Everett Obituary Records
Everett obituary and death records are handled by the Snohomish County Health Department, the Everett Public Library, and the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society. Everett is the county seat of Snohomish County, and the county health office is right in Everett at 3020 Rucker Avenue. The Everett Public Library also provides obituary research through its Northwest Room and digital newspaper archives, including the digitized Everett Daily Herald. This page covers where each record type lives and how to get what you need.
Everett Overview
Snohomish County Health Department
The Snohomish County Health Department Vital Records office is the primary local source for Everett death certificates. The address is 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104, Everett, WA 98201. The service counter is on the first floor. In-person hours are 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Monday through Friday. On the first and third Thursdays, the office opens at 9:30 a.m. Arrive no later than 3:30 p.m. to begin the application process. Certificates are issued the same day for in-person orders once the form is submitted and the fee is paid.
The office can issue certified death certificates for deaths that occurred in Everett from 1953 to the present. For all Snohomish County deaths, the office covers 1960 to the present. For all electronically filed Washington State deaths, coverage starts in 2016. As of January 1, 2021, Washington is a closed record state, meaning only qualified applicants with specific relationships can receive certified copies. Proof of identity and relationship is required for all orders.
| Office | Snohomish County Health Department, Vital Records |
|---|---|
| Address | 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104 Everett, WA 98201 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. |
| Certificate Fee | $25 per copy, plus $15 identity verification fee per order |
| Online Orders | Snohomish County vital records page |
The certificate fee is $25 per copy for both certified and non-certified informational copies. An additional identity verification and record retention fee of $15 applies per order. Mail orders add $2 for postage and handling. No refunds are authorized under WAC 246-491-990. Online orders through VitalChek typically arrive in 2 to 3 business days. UPS delivery is available for an additional fee. Missing documentation on mail orders must be corrected within 30 days or the application is denied per WAC 246-491-300. The office also handles corrections to death certificates and provides Affidavit of Correction forms.
Everett Public Library Obituary Research
The Everett Public Library provides obituary research services through its Northwest Room and digital newspaper collections. As of December 2023, the Everett Daily Herald has been digitized through Newspapers.com. Access to Newspapers.com is available on-site at both library locations for self-service without needing to go to the Northwest Room. This makes it easier to retrieve obituaries independently during a library visit.
Northwest Room staff remain available to retrieve obituaries and other Herald articles for researchers who cannot visit or who need research assistance. To request help, patrons can fill out the appointment request form or submit an electronic request through the "Book a Librarian" online form. Requests should include the person's exact name and death date. Replies are sent within a month of the request, and PDF copies are emailed to all requesters who provide an email address.
The library's research page at epls.org/382 links to all databases, subject browsing, obituary research, newspaper archives, and general research help. The Northwest Room specializes in local history and genealogy research for Everett and Snohomish County and can help locate obituaries, death notices, and other historical articles.
The Everett Public Library research page is the gateway to the library's databases and research assistance, including access to the digitized Everett Daily Herald and obituary research tools for Everett and Snohomish County.
The Everett Public Library research page connects patrons to newspaper archives, genealogy databases, and direct assistance from Northwest Room staff who specialize in Everett and Snohomish County history.
Historical Everett Death Records
The Washington State Digital Archives holds the Snohomish County Auditor register of deaths for 1891 to 1907 and the City of Everett register of deaths for 1905 to 1907. Both are available on microform at the Washington State Library and as digitized records on the Washington State Digital Archives website. These early records predate statewide death registration, which began on July 1, 1907. For Everett deaths from that date through 1997, the Department of Health Death Certificates collection at the state archives holds the records with both index and images.
The Washington State Death Index at the state archives covers 1907 to 1960 and 1965 to 2020 for all of Washington including Everett. It is free to search online and contains name, date of death, place of death, age, gender, and certificate number. The State Library maintains the Death Index for 1907 to 2004 on microfiche and microfilm and accepts specific lookup requests from researchers who cannot visit in person. The State Archives Northwest Regional Branch in Bellingham serves Snohomish County and holds original death registers and returns.
The Sno-Isle Genealogical Society also supports Everett obituary research through its major obituary collection for Snohomish and Island Counties. Their collection spans from the early 1960s through 2016 for most newspapers, with earlier materials obtained from libraries and archives. Contact the society at 19827 Poplar Way, Lynnwood, WA 98037, or email library@snoislegen.org.
The Everett Public Library obituaries page explains how to request obituary research assistance from Northwest Room staff, including how to submit online requests and what information to include.
Since December 2023, the Everett Daily Herald has been digitized through Newspapers.com, making in-library obituary searches faster and easier for Everett researchers.
Ordering Everett Death Certificates
For Everett deaths from 1953 to the present, contact the Snohomish County Health Department at 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104, Everett, WA 98201. For statewide records from July 1, 1907 onward, contact the Washington State Department of Health at doh.wa.gov. Required information for any order includes the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and the city or county of death.
- Snohomish County in person: 3020 Rucker Ave, Suite 104, Everett. Same-day service. $25 per certificate, plus $15 identity fee per order.
- Lobby kiosk: For birth certificates for yourself or your child only. $25 per cert plus $3.50 kiosk fee.
- Online through VitalChek: 2 to 3 business days. UPS rush available at extra cost.
- Snohomish County mail: Include form, documentation, fees, and $2 postage.
- DOH mail: $25, takes 8 to 10 weeks. Phone: 1-866-687-1464.
- DOH online: Through VitalChek, $40.50, ready in 3 to 7 business days.
For order status on DOH requests, call (360) 236-4300 or email contactchs@doh.wa.gov. The DOH death record page has current order forms and eligibility requirements. The DOH Center for Health Statistics phone numbers for direct certificate inquiries are (360) 236-4313 and (360) 236-4312.
Snohomish County Obituary Records
Everett is the county seat of Snohomish County. All death certificates for Everett residents are issued through the Snohomish County Health Department, which is located right in Everett. For more about Snohomish County's death record resources, historical archives, and vital statistics services, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Everett have obituary record pages with local death record information.