Bellingham Phone Directory

The Bellingham phone directory puts city hall numbers, police records contacts, and court phone lines at your fingertips. Bellingham is the county seat of Whatcom County and has about 95,000 residents. The city runs 15 separate departments, each with its own phone lines. Use this Bellingham phone directory to find the Public Records Officer, the police records bureau, or the municipal court. Most contacts are listed on the official city site at cob.org, but this page pulls the key numbers together in one place.

Bellingham City Clerk Phone Directory

Kelley Goetz is the Public Records Officer for Bellingham. She also serves as Deputy City Clerk. The phone is (360) 778-8156. Email goes to publicrecords@cob.org. The best way to submit a records request is through the GovQA portal. The city uses this system for all public records requests. You can also submit in person, by mail, or by phone. Social media requests are not accepted.

Bellingham follows the Washington Public Records Act under RCW Chapter 42.56. Staff must respond within five business days. Responses can include providing the record, giving a link, acknowledging with a time estimate, or denying with a reason. The city does not maintain a single index of all records. Each department has its own records coordinator. Copy fees run 15 cents per page for paper and 10 cents per page for scans to electronic format. For large requests, a deposit may be needed. You can pay online, in person at Finance, or by mail.

Bellingham Police Phone Directory

The Bellingham Police Records Division phone is 360-778-8800. The department is at 505 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, WA 98225. The records bureau is open 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Monday through Friday. It is the only records bureau in Whatcom County with 24-hour coverage for law enforcement needs. The records manager is Brandi Nyhus. The non-emergency line is (360) 676-6911. The tip line is (360) 778-8611.

Police reports go through the same GovQA portal as city records. You can request incident and arrest reports, accident reports, background checks, concealed pistol license records, and clearance letters. Clearance letters cost $10 and require a notarized application with valid ID. Copies of police reports cost $0.05 per page. For non-emergency incidents with no known suspect, you can file a report online through the police records page.

Do not file online if the suspect is known, the incident happened outside city limits, it was on I-5 (call WSP instead), the collision involved over $1,000 in damage, or the case involves identity theft or fraud with a financial loss. For those cases, call the non-emergency line or visit the station.

Note: Background checks beyond Bellingham should go to the Washington State Patrol at (360) 705-5100.

Bellingham Court Phone Contacts

The Bellingham Municipal Court is at 2014 C Street, Bellingham, WA 98225. The court phone is (360) 778-8150. The fax is (360) 778-8151. Email goes to court@cob.org. The court administrator is Tami Bennett. The judge is Debra A Lev. The commissioner is Nicholas I Henery.

Court records in Bellingham are exempt from the Public Records Act per a Washington Supreme Court decision. Access falls under local court rules instead. Most files are open for public inspection, with some exceptions. To request court records, email court@cob.org, fax (360) 778-8151, mail to 2014 C Street, or visit in person. Do not use the GovQA portal for court records. The court handles DUI cases, reckless driving, assault, theft, trespass, disorderly conduct, criminal traffic, and civil traffic or parking matters. A "Find My Court Date" tool is available on the court website.

Whatcom County Phone Directory

Bellingham is the county seat of Whatcom County. The Whatcom County page has more phone contacts. The county assessor is at 311 Grand Ave Suite 106, phone 360-778-5050. New online tools launched in 2024 include a property portal, a comparable sales tool, and a community insights tool. The Whatcom County Property Search lets you look up parcels by number, address, or owner name.

The county auditor handles recording at 311 Grand Ave., Suite 103, phone 360-778-5100. Online records go back to 1960 with images and an index. Microfilm covers 1853 to 1997. The superior court clerk is at Suite 301, phone 360-778-5560. Copy fees there run $0.25 to $0.50 per page for standard copies, $5 to $20 for certified copies, and $25 per hearing for audio or video CDs. The district court is at Suite 401, phone 360-778-5400.

The screenshot below shows the Whatcom County Property Search tool.

This tool covers all Bellingham properties and is free to use without filing a records request.

The Whatcom County Sheriff's records unit is at 311 Grand Ave. The public records officer is Tammy Dixon. Requests go through the online portal, in person, or by email at sheriffrecords@co.whatcom.wa.us. Response time is five business days.

State Phone Directory Resources

The state courts search at courts.wa.gov is free. The Whatcom County Superior Court case files are also available in the state digital archives. The DOH vital records phone directory sits at doh.wa.gov. For corporate filings, use ccfs.sos.wa.gov. Criminal history goes through the WSP WATCH system at wsp.wa.gov. Open data sits at data.wa.gov.

Bellingham residents can use these state tools for records that go beyond city or county offices. The digital archives hold historical files that the city may no longer have on hand. A short search online can save you a phone call and a trip to the courthouse.

Note: District court name changes in Whatcom County cost $296.50 as a filing fee, with certified copies at $5 each (cash only).

Bellingham is in Whatcom County. Visit the county page for more phone contacts and records resources.

Nearby Cities Phone Directory

These nearby cities have their own phone directory pages on this site.