Washoe County Clerk and Recorder

Washoe County's Split Clerk Structure

Washoe County does not use a single clerk for everything. Three offices share the work. The elected County Clerk issues marriage licenses, handles business filings, keeps board minutes, processes passports, and authorizes officiants. The elected Recorder records and preserves real-property documents and proof-of-marriage certificates. The court clerk, a separate function inside the Second Judicial District Court, keeps the court case files. Each office has its own counter, its own fees, and its own search rules.

This split surprises people who expect one county clerk to do it all. The most common mix-up is the marriage record. The Clerk issues the license. After the wedding, the officiant returns the signed certificate, and the Recorder preserves it. So a license copy comes from the Clerk and a certified marriage certificate comes from the Recorder.

Note: A divorce decree is neither a Clerk nor a Recorder record; it is a court file held by the Second Judicial District Court.

The Washoe County Clerk Office

The Washoe County Clerk is Janis Galassini. She was appointed by the Board of County Commissioners on September 8, 2020, effective October 23, 2020, after serving in the Clerk's Office as Chief Deputy since 2015. She manages daily Clerk operations and has represented county clerks in state legislative sessions. Her office reaches the public at (775) 784-7287 and jgalassini@washoecounty.gov.

The Clerk's services run wide. The office issues marriage licenses, authorizes marriage officiants, performs civil marriages, files fictitious firm names and other business documents, keeps Board of County Commissioners records and minutes, processes passports, and administers oaths of office. The Marriage License Bureau sits at the Washoe County complex at 1001 East Ninth Street in Reno.

The County Clerk's official profile lists her background and the office's statutory duties. It confirms the Clerk role is about licenses, business filings, and board records, not court case files.

County Clerk Marriage License Services

Marriage licenses are the Clerk's best-known service. To marry in Nevada, a couple buys a marriage license and then has a ceremony. The license fee is $85. Both parties must appear in person at the Marriage License Bureau in Reno unless a supervisor approves a single-signature exception. No appointment is needed. Nevada has no waiting period and no blood test, so a couple can marry the same day they get the license.

A few rules matter. The license is valid for one year before the ceremony. One witness is required by law. The ceremony must be performed by an authorized Nevada officiant. A Nevada license may be used anywhere in Nevada, but if used outside the state, the marriage is not legal. The Clerk now offers an online pre-fill application that saves counter time, though the couple still must appear to receive the license.

The Clerk's marriage FAQ answers common questions on ceremony, witnesses, the no-waiting-period rule, and officiant authorization. It is the official source for marriage license steps in Washoe County.

County Clerk Business and Board Records

Beyond marriage, the Clerk handles business and government filings. Fictitious firm name certificates, often called DBAs, register a trade name. The office also keeps Board of County Commissioners minutes and resolutions, files notary and abstractor bonds, and processes passport applications. These records are public unless a statute limits them.

Common Clerk business filings include:

• Fictitious firm name certificate and termination.
• Notary bond and bond riders.
• Commissioned abstractor bond.
• Board of County Commissioners records and minutes.
• Oaths of office and proof-of-life filings.

A government office or officer acting in their official role may qualify for a fee exemption under NRS 19.035. The request must be in writing on agency letterhead and signed by a supervisor.

The Clerk's fees draw their authority from NRS Chapter 19 unless another statute applies. The chapter sets the base for filing and copy charges across the office.

Washoe County Clerk Fee Schedule

The Clerk publishes a fixed fee schedule. Many fees tie directly to a Nevada statute. The table below lists the most-requested Clerk fees. The office accepts cash, credit card, money order, cashier's check, or traveler's check. Credit card use carries a third-party fee of 2% plus $0.25.

The Clerk's fee schedule page lists each charge and its statutory hook. A certificate of vow renewal costs $21 but is not legally binding; it is a keepsake, not a marriage record.

The Washoe County Recorder Office

The Washoe County Recorder is Kalie M. Work. The office records and permanently preserves recorded documents. It sits at 1001 East Ninth Street, Building A, Reno, NV 89512, with a public phone line at (775) 328-3660 and email at record@washoecounty.gov. The Recorder returns original documents after processing and provides public access online and in its record library.

The Recorder preserves a wide set of documents: deeds, deeds of trust, notices of default, mining records, UCC filings, maps, military discharge papers, declarations of homestead, mechanic's liens, federal tax liens, and marriage certificates. Recorded real-property documents carry a Real Property Transfer Tax of $2.05 per $500 of value under NRS Chapter 375.

Recorder Search and Copy Access

The Recorder runs a self-service portal for recorded documents. Users search by party name in last-name-space-first-name style with no comma. A search needs at least one party name and an approximate transaction date. The Recorder cannot search by street address, legal description, or assessor parcel number. Parcel questions go to the Assessor, not the Recorder.

Online land-record indexing starts November 19, 1991. Records before that date exist on paper and on images but are not indexed in the computer system. Marriage certificate indexing is available from 1965 forward. Unofficial real-estate documents may be downloaded with a watermark at no charge. Plain copies without a watermark and certified copies carry the statutory fees.

The Recorder's office functions page explains what the office records and how online coverage works. The Recorder does not prepare documents or run title searches. The Recorder FAQ covers the name-search rule and copy requirements in more detail.

Washoe County Recorder Fee Schedule

The Recorder charges set fees for recording and for copies. The office takes cash, check, money order, cashier's check, and credit card. Credit and debit card processing adds 3.5%. The table below lists common Recorder charges.

The Recorder's fee schedule covers recording, maps, UCC, copies, and bulk electronic products. Bulk index data, images, and combined products start January 1, 2026 under recording statute authority.

How to Order a Certified Marriage Certificate

A certified marriage certificate, also called proof of marriage, comes from the Recorder, not the Clerk. People often need it for a name change, a benefit claim, or an immigration filing. The fee is $15 per certified copy. Plain copies are $1 each.

1. Confirm the marriage was recorded. The officiant must deliver the signed certificate to the Recorder within 10 days of the ceremony.
2. Gather both spouse names as used at the time of marriage and the approximate date.
3. Search the Recorder self-service portal, which indexes marriage certificates from 1965 forward.
4. Order in person at 1001 East Ninth Street, Building A, Room 150, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or by mail.
5. For mail requests, allow 10 to 15 working days for processing.
6. Pay $15 per certified copy by an accepted method. Mailed requests should include payment.

Note: A certified copy of the marriage application or license itself comes from the County Clerk at (775) 784-7287, not the Recorder.

Related Washoe County Records

The Clerk and Recorder files connect to several other record types. For marriage and divorce details, use Washoe County marriage and divorce records. For court case files held by the court clerk, see Clerk of Court and court records. For estate and trust files, use probate records. For the trial court, see the District Court page. For the open-records framework across every county office, use public records. Common questions are answered on the FAQ and the site home page.