Shoreline Residents Directory
The Shoreline Residents Directory shows you how to search public records tied to people who live, own property, or do business in Shoreline, Washington. Use it to find city clerk records, building permits, council minutes, and staff contacts. Shoreline sits in King County, so many records live at the county level. This page points to the right Shoreline office for each type of public record. Find the contact, the form, and the fee before you send a request.
How the Shoreline Residents Directory Works
Shoreline is a King County city of about 58,000 residents, just north of Seattle. Many services run through King County. Shoreline has its own City Clerk, its own permit system, and its own public records portal, but court and police data often route through county offices. This directory lines up the city sources and the county sources so you can pick the right one fast.
The City responds to records requests under the Washington State Public Records Act, RCW 42.56. The Act says the people do not give up their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them. The City Clerk will respond within five business days under RCW 42.56.520. The office is at 17500 Midvale Avenue North, Shoreline, WA 98133, and can be reached at 206-801-2700.
See the Shoreline Public Records Request page for the online portal and the list of frequently requested records.
Shoreline Residents Directory City Clerk Records
The Shoreline City Clerk's Office supports the City Council and the City Manager's Office. It also helps the City comply with public records and open public meeting laws. The Clerk's Office handles business licenses, pet licenses, public records requests, and the Shoreline Municipal Code. The City Council meets on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber of City Hall.
Frequently requested records include bids and RFPs, building and land use permits, city council meeting records, city ordinances, city resolutions, the comprehensive plan, hearing examiner decisions, major service contracts, parks and recreation plans, planning commission records, the city budget, the capital improvement program, and the Shoreline Zoning Map. Many of these are available online without a formal request.
Read the Shoreline City Clerk's Office page for contact details and a list of quick links.
Note: The City warns that any personal info submitted through its public records portal is subject to disclosure under RCW 42.56, so do not include Social Security numbers or birth dates.
Permit Search and Building Records
Shoreline runs permit searches through eTRAKiT for records from 2001 to present. Earlier permit records split by date. Records from August 1995 to December 2000 need a public records request through the City Clerk. Records from before August 1995 are held by the King County Department of Local Services, which can be reached at 206-296-6696 or permitrecords@kingcounty.gov.
This split is a quirk of city age. Shoreline was incorporated in 1995, so earlier permit files stayed with the county. Plan your search by the year of the project. Use the permit search page for eTRAKiT access and further tips.
The permit search covers both permits and projects. Permits allow physical work. Projects cover special or conditional uses, subdivisions, and lot line changes.
Court and Police Records for Shoreline
Shoreline does not run its own municipal court. Misdemeanor and infraction cases go to King County District Court. Felony cases go to King County Superior Court. Search both on the Washington Courts Odyssey Portal by case number or party name. General Rule 31 and GR 31.1 govern court records, not the Public Records Act.
Police services in Shoreline are contracted with the King County Sheriff's Office. Request police reports through the Sheriff's records unit, not from Shoreline City Hall. For a statewide criminal history check, use the Washington State Patrol WATCH system. RCW 10.97 limits non-conviction data release.
For a city staff contact list, see the Shoreline staff directory. It can help route a records request to the right department.
Shoreline Residents Directory Vital and Property Records
Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates for events in Shoreline come from the Washington Department of Health. Fees are $25 for the first certified copy. Birth and death records go back to 1907. Marriage and divorce records go back to 1968. Under RCW 70.58A.560, only qualified applicants can receive certified birth and death records.
Property records for Shoreline sit with the King County Assessor and the King County Recorder. Recorded documents follow RCW 65.04 and RCW 36.18. The Washington Department of Revenue keeps a full directory of every county assessor site.
For older records, the Washington State Digital Archives holds territorial, county, and early vital records. Many files are free to view online.
Business Lookups and State Law
Business filings, registered agents, and UCC records are free at the Washington Secretary of State CCFS. Search by name, UBI number, or agent. Most filings are available as PDF downloads. The full RCW is at the Washington State Legislature site.
Shoreline requires a general business license for businesses operating within city limits. The Clerk's Office processes those in partnership with the State of Washington Business Licensing Service.
State Fallback Image
Shoreline does not have a dedicated city image in our set, so we show a state-level records portal for reference. See the Washington State Digital Archives homepage.
The Digital Archives is a free statewide tool that helps you find Shoreline-era historical records.
King County Residents Directory Link
Shoreline is in King County. Most resident records for Shoreline that are not handled by the city come from the county. Visit the King County Residents Directory for Superior Court, Sheriff, Assessor, and Recorder portals.
Nearby Cities
Other King County cities run their own records offices.