City guide · Tacoma, Washington · All details last checked Oct 29, 2026

Tacoma, Washington document errands: printing, fax, notary, passports and certified copies (2026)

Where to print, fax, notarize, apply for a passport and get certified copies in Tacoma, Washington, using only official and provider pages. Each fact links to its source. Some facts are statewide or national rather than local. We label those.

Not affiliated, not legal advice. Errand Desk isn't affiliated with Tacoma Public Library, Pierce County, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, the Washington courts, the Washington State Department of Health, the State of Washington, USPS, The UPS Store, the U.S. Department of State or any business named here. This page is general information. Hours and fees change, so call or check the source before you go.

Which offices serve Tacoma: the Pierce County Auditor issues marriage licenses, records documents and takes passport applications at 2401 S. 35th St., Room 200 ^[1][2]. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department issues birth and death certificates ^[3]. Apostilles come from the Washington Secretary of State ^[4].

Short version: Tacoma Public Library cardholders get $5.00 of free prints and copies a week, then pay 10 cents a black-and-white page, and USB scanning is free ^[5]. The locator lists 4 Tacoma passport facilities: the Pierce County Auditor and three post offices ^[6]. Washington notaries may charge at most $15 per notarial act (statewide) ^[7]. A Pierce County marriage license is $172 ^[8]. Walk-in birth and death certificates start at $39 at the health department ^[3].

Printing, copying, scanning and fax

Tacoma Public Library

Free credit: library cardholders get a weekly print and copy credit of $5.00 ^[5].
Prices: prints and copies are 10 cents a page in black and white and 20 cents a page in color, paid by cash or credit or debit card. Card payments for copies are capped at 99 copies a transaction ^[5].
Remote printing: send documents from your own device through the ePRINTit web page at tacoma.eprintitsaas.com/public/upload, then pick them up at any location with your card number and PIN. First-time users ask staff to release the prints ^[5].
Scanning: every location has a print, scan and copy device. Scanning to a USB drive is free; you can borrow a flash drive or buy one for $5.00. Scanning straight to email isn't available ^[5].
Fax: we didn't find fax service on the Tacoma Public Library printing page or in a search of its site.

The UPS Store: it lists 4 locations in Tacoma: 1625 E 72nd St., Ste. 700, (253) 328-4819; 2522 N Proctor, (253) 756-6650; 2661 N Pearl St, (253) 761-0790; and 2602 S 38th St., Ste. A, (253) 473-1361. Its city page says they offer packing, shipping, printing, shredding, notarizing, faxing and mailbox services ^[9]. We didn't find prices on the store pages.

See printing prices and fax prices.

Notary in Tacoma

Library: we didn't find notary service on the Tacoma Public Library pages we checked or in a search of its site.
The UPS Store: its Tacoma page lists notarizing ^[9]. We didn't find store notary prices; Washington's legal maximum is below.
Fees (statewide): Washington caps a notary's fee at $15 for witnessing or attesting a signature, taking an acknowledgment or a verification on oath or affirmation, certifying or attesting a copy, administering an oath or affirmation, or certifying that an event occurred. A remote notarial act can cost up to $25 ^[7][10]. A notary need not charge at all ^[11].
Extras (statewide): a notary may charge the actual cost of copies, and may charge a travel fee only if you agree to it in advance and are told it isn't required by law ^[7]. Washington's $15 cap matches Nevada's and is three times Idaho's $5.

Passports in Tacoma

The U.S. Department of State's Passport Acceptance Facility Locator data lists 4 Tacoma facilities ^[6]:

Facility	Address and phone	Passport hours (locator)	Photos
Pierce County Auditor's Office	2401 S. 35th St., Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409. 253-798-7427	Mon–Wed and Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed noon–1); Thu 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.	Not listed
Tacoma Downtown Station Post Office (USPS)	1102 A St., Tacoma, WA 98402. 253-627-8279	Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–3 p.m.	Listed as on site
University Place Post Office (USPS)	6817 27th St. W, Tacoma, WA 98466. 253-302-8356	Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.–1 p.m.	Listed as on site
Lincoln Post Office (USPS)	3705 S. G St., Tacoma, WA 98418. The locator's phone entry (253476) is incomplete	Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–3 p.m.	Listed as on site

Pierce County Auditor: 2401 S. 35th St., #200, Tacoma, WA 98409, Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., phone 253-798-7445. Passport applications are by appointment only. Appointments fill about 30 days out, and new ones open daily. Adult renewals are mail-in only, so don't book if you qualify for one ^[2].
County fees: the $35 agent fee per application and $12 color photos per set are paid to the Pierce County Auditor by cash, check or card. The State Department fee is check only. Each application needs its own payment ^[2].
Note: the State Department's passport office finder lists a different phone (253-798-7427) and "Check or money order only"; the details above are from the county's own page ^[6][2].
Post offices: the locator says to schedule at usps.com/scheduler for Downtown Station and University Place. For Lincoln, it says appointments are required Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–3 p.m., with walk-ins on Thursday 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ^[6]
Post office fees (national): a $35.00 acceptance fee and a $15.00 photo fee "if needed" ^[12].
Faster service (national): the State Department's 1–3 business day return delivery is $26.87, for passport books only ^[13].

See the passport checklist and passport photo prices.

Birth, death, marriage, court and recorded-document copies

Birth and death certificates: Washington Department of Health (statewide)

State price: state law sets $25 for each certified or informational copy, whether it comes from the Department of Health (DOH) or a local registrar, and allows an extra fee for electronic payment ^[14].
Online or phone (VitalChek): from $40.50 a copy ($25 certificate, $8.50 VitalChek fee and $7 DOH processing fee), plus $3 if you choose online identity verification. DOH says these orders ship 3–7 business days after it receives them ^[15].
Mail: from $25 a copy, by check or money order to DOH, PO Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507 ^[15][16]. The DOH page gives two timelines: shipped within 6–8 weeks in one place, received within 8–10 weeks in another ^[15].
In person: DOH partners with local health departments, which may charge an extra fee; most of those orders are filled the same day ^[15]. The local office for this city is below.
Extras: the state order form lists heirloom birth certificates at $50 and an apostille at $15 ^[16].

Birth and death certificates in person: Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department

Where: 3629 S. D St., Tacoma, WA 98418. Walk in Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month); no appointment is needed. Phone (253) 649-1401 ^[3].
Price: walk-in orders start at $39 (the $25 certificate plus a $14 processing and expedite fee), with an extra fee for cards; the average wait is 20–30 minutes. Online orders through VitalChek start at $48.50 and ship within 3 business days. Mail orders start at $33 and ship within 1–2 weeks ^[3].
Not here: Auditor services, including passports, are no longer offered at the Health Department ^[3].

Marriage licenses: Pierce County Auditor

Where: 2401 S. 35th St., Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409, Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Appointments are recommended. You can also apply by mail with a notarized application. Phone 253-798-7435 ^[1].
Fee: $172, paid by cash, money order, check or card. Certified copies are $3 and non-certified copies $1 ^[8].
Timing: Washington has a mandatory 3-day waiting period that can't be waived; it starts when you buy the license, and the license is valid for 60 days from issuance ^[1].

Recorded documents: Pierce County Auditor

County fees: $303.50 for the first page of a standard document and $1 for each additional page ^[17].

Statewide law: RCW 36.18.010 sets the county auditor's base fees: $5 for the first page of a recorded document and $1 for each additional page, $3 for the first page of a certified copy and $1 for each additional page, $1 a page for noncertified copies and $8 an hour for record searches. Surcharges from other state laws are added on top ^[18], which is why the county fee above is much higher.

Court records: Pierce County Clerk

County fees (effective June 11, 2026): certified copies (with seal) are $5 for the first page and $1 for each page after; copies without a seal are 50 cents a page. Copies on a CD or flash drive are $5 per device, and a copy of a court proceeding's audio recording is $25 per court date ^[19].
Fees (statewide law): the superior court clerk charges $5 for the first page of a certified copy and $1 for each additional page, $2 for each additional seal when a copy is authenticated or exemplified, and 50 cents a page for a copy without a seal. A certificate is $2, and mailed copies cost postage plus a $2 handling fee ^[20].

Apostilles (statewide)

Who: Washington apostilles come from the Secretary of State, not the county ^[4]. Vital records must be apostilled by the state that issued them ^[4].
Fee: $15 per document; a document can be more than one page. Pay by check or money order to "Secretary of State" ^[4][21].
Timing: standard processing typically takes 7–10 business days. Expedited processing is $100 extra for each 10 documents and takes 2–3 business days ^[4].
Same day in person: at the Tumwater office or the newer Cheney (Eastern Washington) location, for $150 extra for the first 10 documents and $100 for each additional 10. Cheney offers same-day service only, and visits there are recorded ^[4]. The expedited and same-day fees both appear on the current apostille page, so both are listed here ^[4].
Cheney office: 960 Washington St., Cheney, WA 99004, open Monday–Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m.–3 p.m. and closed Thursdays. It provides same-day service only and can't receive mail ^[22].
Tumwater office: 243 Israel Rd. SE, Tumwater, WA 98501, open Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–4 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m.–3 p.m. The page says this address "can only receive overnight deliveries by a commercial carrier." The same-day cutoff is 30 minutes before closing. Phone 360-725-0377 ^[22].
By mail: send the request form to PO Box 40228, Olympia, WA 98504-0234 ^[21]. Documents come back by first-class mail unless you include a prepaid, traceable label ^[4]. See the apostille guide.

More on certified copies: how to get a certified copy.

Money orders

USPS money order fees are national: $2.65 for $0.01 to $500.00, and $3.75 for $500.01 to $1,000.00. Pay with cash or a debit card, not a credit card. The limit is $1,000 per domestic money order ^[23]. Other sellers: money order guide.

Shredding

Free events: we didn't find an upcoming free document shred event on the official pages we checked for this guide.
The UPS Store: its Tacoma page lists shredding ^[9]. We didn't find prices.

For paid per-pound shredding, see where to shred documents.

Questions

How much does printing cost at Tacoma Public Library?

10 cents a black-and-white page and 20 cents a color page, after a weekly $5.00 credit for cardholders ^[5].

Where can I apply for a passport in Tacoma?

At the Pierce County Auditor's Office (appointment only) or at the Downtown Station, University Place or Lincoln post offices ^[6][2].

What does a notary cost in Washington?

At most $15 per notarial act, or $25 for a remote notarial act, plus copy costs and any travel fee you agree to in advance (statewide) ^[7].

Where do I get a marriage license?

From the Pierce County Auditor, 2401 S. 35th St., Room 200. The license is $172, and Washington's 3-day waiting period can't be waived ^[8][1].

Where do I get a birth certificate in Tacoma?

Walk in at the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, 3629 S. D St.; orders start at $39 and the average wait is 20–30 minutes ^[3].

Sources

All sources last checked Oct 29, 2026, except the locator data file.

Pierce County Auditor, "Marriage Licensing": piercecountywa.gov/356/Marriage-Licensing (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Pierce County Auditor, "Passports": piercecountywa.gov/358/Passports (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, "Birth and Death Records": tpchd.org/info/birth-and-death-records (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Washington Secretary of State, "Apostilles Services Information Resource Page": sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/apostilles-services-information-resource-page (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Tacoma Public Library, "Printing": tacomalibrary.org/printing (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
U.S. Department of State, Passport Acceptance Facility Locator (locator data file, downloaded Oct 28, 2026, filtered to Washington): passportfacilitylocator.travel.state.gov (last checked Oct 28, 2026)
Washington Administrative Code, "WAC 308-30-220, Notary fees": app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=308-30-220 (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Pierce County Auditor, "Marriage License Fees": piercecountywa.gov/2240/Marriage-License-Fees (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
The UPS Store, "The UPS Store Locations in Tacoma, Washington": locations.theupsstore.com/wa/tacoma (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Washington State Department of Licensing, "Laws and rules for notaries public": dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/notaries-public/laws-and-rules-notaries-public (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Revised Code of Washington, "RCW 42.45.170, Fees": app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=42.45.170 (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
USPS, "Passports": usps.com/international/passports.htm (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
U.S. Department of State, passport fees page (Last Updated March 19, 2026): travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/help/fees.html (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Revised Code of Washington, "RCW 70.58A.560, Fees": app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70.58A.560 (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Washington State Department of Health, "Ordering a Vital Record": doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/vital-records/ordering-vital-record (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Washington State Department of Health, "Birth Certificate Order Form" (PDF): doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/422-182-BirthCertificateOrderForm.pdf (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Pierce County Auditor, "Recording, Excise and Map Fees": piercecountywa.gov/2243/Recording-Excise-and-Map-Fees (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Revised Code of Washington, "RCW 36.18.010, Auditor's fees": app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=36.18.010 (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Pierce County Clerk, "Clerk's Fee Schedule, effective June 11, 2026" (PDF): piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/158942 (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Revised Code of Washington, "RCW 36.18.016, Revenue collected under RCW 36.18.020 and other fees": app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=36.18.016 (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Washington Secretary of State, "Apostilles request form" (PDF, 6.2025): sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-06/6.2025%20-%20Apostilles%20request%20form.pdf (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
Washington Secretary of State, "Corporations and Charities: Contact us": sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/contact-us (last checked Oct 29, 2026)
USPS, "Money Orders": usps.com/shop/money-orders.htm (last checked Oct 29, 2026)

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Where to get something notarized, and what it costs: banks, credit unions, libraries, AAA, The UPS Store and online notary, plus state fee limits.
US passport application checklist: what to bring, fees, forms and photocopy rules from the State Department.
How to get a certified copy: birth, death, marriage, property and court records from the offices that issue them.
Free notary options
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