King County Residents Directory

The King County Residents Directory pulls together public record sources that help you look up people tied to Seattle and the rest of King County. Use it to search court case parties, property owners, recorded deeds, and names found in county agency files. King County is the most populous county in Washington, and its public records offices hold millions of documents that name local residents. This page shows you where to search, which office holds what, and how to get copies. Every source listed is a free or low cost public tool run by a local or state agency.

Recorded Documents In The King County Residents Directory

The King County Recorder's Office is often the first stop when you want to link a resident to real estate or a legal filing. You can use the LandmarkWeb online records search to look up deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, plats, and releases. Most documents recorded on or after August 1, 1991 are fully indexed and viewable online. Older records are on microfilm and kept at the King County Archives. You can search by grantor or grantee name, parcel ID, document type, book and page, or Torrens number.

The Recorder's public search is a free account tool. Take a look at the search portal below.

LandmarkWeb lets you add documents to a cart and check out online, with mailed copies arriving in about seven to ten business days. Certified copies cost $5 for the first page and $1 for each extra page, and staff research time runs $8 per hour under RCW 36.18.010. Walk in service is at the King County Administration Building, 500 4th Avenue, Room 430, Seattle, WA 98104, and at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. The main phone line is 206-477-6620, and hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Court Files In The King County Residents Directory

The King County Superior Court Clerk is the official keeper of civil, criminal, family law, probate, guardianship, and juvenile case files. Any resident named in an open court case will show up in the clerk's index. The clerk's page at kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dja explains how to order records, certify copies, or sign up for e-filing. Free name and case number searches are handled through the KC Script Portal.

Court files can be pulled in person, by mail, or online. Here is the department's landing page.

Court records are not held under the Public Records Act. They fall under Washington Court General Rule 31, which sets the rules for public access to court files. The statewide Odyssey Portal also lets you search Superior, District, and Municipal court cases by party name. Not every court in King County is in Odyssey, so the KC Script Portal remains the best single source for King County Superior Court work. Contact the clerk at 206-296-9300 or clerksofficecustomerservice@kingcounty.gov, or visit the King County Courthouse at 516 3rd Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.

Note: Sealed cases, juvenile files, and records protected under GR 15 will not show up in the public search.

Property Owner Lookup In King County

Property data is a big part of any residents directory. The King County Assessor runs a free eReal Property search that returns tax account info, assessed values, sales history, and parcel maps for any home in the county. Start at the eReal Property portal and enter a name, parcel number, or tax account. Below is the Assessor's search page.

Under RCW 42.56.070(9), you cannot use Assessor name lists for commercial uses. Users must check a box to agree before they view any data. The office is at 500 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, and the phone line is 206-296-7300. Hours run Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Assessor also runs the Parcel Viewer (iMap), eSales, and paperless eValuations. All of these tools pull from the same parcel database that the King County Residents Directory relies on to tie a name to a home.

For help finding the right county office by property tax parcel, the state Department of Revenue property tax page lists all 39 county assessor and treasurer sites.

Sheriff And Police Records In The King County Directory

The King County Sheriff's Office runs a Public Disclosure Unit that handles requests for police reports, 911 calls, dispatch logs, body camera video, in car video, photos, and radio traffic. You can file a request at the Sheriff online request page. First time users must open a free account. Email requests go to KCSODisclosure@kingcounty.gov, and the phone is 206-263-2103.

The Public Disclosure Unit is at the King County Courthouse, 516 Third Avenue, Room W-150, Seattle, WA 98104. Fees are set under RCW 42.56.120 and King County Ordinance 18949. Big requests may need a 10 percent deposit up front. The unit has often had more than 1,800 open requests, so expect a wait. You must include a date range, incident number, names, and the exact spot of the event to help staff find the file. Redactions follow RCW 42.56.240 and related sections in RCW 42.56.210 through .480, and the unit will cite the exact law for any piece it holds back.

Historical Records In The King County Residents Directory

For older names and deeds, the King County Archives is the go to source. It holds county records made before August 1, 1991, plus probate files, voter lists, and property cards with historical photos from the 1930s and 1940s. The Archives main page has a finding guide that goes back to 1852. The Archives are at 1215 E. Fir Street, Seattle, WA 98122. Phone: 206-263-2480. Email: archives@kingcounty.gov.

Research hours are Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., by appointment. Remote requests can be handled by phone or email Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Washington State Digital Archives also holds many early King County birth and death records from 1890 through 1907, and it is free to search.

State Sources That Help The King County Directory

Some records that name King County residents are held by the state. The Secretary of State Corporations and Charities Filing System shows business entity filings, registered agents, and UCC filings. You can search by name or UBI number. The Department of Health Vital Records office issues certified copies of birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. Access to birth and death certificates is limited to qualified applicants under RCW 70.58A.560.

The Public Records Act at RCW 42.56 is the core law that makes all of these sources open to you. RCW 42.56.520 gives each agency five business days to respond to a request. Denials can be fought in court under RCW 42.56.550, with the agency bearing the burden of proof.

Note: Name based criminal history checks in Washington run through the WATCH system at the Washington State Patrol for a small fee.

Cities Served By The King County Residents Directory

King County covers a huge mix of big cities and small towns. Every one of them files at the same county offices in Seattle or Kent. Use these city pages for local guides and office info. Linked cities have their own Residents Directory page on this site.

Big cities in the county include Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Federal Way, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Bothell, Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila, Shoreline, Issaquah, Kenmore, Mercer Island, Auburn, and Covington. Smaller places like Maple Valley, Duvall, and Woodinville are also part of King County but do not have their own page here.

Nearby County Residents Directory Pages

These counties share a border with King County. If the person you are looking up lives just outside the King County line, try the nearby site first.