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| About the City Clerk |
| Be Informed and Involved |
| Domestic Partnership Registration |
| Research Assistance |
| Public Records Disclosure |
| Initiative and Referendum Process |
| Frequently Asked Questions |
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| Claims for Damages against the City |
| Initiative and Referendum Process |
| Ethics and Elections |
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Frequently Asked Questions
If not the City Clerk, then who?
This FAQ covers questions that the Clerk's Office frequently receives, but that are handled by other departments or agencies.
For most questions about City of Seattle services, the Customer Service Bureau is a great place to start.
Other City FAQ's are available here: City of Seattle FAQS.
Animal Control
For help with issues relating to animals in the City, contact the Seattle Animal Shelter.
Billboards
Information on billboards on City property can be found using the Department of Planning and Development's Registered Billboards database.
Birth and Death Records
King County Vital Records maintains records of births and deaths in the county, which includes Seattle.
Building Permits and Land Use Code
The Land Use Code is Title 23 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
Permits and violations from 1983-present
Building permits and related documents, 1890s-present
How does a particular land use regulation apply to my property?
Current Building, Residential, Fire, Energy and other technical codes
The zoning of your property (useful to know before you start looking at the land use code) can be found using DPD's Parcel Data Search.
Business Licensing and Taxes
The Seattle Business License Database contains information on businesses licensed in Seattle.
Information on Seattle business tax and business license procedures, including on-line applications can be found at Revenue and Consumer Protection.
Complaints and Potential Code Violations
If you aren't sure where to start, contact the Customer Service Bureau.
Report potential code violations to the Department of Planning and Development.
Landlord-tenant complaints also go to Department of Planning and Development.
To report an issue relating to streets and sidewalks (potholes, sidewalk repairs, broken street sign or signal, etc.) contact the Department of Transportation.
For noise complaints relating to construction or other environmental noise, see DPD's Noise Abatement Program.
Public nuisance noise complaints (for example, relating to house parties, vehicle noise, or noise in parks) should be directed to the Seattle Police Department.
For animal noise complaints, contact the Seattle Animal Shelter.
Courts
Divorce Decrees
Domestic Partnership Registration
Register with the Washington State Domestic Partnership Program.
Learn about the City of Seattle Domestic Partnership Registration.
Elections
King County Elections and the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission each serve a unique role in the election process. In partnership with these agencies, the Office of the City Clerk is available to assist you or direct you to the appropriate agency. For election details, please visit:
Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission: Campaign Information and Voters' Guide
Maps
Find City services using My Neighborhood Map.
Official City of Seattle maps can be requested at the Seattle Public Utilies GIS Map Counter.
Additional map resources relating to property are linked to from DPD's Online Tools page and King County's Department of Development & Environmental Services Reference Maps list.
The Seattle Municipal Archives provides access to historic City of Seattle maps, dating from the 1890's to the present.
Marriage
To apply for or to obtain a copy of a marriage license, contact the the King County Recorder's Office.
For officiating at a wedding, contact King County Marriage Licensing.
Property Records
To get started researching historical property records, see the Seattle Municipal Archives Property Research Guide
The zoning of your property can be found using DPD's Parcel Data Search.
Deeds, easements, liens, and other records of property in King County can be located using the King County Recorder's Office Records Search.
Information about individual parcels, including parcel owner, can be found using the King County Parcel Viewer.
Streets and Sidewalks
To report an issue relating to streets and sidewalks (potholes, sidewalk repairs, broken street sign or signal, etc.) contact the Department of Transportation.
For street use permits, including encroachments (signs etc.), construction, vending and many activities in the public right-of-way, see the Seattle Department of Transportation's Street Use Division
Traffic Tickets
Trees
Information on trees in Seattle can be found at Seattle reLeaf.