Free Pierce County Public Records Search (Marital, Criminal, Property, Court, Arrests & More)

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Free Pierce County Public Records Search

Access Pierce County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.

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Begin your search for free Pierce County public records today using official agencies and efficient lookup tools.

Whether you’re looking for marriage, divorce, court, or property information, you can access them once you know where to look and how to request them. You’ll also be equipped with the knowledge and tools for tracking down warrants, arrests, criminal records, prisoner information, background check reports, and details on probation.

No matter what you seek, this streamlined resource empowers all searchers with the most reliable and efficient custodians, links, and contact information for finding public records in Pierce County, Washington.

How To View Pierce County Arrest Records for Free (Mugshots)

Often, when searching arrest records and trying to find someone’s mugshot, the best place to start is on the county level. The county typically maintains the county jail and encompasses all the many cities, towns and neighborhoods in the area.

Also, the county sheriff’s office and jail will be the records custodian for bookings and often have an online directory of jail records. Although some cities and towns within a county may have their own law enforcement agency, they typically do not also have their own jail.

If your county search does not yield the results you need, contact the local police department for more information. Moreover, the county jail’s online arrest reports may not be updated as some bookings can take up to 24 hours to log into the system.

Find Out if Someone Is in Jail via the County Inmate Roster Hosted by Pierce County Sheriff’s Department Corrections Bureau

You can find out if someone is in the Pierce County Corrections Jail by utilizing the free Legal Information Network Exchange (LINX), which is hosted on a subdomain that is apart of the county website.¹ This jail roster displays all persons currently in custody in the Pierce County jail. The roster also includes individuals who have been released in the past 48 hours.

If you are looking to find out if someone has been arrested and in jail, the roster easily helps you locate the person as the list is in alphabetical order by last name. If you want further information on a person in the jail or to confirm the details about a listed inmate, click on the booking ID, and you will see the following details:

• Name
• Race & Ethnicity
• Gender
• Arresting Agency
• Booking Date & Time
• Charge
• Court
• Bail Information

If you are looking through the Pierce County bookings for someone but they are not listed on the jail roster, you can use the inmate search function at the bottom of the LINX site.³ For more booking information, contact Jail Booking at 253.798.4590. You can also visit one of the county jail’s two locations:

Pierce County Jail – Main
910 Tacoma Avenue South
Tacoma, WA 98402

Pierce County Jail – New
701 Nollmeyer Lane
Tacoma, WA 98402

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department Corrections Bureau supervises the county jail system. You can contact the Sheriff’s Jail Administration office at 253.798.4668 or visit the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department for more information concerning the county jail:

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department
930 Tacoma Avenue South
Tacoma, WA 98402

Look Up Arrests & Obtain Police Reports Through Police Departments in Pierce County

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office uses the South Sound 911 organization to handle police and incident report requests and copies. The online Pierce County public records request is available to any member of the public. You can contact South Sound 911 at 253.287.4900 or [email protected] for more information about the records process.

Additionally, you can submit a written request via mail to the address below:

South Sound 911
Records Custodian
3580 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98418

The fees for obtaining police reports are outlined by Washington state law. Printed copies are $0.15 per page, electronic copies are $0.10 per gigabyte, and converting a document from paper to electronic format is $0.10 per page.

In Washington state, most inmate records and mugshots are not public record and are therefore exempt from disclosure. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department does provide the public with a free online inmate list of inmates currently in the county jail awaiting trial.

If you want to request additional inmate records, you can complete an authorization for inmate records release form and mail or fax to:

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department
Public Disclosure Unit
3602 Pacific Ave. S. #100
Tacoma, WA 98418 

Fax: 253.798.7366

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department has 8 locations. You can contact one of the branch offices nearest your location for more information regarding Pierce County arrest records and police reports. Check the locations or contact information for each location below:

Pierce County Sheriff Locations	Phone Number	Hours of Operation
City of Edgewood 2224 104th Avenue East Edgewood, WA 98372	Phone: 253.798.4960	Monday – Thursday 8:30am – 4:30pm Friday 8:30am – 12:00pm
Foothills Detachment 11107 214th Avenue East Bonney Lake, WA 98390	Phone: 253.798.4944	Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm
Headquarters 930 Tacoma Avenue South Tacoma, WA 98402	Phone: 253.798.7530	Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm
Mountain Detachment P.O. BOX 1489 Eatonville, WA 98328	Phone: 253.798.4963; 360.832.4911	No public hours
Parkland-Spanaway 495 Shandon Wright Way South Tacoma, WA 98444	Phone: 253.798.4840	Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:00pm
Peninsula Detachment 6006 133rd Street NW Gig Harbor, WA 98332	Phone: 253.798.4940	Monday – Friday 7:30am – 3:30pm
South Hill Precinct 271 John Bananola Way East South Hill, WA 98374	Phone: 253.798.3278	Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:00pm
City of University Place 3612 Drexler Drive West University Place, WA 98466	Phone: 253.798.4058	Everyday 9:00am – 3:00pm

South Sound 911 also provides to several other local police departments within Pierce County, including:⁵

• Bonney Lake Police Department
• Buckley Police Department
• Fife Police Department
• Fircrest Police Department
• Gig Harbor Police Department
• Orting Police Department
• Puyallup Police Department
• Steilacoom Public Safety
• Sumner Police Department

Many of these local police department’s also offer their own independent police report request methods. Use the table below to locate the respective local law enforcement agency with pertinent information concerning a police report you need.

Typically, you can submit a request online, or via email, fax, mail, and in person. There are typically fees associated with acquiring these records. Read the forms carefully or use the contact information below if you have questions:

Police Department	Request Form	Contact Information
Bonney Lake Police 18421 Veterans Memorial Drive East Bonney Lake, WA 98391	BLPD online request	Email: [email protected] Fax: 253.863.2661 Phone: 253.863.2218
Buckley Police Department 933 Main Street Buckley, WA 98321	BPD request form	Email: [email protected] Fax: 360. 829.0133 Phone: 360.829.1921
Fife Police Department 5411 23rd Street East Fife, WA 98424	FPD request form	Email: [email protected] Phone: 253.922.6633 ext. 3
Fircrest Police Department 115 Ramsdell St. Fircrest, WA 98464	Fife PD online request Fife PD request form	Email: [email protected] ; [email protected] Phone: 253.564.8901
Gig Harbor Police Department 3510 Grandview St. Gig Harbor, WA 98335	GHPD online request	Email: [email protected] Fax: 253.351.5657 Phone: 253.851.2236 ext. 2
Puyallup Police Department 311 West Pioneer Puyallup, WA 98371	PPD online request	Email: [email protected] Fax: 253.770.3362 Phone: 253.841.5415
Sumner Police Department 1104 Maple St. Sumner, WA 98390	SPD online request	Fax: 253.299.5669 Phone: 253.863.6384

If you need information on arrest reports or police reports from a law enforcement agency not listed in this section, search for “[city name] [state] arrest records”. If this does not yield the results you need, search for “[city name] police department contact information.” This will assist you in finding police reports and arrest information.

How To Access Someone’s Criminal Record for Free in Pierce County Washington

Criminal records pertain to various types of documents and records–including Pierce County warrants, charges, sex offender registries, background check reports, and more.

These records will typically have different records custodians, so you need to know which local, state, or federal agency or department maintains the type of records you’re searching for.

By reviewing another person’s criminal record, you can learn about their past history or present situation with the law.

Track Down Criminal Records via the Pierce County Superior & District Court Clerk

Pierce County provides free public records search information to members of the general public.⁶ The Superior Court Clerk manages the free criminal record check, where anybody can look up resolved and pending criminal felony charges in Pierce County.

This tool gives users access to county public records information, including:

• Name
• Arrest Date
• Court Date
• Bail Amount
• Charge
• Disposition (if resolved)
• Sentencing Date (if resolved)
• Proceeding History
• Filing History
• Law Enforcement Agency

The database dates back to 1980 and will allow anyone to find out if someone has been convicted of a Washington state criminal felony offense in Pierce County.

For more information on how to review criminal felony records in Pierce County, Contact the Clerk of the Superior Court at 253.798.7455. You can also visit between Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm at:

Pierce County Superior Court Clerk
Pierce County Building
930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 110
Tacoma, WA 98402

You can search for criminal misdemeanor records through the Washington Courts Department.⁷ Their public records repository allows users to search for District and Municipal Court level offenses, which are misdemeanors in Washington state. Select the appropriate court level and court name, of which there are four district courts in Pierce County.

You can look up someone’s criminal record by providing that person’s complete first and last name.

The search will not provide much information, other than confirming if a charge has been filed, the filing date, and the status of the case. For more information you must contact the Pierce County District Court Administrator at 253.798.7487 or [email protected].

You can also visit the office between 8:30am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday at the address above.

How To Obtain Warrant Information in Pierce County Washington (WA)

A county government, sheriff’s office, or local law enforcement agency will typically provide warrant search features for the public.

These agencies and departments within Pierce County do not offer these privileges to the public at large. However, the Washington State Department of Corrections gives the public access to wanted persons with outstanding warrants.⁸

The information in this database is based on information provided by law enforcement agencies in Pierce County. The search is name-based, and will tell you the following details about a wanted person:

• Name
• Crime
• Warrant Issue Date
• Age
• Birthdate
• Height & Weight
• Race
• Eye & Hair Color

If you have information about a person on this warrant search list, do not make contact with the person yourself. Always contact law enforcement. You can even submit an anonymous tip by calling 866.359.1939 or via their online form.

How To Retrieve Pierce County Probation Records

Typically, a state government will supervise probation services and provide the public with an online probation offender search. Washington state does not maintain an online probation search, and counties within the state operate the probation services.

The Pierce County District Court handles probation supervision within the county.⁹ Only select criminal cases are eligible for probation–typically misdemeanor-level offenses. The Court’s probation services program does not offer the public an online search method. For more information, call 253.798.7487 or email the office at [email protected].

The probation services office is open to the public between the hours of 7:30am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday.

Pierce County District Court
Pierce County Building
930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 610
Tacoma, WA 98402 

If you are looking for information on a person on juvenile probation, the Pierce County Juvenile Court maintains that information. You can call the Community Supervision program at 253.798.7900. You may also submit questions online.

The United States Probation & Pretrial Services Western District of Washington supervises persons charged or convicted of federal criminal offenses and placed on probation.¹⁰ It’s unclear whether members of the general public can obtain offender information, so it is best to call the Tacoma office at 253.882.3730 for more insight.

How To Get a Background Check Report in Pierce County Washington

Getting a background check done on another person will help you learn about what they’ve done in their past. You can find out criminal history information about a friend, family member, neighbor, or potential date. Because these types of records are typically name-based and not fingerprint based, anyone can request this type of background check.

Although anyone can obtain personal background check information on someone else, it does not mean that anyone can use that information for any purpose.

For example, you cannot use the information you learn in a background check to stalk, harass, or intimidate another person. These are illegal actions, and you may be charged and prosecuted for engaging in this behavior.

The Pierce County Superior Court offers the public a free name-based search for past and current criminal felony charges. This search function allows anyone to input a person’s name and find out if they have been charged with a criminal felony after the year 1980.

If you want to obtain background information in Pierce County without the consent of another person, you can also go through the Washington State Patrol (WSP). They provide the public with a request for criminal history where anyone can check the first box for a name-based background check. The fee is $32 and must be mailed to the WSP address below:

Washington State Patrol
Identification and Background Check Section
P.O. BOX 42633
Olympia, WA 98504

You can also submit a request online, by creating a Washington Access to Criminal History (WATCH) account.¹¹ The online fee is $11. For more information call 360.534.2000.

The WSP also offers fingerprint-based background checks. Fingerprint-based background checks are generally for employment, licensing, housing, and firearms purposes. This type of background check requires written consent from the subject of the check, and their voluntary submission of fingerprints.

Fingerprints are the only way to accurately compare and identify a person with a criminal record. Fingerprint based background checks cost $58, regardless if mailed in or completed online through WATCH.

Criminal history information can also be found by requesting records through local law enforcement agencies and county courts. In this resource’s section above on obtaining police reports, you can find all the contact information for local police departments and links for requesting Pierce County criminal records.

Lastly, for criminal misdemeanor records in Pierce County that have not been expunged, you can use the free criminal case search provided by the Washington State Courts Department.

How To Review Washington Criminal Records Through State & Federal Resources

Statewide resources will provide researchers with the broadest scope when looking for criminal records. Federal resources are another way to find additional criminal records that may not be found on the county level. The agencies and departments below will help you find more criminal records in Washington.

• Washington Courts Department shows state-level court case information, including criminal cases involving felonies and misdemeanors.
• Washington State Patrol (WSP) allows members of the public to obtain official criminal records for a fee.
• Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs provides a free sex offender registry search for individuals convicted of state-level sex crimes.
• The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) provides a free sex offender registry search for individuals convicted of federal sex crimes.¹³
• The Washington State Sex Offender Registry is another database for convicted sex offenders, searchable by name or location. This tool is similar to the national one listed above, but is limited to offenders within the state.
• Washington State Department of Corrections gives the public access to information about incarcerated individuals in a state prison, and fugitives with outstanding warrants.¹⁴
• The Federal Bureau of Prisons provides the public with an inmate locator to find incarcerated individuals in a federal prison by either name or BOP register number.

How To See Pierce County Court Records & Cases

The Pierce County Superior Court is the first place you should check when trying to find court records and cases.¹⁵ This court has jurisdiction over most Pierce County public records pertaining to criminal, civil, family, probate, and tax cases within the county. Typically the county court will offer a public index to search for court cases. The Superior Court provides an online Pierce County case search to review court case information.

Additionally, you can purchase certified copies of the court documents you find in the online search. The fees for the first document page is $5, every additional page is $1. If you want to check public records for copies of court documents filed between January 1991 – December 2001, complete and submit the document request form.

If you want to obtain copies of Pierce County court records filed prior to January 1991, contact the Clerk’s Office at 253.798.7455.

You may also submit Pierce County judicial records request in the mail by submitting a written letter that includes the following:

• Your name
• Contact information
• Case number
• Name of documents requested
• Cashier’s check or money order

Submit requests in the mail to the County Clerk’s office at:

Pierce County Clerk
Records & Copies
930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 110
Tacoma, WA 98402

If you are looking for criminal misdemeanor court records, small claims records, or traffic records, these records are maintained by the Pierce County District Court. You can request court case information in several ways, starting with the online records request form.¹⁶

Additionally, you may submit a written request by mail, email, fax, or in person. The written request must include the name, date of birth, and the specific documents requested. If the request is urgent, indicate that information in your request and the Clerk’s office will likely release the records to you via email.

It’s wise to use the online search method to locate the case number which you can include in the written request. This will help the Clerk’s office locate the correct court record you need and expedite the process by cutting down the time it takes to find the record. After you draft a written request, submit it to one of the contact methods below:

Pierce County District Court
Public Records Officer
930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 239
Tacoma, WA 98402

Email: [email protected]
Fax: 253.798.6310

Several fees are associated with District Court records requests, including:

• Certified copies $5
• Electronic copies per page $0.25
• Paper copies per page $0.50
• CD copies $10
• Administrative records request fee $30.00 per hour and $0.15 per page

For more information concerning Pierce County District Court records, call 253.798.7487.

The Washington Courts Department provides the public with free statewide court case information. The name and case search is available for anyone to search for a case, including Pierce County Superior Court and District Court cases. You can use the search function to locate civil, criminal, domestic, traffic, small claim, and probable cause cases.

Additionally, you can use the search to find appellate court case opinions. Cases appealed from the Pierce County Superior Court are heard by the Washington State Court of Appeals Division II.¹⁷ For more information regarding appellate court cases, call 253.593.2970. You can also visit the court at:

Washington Court of Appeals Division II
909 A Street
Tacoma, WA 98402

When cases from the Court of Appeals are appealed, they are heard by the Washington Supreme Court. Case decisions from the Supreme Court and other appellate courts can be found using the opinion search. For more information, contact the Supreme Court Clerk’s Office at 360.357.2077 or [email protected].

How To Acquire Pierce County Washington Vital Records (Marriage, Divorce, Birth & Death)

When trying to find out if someone is married, or trying to find out if someone is divorced, the type of records you are searching for are called vital records. Vital records consist of marital records, birth certificates, and death certificates.

These records are often maintained by state and county government agencies. The records custodian for these records are not always the same agency but oftentimes they are. Additionally, you may have more than one agency in which to request vital records.

By having access to vital records, it can help you when researching heritage, or getting birth and death certificates for official business.

Find Pierce County Marital Records (Marriage, Divorce & Dissolution of Marriage)

Unlike some other states, marital records are public record in Washington. This means that anyone can request copies of another person’s marriage certificate or divorce decree. In Pierce County, the County Auditor is responsible for issuing marriage licenses and marriage certificates.¹⁸

If you want to check if someone is married, you can search for and order copies of a marriage certificate.

The online search function allows you to search Pierce County marriage records using at least a person’s last name, and a general time period of when the marriage occurred. The search will yield results in which you must find the person you are looking for. Users also have the ability to buy a copy of the marriage certificate for $3 per copy.

The copy will be delivered to a provided address or can be picked up at the Pierce County Auditor’s Office.

Marriage certificate requests can also be mailed to the Auditor’s office at:²⁰

Pierce County Auditor’s Office
2401 South 35th Street, Room 200
Tacoma, WA 98409

Requesting marriage records via mail also has an associated $3 fee per certified copy, and a $1 fee per non certified photocopy.

For more information concerning marriage certificates, contact the Auditor’s Office at 253.798.7427 or via email at [email protected].

Divorce decrees in Pierce County are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk.

The online domestic case search allows members of the general public to find Pierce County divorce records and purchase them for $5 per certified copy and $0.25 per page.

There is also an additional $1.50 ecommerce fee on all transactions. Non-certified copies may also be obtained for $0.50 per page requested in person, and $0.25 per page requested through the online domestic case search.

Divorce decrees can be obtained in person or by mail by submitting a written request with payment to:

Pierce County Clerk
Records & Copies
930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 110
Tacoma, WA 98402-2177

Marriage certificates and divorce certificates (different from divorce decrees) can be obtained through the Washington State Department of Health.²¹ The WSDH has marriage and divorce certificate records from 1968 to present. For marriages or divorces that occurred before January 1, 1968, you must contact the Pierce County Superior Court Clerk.

You can order these records online, by telephone, by mail, or in person. Certificates ordered online or by telephone are managed by VitalChek. The fees associated for ordering through this method are as follows:

• Certificate fee $25
• VitalChek fee $8.25
• DOH processing fee $7

The processing time is typically 3-7 business days from the Department receiving the order. Main in orders must have a completed marriage/divorce certificate form, and submit with payment to:

Washington State Department of Health
P.O. BOX 9709
Olympia, WA 98507

Access Birth & Death Records via the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department

Unlike marital records, birth certificates and death certificates are not Washington public records. Only qualified applicants are eligible to receive these records. In order for a person to receive the birth and death certificates of another person, an applicant must be:

• Self Applicant (Birth Certificate)
• Spouse or Domestic Partner
• Child or Grandchild
• Parent or Grandparent
• Sibling
• Legal Guardian
• Legal Representative
• Next of Kin (for death certificate if no one else from list is living)

If you want to obtain a certificate of birth or certificate of death in Pierce County, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department provides qualified applicants with a method to order certified certificates.²²

Eligible applicants must provide a valid photo ID and documentation proving the qualifying relationship to the subject of the certificate. There is a nonrefundable $39 fee that must be paid in full before the application is processed. If you order in person, the wait time is generally 20-30 minutes.

If you order via mail using the birth certificate order form or death certificate order form, the certificate will be shipped within 2 weeks.²³

These orders must be mailed to:

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
Vital Records
3629 South D. Street
Tacoma, Washington 98418

These records may also be ordered online with VitalChek. The fee for obtaining birth certificates or death certificates via this method is $48.50.

For more information on ordering Pierce County public records through the TPCHD, call 253.649.1401.

Birth certificates and death certificates can also be ordered through the Washington State Department of Health. Qualified applicants must complete a birth certificate order form or death certificate order form, and submit along with payment to the Department of Health Center for Health Statistics identified on the order forms.

How To View Free Property Records & Taxes in Pierce County Washington

Anyone can look up free property records and tax information through the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer.²⁴ The property tax and value search give all members of the public access to real property information, including owner, detailed tax information, land information, building information, sales history, and images of the property.

Property information can be researched by inputting the house number and street name. There is also an interactive map that allows users to manually zoom into a section of Pierce County and click on a property to learn more about it.

If you have additional questions about how to find out property information, contact the Assessor-Treasurer Office at 253.798.6111 or email at [email protected]. You may also submit a contact form online.

Another way to find property information is through the Pierce County Planning & Public Works Department. You can use the search address tool to locate a parcel. Once you find the parcel you’re looking for, by clicking on the parcel number you will receive several links to Pierce County agencies that have information on the property, including:

• Assessor Data
• Zoning
• Fire District
• School District

For more information call the Pierce County PPW at 253.798.7250.

Using Pierce County Public Records Ethically & Understanding Citizens’ Rights

It is always important to use public information in ethical and responsible ways. Although anyone can obtain public records on another person, they cannot use the information they receive for illegal purposes.

It’s perfectly fine to have a personal background check or criminal history check conducted on a family member, colleague, date, or neighbor, and it is reasonable to want to be informed about the people you interact with. However, you cannot use this information to harass, stalk, or participate in identity theft.

Additionally, you cannot use the information to determine credit worthiness, tenant screenings, or for employment decisions per the FCRA.

If you want to follow the law and obtain public records in Pierce County for professional uses, you must remain in compliance with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This means that employers and others requiring background checks for employment and licensing, must receive consent from a candidate and bars any business from discriminating against them.

If you believe you have been discriminated against or that an employer has obtained your background report without your permission you can file a complaint with the EEOC, FTC, or the state labor office.

Use this resource to learn how to obtain Pierce County public records and how to use the information you find ethically and responsibly.