Search Bellevue Obituary Records

Bellevue obituary and death records are available through King County Vital Records, the Washington State Digital Archives, and the Seattle Public Library. Bellevue is in King County, so all certified death certificates for Bellevue residents go through the county's vital statistics office in Seattle. The Washington State Digital Archives also holds a statewide death index covering decades of historical records. If you need a current certificate or want to trace a family member's death from the early 1900s, this page covers where to go and what to bring.

King County Vital Records Office

Bellevue death certificates are handled by Public Health Seattle and King County Vital Statistics. The office sits at 201 S. Jackson Street, Suite 220, Seattle, WA 98104. Phone is 888-273-4623. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. In-person orders take about 30 minutes. Mail and online orders take longer, but each has advantages depending on your situation.

The office issues death certificates for all King County deaths from 1944 to the present, all Seattle deaths at any time, and all Washington State deaths from 2015 forward. For Bellevue deaths before 1944, you will need to contact the Washington State Department of Health directly.

Washington became a closed record state on January 1, 2021. That means only qualified applicants can receive certified copies. The list includes spouses, domestic partners, parents, step-parents, legal guardians, children, step-children, siblings, grandparents, great-grandparents, legal representatives, authorized representatives, government agencies, and courts. You must show a valid photo ID and proof of relationship. Certificates cost $25 each. Credit card orders add $15. Mail orders add $4. Per RCW 70.58A, all orders are non-refundable.

Long form death certificates include the cause and manner of death along with the social security number of the deceased. Short form certificates show basic details only. Non-certified informational copies are available for genealogical use when you need the information but do not need a legally certified document.

Digital Archives and Historical Records

The Washington State Digital Archives is free to search and covers the death index from July 1, 1907 through 1960 and 1965 through 2017. This statewide index includes all Bellevue deaths filed during those years. Each entry shows the decedent's name, date of death, place of death, age at death, gender, and certificate number. That number lets you request the full death certificate from the Washington State Department of Health.

For Bellevue specifically, there is also a unique newspaper resource. The FamilySearch Library holds "50 years of vital records extracted from Bellevue, Washington newspapers, 1918-1967: Lake Washington Reflector, Bellevue American." This collection covers death notices published in Bellevue-area papers during a formative period for the city. The King County Auditor, Death Records from 1891 to 1907 are also available at the Washington State Archives with both an index and images. That collection has roughly 16,988 entries from all of King County during those early years.

The Seattle Public Library holds "King County, Washington deaths, 1891-1907" on microfilm. Entries are arranged alphabetically by surname and include name of deceased, date of death, age, sex, race, marital status, occupation, birthplace, cause of death, and parents' names. This resource is open to the public through the SPL system, which serves the greater King County area including Bellevue.

The Seattle Public Library catalog entry for King County, Washington deaths, 1891-1907 provides access information for this historical Bellevue obituary resource.

Researchers can use this microfilm resource at the Seattle Public Library to find Bellevue death records from the earliest years of King County registration.

Bellevue Genealogy and Obituary Resources

The King County Library System (KCLS) supports genealogy research for Bellevue and all of King County. Patrons can submit email requests for obituaries through the genealogy reference service. Staff search KCLS publications for the specified community, typically covering the date of death plus ten days, and respond within 14 working days. You must provide the person's full name, exact date of death, and place of death to get results.

The Bellevue Library branch offers regularly scheduled genealogy help and houses a collection donated by the Eastside Genealogical Society. This collection focuses on records from Bellevue and the surrounding Eastside communities. For broader King County research, the Auburn Library branch also holds a South King County Genealogical Society collection. Staff at any KCLS library can help you access Ancestry Library Edition and other online databases during your visit.

FamilySearch has Washington, County Death Registers, 1881-1979, as index and images, covering all of King County including Bellevue. Washington Death Certificates, 1907-1960 are available as a searchable index. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Fatal Accident Cards, 1915-1928 at the State Archives are another specialized resource for researchers tracing occupational deaths in Bellevue during the industrial era.

Note: FamilySearch.org is a free genealogy website that requires a free account to view images but allows searching the index without registering.

How to Order Bellevue Death Certificates

For deaths that occurred in Bellevue from 1944 to the present, order from King County Vital Records. For statewide records from July 1, 1907 forward, order from the Washington State Department of Health at doh.wa.gov. Required information includes the full name of the deceased, date of death, and city or county of death.

• King County in-person: 201 S. Jackson St, 2nd Floor, Seattle. About 30 minutes. $25 per certificate.
• VitalChek online or phone: 888-273-4623. Adds $6 agency fee plus $11.50 handling. Ready in 4 to 5 business days.
• Mail to King County: Download form, add $4 fee, allow 2 to 3 weeks.
• Washington DOH mail: Costs $25, takes 8 to 10 weeks.
• Washington DOH online/phone: Through VitalChek, $40.50, ready in 3 to 7 business days.

For questions about Bellevue death record orders, the DOH Center for Health Statistics can be reached at (360) 236-4300 or by email at contactchs@doh.wa.gov. The DOH death record ordering page has current fee schedules and downloadable order forms.

King County Obituary Records

Bellevue is in King County. Death certificates for Bellevue residents are issued through the King County Vital Records office. For more detail on county-level death record resources, historical archives, and other vital records services in King County, visit the county page.

View King County Obituary Records

Nearby Cities

These cities near Bellevue have obituary record pages with local death record information.