Bellingham Criminal Records Database

Bellingham criminal records are maintained by the city's municipal court, Whatcom County District Court, and Whatcom County Superior Court. Bellingham is the county seat of Whatcom County in northwest Washington, with a population of roughly 90,000. Misdemeanor charges go to Bellingham Municipal Court or Whatcom District Court, while felony offenses are filed in Superior Court. If you need to search case records, request a police report, or get a background check, this page has the key contacts and online tools to get you there.

Bellingham Municipal Court

The Bellingham Municipal Court handles traffic infractions, misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and city code violations within Bellingham city limits. This court does not hear felony cases. If someone was charged with a DUI, simple assault, shoplifting, or other lower-level offense in Bellingham, their case would likely start here. The court also handles some traffic infractions and civil code enforcement matters.

Bellingham Municipal Court is open weekday mornings and afternoons, with a break over the lunch hour. Court records are available through the clerk's window or by request. The court does accept records requests by email at court@cob.org or by fax. Note that municipal court files are exempt from the Washington Public Records Act, but they are accessible under local court rules. The statewide courts portal also includes Bellingham Municipal Court case information.

The Bellingham Municipal Court website provides online access to case information and payment options for those with pending matters.

The Bellingham Municipal Court handles misdemeanor criminal records and traffic infractions for the city of Bellingham.

Whatcom County District Court

Whatcom County District Court handles state-level misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases for Bellingham and the rest of Whatcom County. The court also handles civil matters under $100,000, small claims cases, and protection order petitions. It shares the same Grand Avenue building as the county's Superior Court in downtown Bellingham.

When someone is charged with a state misdemeanor in Bellingham rather than a city ordinance violation, the case goes to Whatcom District Court instead of the municipal court. This distinction matters if you are searching for a specific case. Try both the municipal court and district court records when you are not sure which one handled it. The statewide courts portal at dw.courts.wa.gov searches both at once.

Whatcom County Superior Court - Bellingham Felony Records

Felony charges in Bellingham are filed in Whatcom County Superior Court. This court handles all Class A, B, and C felonies committed in Whatcom County, including those in Bellingham. The Superior Court also handles serious violent offenses, drug felonies, and cases that start as misdemeanors but are charged at the felony level. The clerk's office at 311 Grand Avenue maintains all official felony case files and provides copies to the public.

Bellingham serves as the county seat, so the Superior Court is right in the city. You can search Whatcom County criminal case records through the statewide portal. The portal shows party names, charge information, case status, and hearing dates. To get certified copies of judgments or other court documents, contact the Superior Court clerk directly. Copy fees are typically $0.15 per page, with additional charges for certified documents.

Bellingham Police Department Records

The Bellingham Police Department handles law enforcement for the city and maintains records of arrests, incidents, and accidents that occur within Bellingham. Records requests can be submitted online through the city's public records portal. The department's records office is on Grand Avenue. Staff can help you understand what types of records are available and how to submit a proper request.

Police records in Bellingham are governed by the Washington Public Records Act under RCW Chapter 42.56. The department must respond within five business days of receiving a request. Some records may be withheld if they involve active investigations, victim information, or other protected categories. If your request is partially denied, you can seek review under the PRA's appeal process.

The Bellingham Police records portal allows online submission of public records requests for police reports and related documents.

Submit police report requests and public records inquiries through the Bellingham Police Department's online records portal.

Search Bellingham Criminal Records Online

The main free tool for searching Bellingham criminal case information is the Washington Courts Name and Case Search at dw.courts.wa.gov. This portal covers all Washington courts, so a single search can pull up results from Bellingham Municipal Court, Whatcom District Court, and Whatcom Superior Court. You can search by person name, case number, or attorney. Results include case status, party names, hearing dates, and charge information for criminal cases.

The portal updates every night at 3:00 AM. Cases filed or updated that day may not show up until the next morning. For the most current information on a pending case, contact the court directly. Document images are not available online, only through a records request to the court clerk.

For older Bellingham criminal records, the Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov has historical court documents going back to Washington's territorial days. This can be useful for cases that predate electronic court records.

WATCH Criminal History Checks

The Washington State Patrol's WATCH system provides name-based criminal history background checks for Bellingham and all of Washington. WATCH at watch.wsp.wa.gov searches the state's central conviction database and returns results within seconds. An online search costs $11 per name and date of birth combination. The result is a RAP sheet that shows all Washington State convictions, sex offender registration status, and DOC records tied to that person.

Under the state's Criminal Records Privacy Act at RCW Chapter 10.97, non-conviction information is not available to the public through WATCH. Only conviction records can be disclosed without restriction. If you need fingerprint-based verification rather than name-based, that service is available through WSP for $58 and requires in-person fingerprinting.

For organizations doing frequent checks, WSP also offers billed account options. Non-profit organizations can apply for discounted access. Contact WSP's Identification and Background Check Section for details.

Sex Offender Registry in Bellingham

Washington's sex offender registry for Bellingham is managed by the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office. Level II and Level III offenders are listed on the public registry at waspc.org. Level I offenders are not published publicly. Offenders in Bellingham must register within three business days of release or any change of address, employment, or school enrollment under RCW 9A.44.130. Violating that requirement is a felony under RCW 9A.44.132.

You can search the Washington Sex Offender Public Registry by name or address using the WASOR system at wasor.org. The national registry at nsopw.gov covers offenders across all states. If you are looking for information on a specific person registered in Bellingham, the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office can provide additional detail.

Whatcom County Criminal Records

Bellingham is the county seat of Whatcom County. All felony cases and most county-level misdemeanor matters are handled by Whatcom County courts. For more details on county-level courts and records access, see the Whatcom County page.

View Whatcom County Criminal Records

Nearby Cities

These Washington cities are in the general northwest region and each has their own courts and records resources.