Locate Clackamas County Clerk Records

Clackamas County Clerk Office

The elected Clackamas County Clerk is Catherine McMullen. The official county clerk page says she began serving residents as County Clerk in 2023. The office is the county's head election official and keeper of county public records, and it oversees Elections, Recording, Records Management, the Property Value Appeals Board process, and OLCC liquor licensing in unincorporated Clackamas County.

This office is separate from the Trial Court Administrator and Court Records Office for Clackamas County Circuit Court. A deed, recorded instrument, marriage license, or election record belongs with the county clerk or the department named by the county. A civil, criminal, divorce, probate, or Circuit Court judgment belongs with OJD and the court records office.

Clackamas County Clerk Duties

The clerk's official page describes a broad county role. The duties are county administrative and recording functions, not the work of a state trial-court clerk. That split is important in Oregon because state trial-court records sit in OJD systems while county records sit with county departments.

• Operate the Recording Division for recorded instruments and related copy requests.
• Issue and record marriage licenses through the county marriage process.
• Serve as the county's head election official.
• Oversee county Records Management functions.
• Support the Property Value Appeals Board process.
• Handle OLCC liquor licensing in unincorporated Clackamas County.

Clackamas County Recording Records

The Clackamas County Recording Division is the county source for recorded documents, recording hours, copy channels, copy fees, and certified recorded-document copies. Research identifies this page as the source to use for recorded instruments and certified copy channels. Recording records are not the same as court pleadings, orders, or judgments, even when a court judgment later affects property.

Clackamas County Marriage Records

Marriage licenses are one of the main places where users confuse county clerk records and court records. The county's marriage page explains how to get married in Oregon through Clackamas County, including application, current fee source, Oregon's three-day waiting period unless waived, and the limited period for using a license after issuance. Both applicants provide required identity and personal information.

1. Use the county marriage-license process before the ceremony.
2. Provide the applicant information and identification required by the county.
3. Pay the current county marriage license fee listed by the county.
4. Observe the waiting period or ask about a waiver if allowed.
5. Have the ceremony solemnized by an authorized officiant.
6. Return the completed license for recording and then request certified copies if needed.

Divorce is different. Divorce filings, judgments, and certified divorce decrees are Clackamas County Circuit Court records. The court records office handles those court documents through OJD channels.

Request Clackamas County Clerk Copies

County clerk copy requests should identify the record type first. A recorded-document copy request needs names, recording date or instrument information if known, and the type of copy needed. A marriage copy request should include both parties' names and the approximate marriage date. For certified copies, use the current county fee source and request channel.

Clackamas County Clerk Fee Sources

The research instructs use of official pages for current amounts instead of inventing fees. County recorded-document copies should use the Recording Division fee schedule. Marriage license amounts should use the county marriage page. County public-record request charges may include staff time, copy, certification, or media costs under Oregon public-record rules and county fee policies.

Clackamas County Clerk Election Records

The county clerk is the head election official for Clackamas County. Election records, county public records management, the Property Value Appeals Board process, and OLCC liquor licensing in unincorporated Clackamas County should be routed through the clerk or the county department named by the official page. These records are county administrative records, not Circuit Court case records.

Public access depends on the type of county record. Some election and administrative records are public, while some voter, security, confidential, or protected data may be withheld or redacted under state and county rules. Ask the office that maintains the record for the current request method and fee policy.

County Clerk vs Court Records

Use the office that created or maintains the record. In Clackamas County, that means county clerk for recording, marriage, elections, records management, PVAB, and OLCC licensing; Circuit Court records office for court case files; sheriff for law-enforcement and jail records; and Oregon Vital Records or State Archives for certain certified or historical vital records.

Note: A county clerk search result should not be treated as a full Circuit Court case search.