Washington State Obituaries
Washington obituary and death records come from several sources depending on when the death occurred and what type of document you need. The state has kept official death records since July 1, 1907, and older records from before that date are held at the county level or preserved in digitized archives. Whether you need a certified death certificate for legal reasons or are searching for an obituary for family history, this guide walks you through where to look and how to get what you need in Washington State.
Washington Death Records Overview
Washington Obituary and Death Records
An obituary is a notice of death, often printed in a newspaper, that gives the name of the person, date of death, surviving family members, and sometimes a brief life history. Obituaries are not government records. They are created by families and published by news outlets or funeral homes. A death record, on the other hand, is an official document filed with the government. In Washington, death records are maintained by the Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics.
Washington has three types of official death documents. A long form death certificate is the most complete version. It is printed on certified security paper and used for legal purposes. It includes cause and manner of death and the person's Social Security number. A short form death certificate does not include cause and manner of death or the SSN. A noncertified informational copy contains the same data as the short form but carries a watermark that states it cannot be used for legal purposes. Genealogy researchers and family members who just want the record for personal use often choose the noncertified copy.
The Department of Health has death records from July 1, 1907 to the present for events in Washington. Records from before that date are held at the county level or in the Washington State Digital Archives.
How to Find Washington Obituary Records
Finding a Washington obituary or death record depends on when the person died. For deaths after July 1, 1907, the state Department of Health is the primary source for official death certificates. For deaths before that date, you need to look at county records or digitized archives. For newspaper obituaries, you need to search newspaper collections or funeral home databases.
The Washington State Department of Health death records page explains how to order certified copies or informational copies. You can order online through VitalChek, which is the only contracted and approved third-party vendor. You can also call 1-866-687-1464 to place a phone order. By mail, send your request to Center for Health Statistics, Department of Health, PO Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507. In-person appointments are available at the physical office at 111 Israel Road SE, Tumwater, WA 98501. Walk-ins are not accepted.
VitalChek online or phone orders process and ship within 3 to 7 business days. Mail orders take around 8 to 10 weeks after the office receives your payment. Local health departments may offer same-day service for an added fee. To check the status of an order, email contactchs@doh.wa.gov or call 360-236-4300.
The CDC Where to Write for Vital Records page for Washington confirms the same contact information and requirements for death certificate requests.
The Washington State Department of Health vital records page screenshot below shows the official state ordering portal where you can request death certificates and other vital records.
The Department of Health vital records portal is the starting point for anyone who needs a certified Washington death certificate or an informational copy for genealogy.
The death records ordering page shown here provides step-by-step guidance on what you need to submit and what types of certificates are available.
This page details exactly what documents you must provide and lists the fee structure for certified and noncertified death record copies in Washington.
What You Need to Request a Death Record
To request a Washington death certificate, only certain people qualify. Washington restricts certified copies to individuals with a qualifying relationship to the deceased. That means immediate family members, legal representatives, or others who can show a direct and legitimate need. Anyone can order a noncertified informational copy, which is fine for genealogy and personal research.
Required information for any death record request includes the first and last name of the deceased person, the date of death or an approximate date (month and year at minimum), and the city or county where the death took place. You also need to provide valid government-issued ID. If you are requesting a certified copy, you need to show proof of your qualifying relationship as well.
Fees start at $25 per certificate or informational copy and are nonrefundable. You can pay by personal check or money order payable to the Department of Health.
- Full name of the deceased
- Date or approximate date of death
- City or county of death
- Valid government ID
- Proof of qualifying relationship (for certified copies)
- Payment of $25 or more per copy
The CDC's official Washington vital records guide shown below confirms these requirements and is a useful reference if you are requesting a death record from out of state.
The CDC guide provides a concise summary of what Washington requires for death certificate requests, which is helpful for researchers who are not familiar with the state's process.
Washington State Digital Archives
The Washington State Archives Digital Archives hosts the Department of Health Death Index covering July 1, 1907 through 1960 and 1965 through 2017 for the entire state. This is a free, searchable database containing more than 2,324,901 records. Death certificates for 1907 to 1960 were transcribed by volunteers and include more detail than those for 1965 to 2017. The indexes for 1961 to 1964 are on microfilm at the State Archives in Olympia and are not yet digitized.
The Digital Archives also contain death certificates with images up to 25 years ago. If you think a record contains an error, contact the Washington Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, at (360) 236-4313 or (360) 236-4312 to file a correction. The 1907 to 1960 files were indexed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Family Search Indexing Project with help from Washington State volunteers.
The Digital Archives death index page shown here gives you access to more than two million Washington death records going back to the start of statewide registration in 1907.
This database is one of the best free tools for finding Washington death records, especially for genealogy research covering the first half of the 20th century.
Death Records Before 1907
Before July 1, 1907, there was no statewide registration of deaths in Washington. Counties were responsible for collecting death records, and the quality and completeness of those records varies widely. Most counties kept death registers where each death was entered into a ledger. Some counties also had death returns, which were single sheets filled out for each person whose family came to register the death. Not all families registered deaths, so gaps exist in the historical record.
County death registers have been microfilmed and are available at the Washington State Library. Many have also been scanned and are available on Ancestry.com and through the Washington State Digital Archives. The Washington State Library Vital Records LibGuide lists county-specific death registers available in the library's genealogy collection.
For deaths before 1891, Washington did not require deaths to be recorded at the county or state level at all. Researchers looking for records in that period should check substitute records like census data, church records, cemetery records, and probate files. The Washington State Digital Archives cemetery records collection is a useful resource here.
The Washington State Library Vital Records LibGuide shown below explains what records exist, where they are held, and how to submit a lookup request for historical death records in Washington.
The Library's LibGuide is a detailed starting point for anyone researching Washington death records held in the state library system, especially those predating 1907.
The Washington State Digital Archives cemetery and burial records collection shown here complements the death index and is especially useful for pre-1907 research.
Cemetery transcription records in the Digital Archives can confirm burial dates and locations for people who died before Washington began keeping official death certificates.
Washington State Library Obituary Resources
The Washington State Library Obituary Index and Cemetery Transcription Links page is one of the most useful free tools for obituary research in Washington. It directs researchers to county and city obituary indexes, cemetery transcriptions, and newspaper resources available both online and in the State Library's physical collections. The State Library accepts specific lookup requests through its Ask-A-Librarian service. When you submit a request, provide the full name, date of death, and location to get useful results.
The State Library's Genealogy Research Links page at sos.wa.gov/library/genwebresources.aspx lists additional Washington death and obituary resources. These include the Washington State Digital Archives, county web sites, and the Washington Association of County Officials. The Library holds extensive microform collections including county death registers, the Washington State Death Index on microfiche, and newspaper collections useful for obituary research.
The Washington State Library Obituary Resources page shown below links to county-level obituary indexes and cemetery records across the state.
This page is the best starting point for finding local obituary indexes that cover specific counties and cities in Washington, many of which are available for free online.
The State Library's broader genealogy web resources page shown here brings together links to vital records, county archives, and other research tools across Washington State.
The genealogy resources page is a useful hub for researchers who want to go beyond death certificates and find obituaries, cemetery records, and county-specific sources.
Washington Vital Records Law
Washington State death records are governed by Chapter 70.58A RCW, the Vital Statistics chapter. This law covers the full lifecycle of vital records in Washington, from how deaths are reported to how records are stored, corrected, and accessed. Key sections include RCW 70.58A.200, which governs reports of death and filing requirements, and RCW 70.58A.520, which covers when disclosure of vital records is authorized.
Under RCW 70.58A.540, vital records in Washington are not subject to public disclosure by default. This means death certificates are not open records in the same way court filings are. Only qualified applicants can receive certified death certificates. However, noncertified informational copies are available to anyone who requests them and provides the basic identifying information about the deceased. RCW 70.58A.530 governs the issuance of certifications and informational copies. RCW 70.58A.560 covers fees for those copies.
The Washington vital records statute page shown below displays the full text of Chapter 70.58A RCW, which is the legal framework for all death records in the state.
Reading the relevant sections of RCW 70.58A helps clarify who can access what types of Washington death records and what the state's legal obligations are around privacy and disclosure.
Note: Noncertified informational copies of Washington death records are available to any requester. Certified copies require proof of a qualifying relationship to the deceased.
Online Search Tools for Washington Death Records
Several free and paid databases cover Washington obituary and death records online. The Washington State Digital Archives is the best free source for records from 1907 through 2017. FamilySearch offers free access to Washington Deaths and Burials 1810 to 1960, Washington County Records 1803 to 2010, and Washington Death Certificates 1907 to 1960. Ancestry.com has Washington Deaths 1883 to 1960 and the Washington Death Index 1940 to 1996 as paid databases.
For more recent deaths, modern obituaries can be found on funeral home websites, local newspaper websites, and general obituary sites. The Washington State Standard maintains an obituaries archive for notable Washington public figures. For older newspaper obituaries, the Library of Congress Chronicling America project is a national newspaper digitization program that may help locate published death notices from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s.
If you know the exact date of death, you can order from the county of death directly. County orders may be less expensive and faster than going through the state office. Contact the local health department in the county where the death occurred for recent deaths in the current or prior month, since the state office may not yet have those records.
Note: VitalChek is the only approved third-party vendor for Washington death certificates. Other companies that charge to help you apply for vital records are not authorized by the state.
Browse Washington Obituary Records by Location
Death and obituary records in Washington are organized at the county level. Each county has its own archives, courthouse records, and local health department. Pick a county below to find resources specific to that area.
View All 39 Washington Counties
Obituary Records in Major Washington Cities
Residents of Washington's major cities can find obituary and death records through the county that serves their area. Select a city below to find local resources and contact information.