol licenses through their own police department, not the Sheriff.
The Yakima County Sheriff's Office page covers patrol, records, and jail info. Visit the Sheriff's Office homepage for public records access.
The site links to the online records portal and collision report filing.
Getting Copies of Yakima County Records
Copies of recorded documents can be ordered online, by mail, or in person. The online system at Official Records Online accepts debit or credit cards. There is a $10 service fee for online orders. By mail, send a check or money order with your request to Yakima County Auditor's Office, PO Box 12570, Yakima, WA 98909. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
In-person copies are available at 128 N 2nd St, Room 117, Yakima, WA 98901. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Certified copies cost $3 for the first page and $1 for each added page. Non-certified copies are $1 per page. Cash, check, and debit or credit cards are accepted in person, though a convenience fee applies to cards. These fees matter for any Yakima County people search that needs official documents.
Statewide People Search Resources
A Yakima County people search can extend past the county. The Washington State Patrol WATCH system runs background checks for $11. Results are instant. The check covers convictions and recent arrests with dispositions pending. Sex offender data is included under Chapter 9A.44 RCW. The Department of Corrections search shows current inmates in state prisons.
The Washington State Digital Archives holds historical records going back to territorial times. Search court cases, land records, vital records, and professional licenses at no cost. The Secretary of State Corporation Search lets you look up businesses by name. All of these tools broaden a Yakima County people search beyond the local level.
Cities in Yakima County
Yakima County includes the city of Yakima along with smaller towns like Sunnyside, Selah, and Grandview. Municipal courts handle traffic tickets and local code cases. A thorough people search may need to check those city courts for minor offenses not filed at the county level.
The city page above has local people search tools and contact info.