SeaTac Obituary and Death Records

SeaTac death records are part of the King County vital records system, with certified death certificates available through the Washington State Department of Health. The King County Archives also holds historical death records for the broader King County region that covers SeaTac, including coroner files, death registers, and burial permits. For newspaper obituaries and genealogy research, the King County Library System provides free access to newspaper databases and local history collections. This page walks through where to find SeaTac obituary records, how to order certified copies, and what historical sources cover this city.

King County Death Records for SeaTac

SeaTac is located in King County, and death records for events in the city fall under King County's records system. The King County Archives maintains death registers, coroner's records, death certificates, and burial permits for the entire Seattle-King County area, which includes SeaTac. These archival collections are important for historical research. Researchers can contact the King County Archives for help identifying and accessing specific records tied to SeaTac.

For certified death certificates, you contact the Washington State Department of Health rather than a county health department. The DOH Center for Health Statistics holds all registered death records in Washington from July 1, 1907, to the present. Requests can be placed by mail, phone, or online. SeaTac residents are not served by a separate county vital records office for certificate issuance the way some counties handle things, so the state is the main issuing authority.

Under RCW 70.58A, effective January 1, 2021, certified death certificates in Washington are restricted to eligible individuals with a direct and tangible interest in the record. This means immediate family members, legal representatives, and others who can document a qualifying relationship. Anyone else can request a noncertified informational copy. It has all the same data but carries a watermark marking it as not valid for legal use.

The Washington DOH vital records page at doh.wa.gov explains how SeaTac residents can request certified death certificates from the state, what documents to include, and what each copy type costs.

The DOH page also covers the eligibility rules for certified copies and explains the noncertified informational copy option that is open to the general public for SeaTac death records.

Washington Digital Archives: SeaTac Death Index

The Washington State Archives Digital Archives makes the Department of Health Death Index available for free online searching. The index covers July 1, 1907, through 1960 and from 1965 through 2017 for the entire state, including SeaTac and the rest of King County. With more than 2.3 million statewide records in the index, researchers can search by name and find Olympia-area deaths without paying a fee. For deaths in the past 25 years, only the index record is public. A formal copy request is needed to get the full certificate.

The Digital Archives also hold related collections such as Department of Health Death Certificates from July 1, 1907, through 1997. Images are available for records more than 25 years old. If you are doing family history research on SeaTac or King County residents who died before 1999, you may be able to view the full certificate image online without ordering a physical copy.

The 1961 to 1964 period is a gap in the digital index. Records from those years are only available on microfilm at the State Archives in Olympia. If you need a death record from that window, plan to contact the State Archives or the DOH directly.

Note: The Digital Archives search tool is free for all users and does not require an account to view index records.

Historical SeaTac Death and Obituary Records

SeaTac was incorporated in 1990, but the area has been part of King County since the county's early history. Death records for residents of the unincorporated SeaTac area before 1990 were registered as King County records. The King County Auditor held death records before state registration began in 1907, and some of those older records have been digitized and are searchable through the Washington Digital Archives. For deaths in the decades after state registration started, the main sources are the DOH index and certificate images.

The Washington State Library's Vital Records in Washington State LibGuide provides a guide to how death records are organized across the state. It explains what is held at the county auditor level (pre-1907), what moved to the state after 1907, and how the two systems relate to each other. For SeaTac researchers, this guide is a good place to start before placing a formal request.

Newspaper obituaries are another major source. The Seattle-King County area has had a continuous press presence since the late 1800s, and many publications from the 20th century have been digitized. Library databases and microfilm collections hold obituary notices for King County residents including those in the SeaTac area.

King County Library System: SeaTac Branch

The King County Library System (KCLS) has a Valley View Library branch that serves SeaTac residents. The library provides access to local history and genealogy resources, including newspaper archives and obituary indexes. Reference staff can help researchers locate death notices and obituary clippings from King County newspapers. KCLS cardholders have free access to Ancestry Library Edition, which includes Washington obituary records and death indexes.

KCLS also provides access to ProQuest Historical Newspapers and other digitized newspaper databases covering the greater Seattle area. Obituary notices for SeaTac-area residents published in 20th century papers are often indexed in these platforms. The library holds city directories and other reference materials that can help place an individual in a specific location before their death, which is useful when you are not sure which records to request.

Remote access to library genealogy databases is available for KCLS cardholders. That means you can search newspaper archives and obituary databases from home without making a trip to the branch. Check the KCLS website for a current list of available remote databases.

The DOH death record ordering page at doh.wa.gov gives SeaTac residents step-by-step guidance for ordering a certified or informational death certificate by mail, phone, or online.

The page covers what identification to include with your request, how to show qualifying relationship for certified copies, and what to expect for processing time on SeaTac death certificate orders.

How to Order SeaTac Death Certificates

Certified SeaTac death certificates come from the Washington State Department of Health. There is no separate county vital records office for King County that handles certificate issuance for SeaTac in the way some other counties do. You order through the DOH or through VitalChek, the state's contracted online vendor.

Mail orders cost $25 per certified copy and go to Center for Health Statistics, Department of Health, PO Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507. Online orders through VitalChek cost $40.50. Phone orders are accepted at 1-866-687-1464. Mail processing takes about eight to ten weeks after payment. VitalChek processes faster, typically within a few business days for shipping.

• State DOH mail: $25 per certified copy
• VitalChek online or phone: $40.50 per certified copy
• Noncertified informational copy: same fee, open to anyone
• Valid government-issued photo ID required
• Documentation of qualifying relationship required for certified copies

If you need a SeaTac death record for legal purposes such as settling an estate or handling insurance claims, you need a certified copy, not an informational one. Make sure to specify which type you are requesting when you submit your order.

King County Obituary Records

SeaTac is in King County, and death records for the city are part of the King County vital records system. For more on the King County Archives and resources covering the full county area, visit the King County obituary records page.

View King County Obituary Records

Nearby Cities

These cities near SeaTac also have obituary and death record resources available through King County and state offices.