Clearance Letters

Purpose

A Clearance Letter is a document that contains information about your clean criminal record. These letters are sometimes needed when applying for a visa, other travel purposes, or when adopting a child.

Obtaining the Letter

The most effective way to get this information is through Washington State Patrol’s WATCH system. The information provided by WATCH will include criminal history conviction information for the entire State of Washington, including Snohomish County.

Unincorporated Snohomish County

If you report in person, expect a wait of no longer than 60 minutes, except at times of extremely high customer volume. If you make your request by mail, please put "ATTN: Records Unit" in the address on the envelope. You should receive your clearance letter within five days when applying by mail.

What You'll Need

You will need to provide the following information:

• A copy of your current identification (Washington State driver's license or identification card preferred)
• A phone number where you can be reached during our normal business hours
• Any previous names or nicknames you've used
• At your option, your social security number
• Your complete date of birth
• Your current address
• Your current name

Payment & Fees

The fee for a Clearance Letter is $27.00. If you would also like the letter notarized, the Notary fee is $10 per document. Fees may be paid by cash or check made payable to Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.