Des Moines Death Records
Des Moines obituary and death records are issued by King County Vital Records and the Washington State Department of Health. Des Moines sits in south King County, just north of Federal Way and south of Burien, and all certified death certificates for Des Moines residents are handled through King County. The Washington State Digital Archives holds a free-to-search death index covering Des Moines deaths from 1907 onward. This page explains how to find obituary records, what sources to use for different time periods, and how to place an order.
Des Moines Overview
King County Vital Records for Des Moines
King County Vital Records is the local source for Des Moines death certificates. The office issues certificates for all people who died in King County from 1944 to the present and all Washington State deaths from 2015 forward. The office address is 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. The office opens at 9 am on the first Wednesday of every month instead of 8:30 am.
Qualified applicants include spouses or domestic partners, parents, stepparents, legal guardians, children, stepchildren, siblings, grandparents, great-grandparents, legal representatives, authorized representatives, government agencies, and courts for official duties. Each requester must provide a government-issued photo ID not expired by more than 60 days and proof of relationship to the deceased. Certificates cost $25 each.
| Office | Public Health Seattle & King County Vital Statistics |
|---|---|
| Address | 201 S. Jackson Street, Suite 220 Seattle, WA 98104 |
| Phone | 888-273-4623 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm |
| VitalChek | VitalChek (King County) |
Online and phone orders through VitalChek add a $6 agency fee and $11.50 handling fee to the $25 certificate cost. Standard shipping is included. Rush delivery via UPS costs $18.50 extra, and USPS Priority Mail is $9.90 extra. VitalChek processes most orders in 4 to 5 business days. VitalChek is the only contracted and approved third-party vendor for Washington State vital records. In-person lobby kiosk orders cost $28.50 and are usually issued in 10 to 15 minutes. Mail orders require downloading an order form and adding a $4 mail fee, with certificates arriving in 2 to 3 weeks.
Digital Archives and Historical Des Moines Deaths
The Washington State Digital Archives maintains the Department of Health Death Index covering July 1, 1907 through 1960 and 1965 through 2017, including all Des Moines deaths registered during those years. The index is free to search online, with no account or login required. Each entry shows the decedent's name, date of death, place of death, age at death, gender, and certificate number. That certificate number is what you use to order the full record from the DOH Center for Health Statistics at (360) 236-4313 or (360) 236-4312.
The 1907-1960 portion was indexed by FamilySearch volunteer transcribers. For Des Moines genealogy research, this index covers decades when many King County residents lived in what is now the Des Moines area. The collection is open with no access restrictions. The index is also an essential tool when you have approximate but not exact dates, since you can browse by name and narrow results by year range.
The King County Archives holds a variety of death-related records, including death registers, coroner's records, death certificates, and burial permits. The Washington State Library maintains the Washington State Death Index for 1907 to 2004 on microfiche and microfilm and accepts specific lookup requests from remote researchers through the Ask-A-Librarian service on the library website.
Des Moines Obituary Research at KCLS
The King County Library System (KCLS) genealogy reference service helps researchers find obituaries for residents of Des Moines and other King County communities. Submit a request using the email form and provide the full name, exact date of death, and place of death. Staff search KCLS publications for the specified community and respond within 14 working days. The South King County Genealogical Society supports research in south King County, which includes Des Moines, through meetings, workshops, and the Auburn Library's genealogy collection.
The Auburn Library, the KCLS branch nearest to Des Moines, houses a collection donated by the South King County Genealogical Society. This collection includes cemetery records, obituary extracts, and family history materials focused on south King County communities like Des Moines, Federal Way, and Burien. Scheduled genealogy help sessions are offered at the Auburn and Bellevue branches.
KCLS provides access to Ancestry Library Edition at all branches. You can use this service in person on library computers without a paid home subscription. The library system also handles referrals to other regional resources when additional research is needed beyond what KCLS can provide directly.
Note: When submitting an KCLS obituary request, be as specific as possible. Requests without a specific name and date of death cannot be processed.
The Washington State Department of Health vital records page covers the full range of death certificate ordering options for Des Moines residents, including mail, online, and phone methods.
The DOH vital records page allows Des Moines residents to order death certificates online through VitalChek or by mail for deaths statewide from July 1, 1907 onward.
The DOH death record ordering page lists the specific requirements for ordering a Des Moines death certificate, including required information about the decedent and the documentation each applicant must provide.
Before placing an order for a Des Moines death certificate, gather the full name of the deceased, the month and year of death, and proof of your relationship to the decedent.
How to Order Des Moines Death Certificates
For Des Moines deaths from 1944 to the present, contact King County Vital Records. For statewide coverage from July 1, 1907 onward, use the Washington State Department of Health at doh.wa.gov. Required information includes the full name of the deceased, the month and year of death, and the city or county of death.
- King County in person: 201 S. Jackson St, Suite 220, Seattle. About 10 to 15 minutes. $28.50 at kiosk.
- VitalChek online or phone: 888-273-4623. $25 plus $17.50 in fees. Ready in 4 to 5 business days.
- King County mail: Download order form, add $4 fee. Allow 2 to 3 weeks.
- DOH mail: $25, takes 8 to 10 weeks.
- DOH online/phone: $40.50 through VitalChek. Ready in 3 to 7 business days.
For questions about order status, call the DOH Center for Health Statistics at (360) 236-4300 or email contactchs@doh.wa.gov. Phone orders through VitalChek can be placed at 1-866-687-1464 for statewide DOH records.
King County Death Records
Des Moines is in King County. All death certificates for Des Moines residents are issued through King County Vital Records. For more about King County's death record resources, historical collections, and vital statistics services, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Des Moines have obituary record pages with local death record information.