Search Kittitas County Public Records
Kittitas County public records are managed by multiple elected offices in Ellensburg, the county seat. Located in Central Washington, the county maintains court records, property documents, auditor filings, and general government records subject to Washington's Public Records Act. This page explains how to find and request Kittitas County public records, which offices hold which types of documents, and what online tools are available to search without submitting a formal request.
Kittitas County Overview
Kittitas County Superior Court Clerk
The Kittitas County Superior Court Clerk maintains official records for all Superior Court cases filed in the county. That includes civil cases, criminal felonies, family law matters, probate filings, divorce decrees, and guardianship records. If you need a certified copy of a court order or judgment, or want to review a case file, the Clerk's office is where you start. The office is in Ellensburg at the county courthouse.
To reach the Clerk, call or visit during business hours. Written requests by mail are also accepted. Include the case number if you know it, plus the full names of the parties and the type of document you want. Vague requests take longer because staff have to search more broadly. Certified copies cost more than standard paper copies. Standard copies follow state rate guidelines.
| Office | Kittitas County Superior Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 205 W. 5th Ave., Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887 |
| Phone | 509-962-7531 |
| Website | co.kittitas.wa.us |
Adoption files, dependency cases, and mental competency records are restricted under Washington Court Rules and are not available to the public. The Clerk can tell you what is available and what requires a court order to access.
Kittitas County Records in the Digital Archives
The Washington State Digital Archives hosts a large collection of Kittitas County Superior Court case files online. The collection covers 2015 through 2026 and contains 469,595 records. Case types include civil cases, criminal cases, divorce cases, and probate cases. You can search and view case index information for free through the Digital Archives without submitting a formal request to the Clerk's office.
Access restrictions do apply. Adoption files, dependency records, and mental competency cases are not available in the online collection. Sealed or confidential documents will not appear in search results and cannot be purchased online. If you need a restricted record, you must contact the Kittitas County Clerk directly. Case documents themselves are not previewable in the archive, but the index data can help you confirm a case exists and identify the case number before you request copies.
The Washington State Digital Archives holds over 469,000 Kittitas County Superior Court case files from 2015 to 2026.
The Digital Archives search tool at digitalarchives.wa.gov lets you look up Kittitas County court cases by name or case number at no cost, making it a good first stop before paying for certified copies.
Note: Case documents in the Digital Archives are not previewable online. Confirm the case exists there first, then contact the Kittitas County Clerk at 509-962-7531 to order copies.
Public Records Request in Kittitas County
General county government records in Kittitas County are subject to Chapter 42.56 RCW, the Washington Public Records Act. Each department has a designated records officer. Under RCW 42.56.520, the officer must respond within five business days. The response can deliver the records, give you a timeline with an estimate, ask you to clarify the request, or deny it with a specific legal reason in writing.
Contact the Kittitas County department that holds the records you need. The county website at co.kittitas.wa.us lists departments and contact information. You can submit requests by phone, email, mail, or in person. Being specific saves time. Note the date range, names involved, and the type of record you want. Paper copies are capped at $0.15 per page under state law. You may also inspect records for free before ordering copies.
Property and Auditor Records
The Kittitas County Auditor handles all recorded documents in the county. That includes deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, plats, and other instruments affecting real property. Recorded documents become part of the public land record once filed. The Auditor also issues marriage licenses and processes other vital record functions at the county level.
Property assessment data is maintained by the Kittitas County Assessor, which records parcel ownership, assessed values, and property characteristics for all parcels in the county. The Washington State Courts Odyssey Portal at odysseyportal.courts.wa.gov supplements these local tools with case-level data for Superior Court matters filed in Kittitas County.
Veterans can record DD-214 discharge papers with the Kittitas County Auditor at no charge. Free certified copies are also available to veterans upon request.
The Kittitas County official website provides access to department contacts, forms, and online services for public records requests.
The county website is the central hub for reaching departments, downloading request forms, and finding contact information for the Clerk, Auditor, and Assessor.
Nearby Counties
These counties are adjacent to Kittitas County. If you are unsure which county has the records you need, use the address where the event occurred or the filing location on any existing documents.