Yakima Obituary and Death Records

Yakima death records and obituary information are available through the Yakima County Health District, the Washington State Department of Health, and the Washington State Digital Archives. Yakima is the county seat of Yakima County, and the local health district can help with questions about ordering death certificates and procedures for Yakima County events. Certified copies of death certificates go back to July 1907 through the DOH, and earlier records are held by the Yakima County Auditor or are searchable through the Digital Archives at no cost. Yakima Valley Libraries also provides genealogy databases and local newspaper archives for obituary research. This page covers where to find Yakima death records and how to order what you need.

Yakima County Health District Vital Records

The Yakima County Health District provides public health services to Yakima residents and handles death certificate orders for events occurring in Yakima County. The health district can answer questions about ordering procedures, required identification, eligibility, and fees. Yakima is the county seat, and the district serves the entire county. For recent deaths, the health district may also offer in-person service that can be faster than a mail request to the state.

Certified death certificates issued through the county or state both draw from the same Washington vital records registration system. The Washington State Department of Health holds all registered death records from July 1, 1907, to the present. For events that occurred in the current month or the previous month, the DOH suggests contacting the local health department where the death occurred before the record fully enters the state database.

Under RCW 70.58A, effective January 1, 2021, certified death certificates in Washington are restricted to individuals with a direct and tangible interest in the record. That includes the decedent's immediate family, legal representatives, and others who can document a qualifying relationship. Anyone else can request a noncertified informational copy. It has the same data but carries a watermark and cannot be used for legal purposes.

The Yakima County Health District can assist with questions about ordering procedures and eligibility for Yakima death certificates. If you are not sure whether to contact the county or go directly to the state, the health district is a good starting point. They can direct you to the right place based on when and where the death occurred.

The Washington DOH vital records page at doh.wa.gov explains how Yakima residents can request certified death certificates from the state and what each available ordering option costs.

The DOH page also covers the eligibility rules under RCW 70.58A and describes the noncertified informational copy option available to any member of the public for Yakima death record requests.

Washington Digital Archives: Yakima County Death Index

The Washington State Archives Digital Archives holds the Department of Health Death Index for the entire state, which includes all deaths registered in Yakima County and the city of Yakima. Coverage spans July 1, 1907, through 1960 and then continues from 1965 through 2017. The index contains more than 2.3 million statewide records and is free for anyone to search. You can look up a name and filter results to find Yakima-area deaths. For deaths within the past 25 years, only the index entry is available publicly. A paid copy request is needed for the full certificate.

Death certificates from July 1, 1907, through 1997 are also in the Digital Archives with image access available for records more than 25 years old. If you are researching a Yakima resident who died before 1999, you may be able to view the full certificate image online without placing a paid order. This is one of the more useful features of the Digital Archives for genealogy work on Yakima families.

The 1961 to 1964 period is not in the online digital index. Records from those years are available on microfilm at the State Archives in Olympia. If you need a Yakima death record from that specific range, contact the State Archives directly or submit a request to the DOH.

Historical Yakima Obituary Records

For deaths in Yakima before July 1, 1907, the Yakima County Auditor held the responsibility for collecting death records. These early records were entered by hand into county death registers. Most of those registers have been microfilmed and are available at the Washington State Library and through the Washington Digital Archives. If you are researching a Yakima family from the late 1800s or early 1900s, the county death register is the primary official source for that period.

The Washington State Library's Vital Records LibGuide explains how death records are organized in Washington and confirms that the State Library holds microfilm copies of Yakima County death registers. Researchers can submit specific lookup requests through the Ask-A-Librarian service if they need help identifying whether a record exists before committing to a paid request.

Yakima has been served by local newspapers going back many decades. Historical obituaries from the Yakima Herald-Republic and earlier area papers are part of newspaper archives at local libraries. These publications are a major source for death research because obituary notices often include biographical details, survivor lists, and service information that does not appear in the official death certificate. Many of these papers have been preserved on microfilm and some have been digitized and indexed.

Yakima Valley Libraries Genealogy Resources

The Yakima Valley Libraries system serves Yakima residents through multiple branches, including the Yakima Central Library. The library provides access to local history and genealogy resources, including newspaper archives and obituary indexes. Reference staff at the central library can help researchers locate specific obituary notices and identify which collections have the best coverage for Yakima-area deaths from different decades.

Yakima Valley Libraries offers free cardholder access to genealogy databases including Ancestry Library Edition. These platforms include Washington death records, obituary indexes, and historical newspaper archives that cover the Yakima area. For obituaries published in regional papers during the 20th century, these databases are often the fastest way to locate a specific notice without combing through physical microfilm.

The library also holds local history materials including Yakima city directories, funeral home records, and cemetery listings. These can help confirm where a person lived and narrow down the time period before ordering official records. City directories from different decades can show when a name appears and when it disappears, which helps establish a rough death date when the exact year is unknown.

Note: Yakima Valley Libraries cardholders may have remote access to some genealogy databases. Check the library website for current remote access options and database availability.

Yakima Valley Libraries at yvl.org provides Yakima residents with genealogy databases, local newspaper archives, and obituary resources that complement what is available through official government vital records offices.

The library system's genealogy collections include materials covering Yakima County deaths going back well before modern digital databases, making it a valuable stop for deep historical research.

How to Order Yakima Death Certificates

Certified Yakima death certificates can be ordered from the Washington State Department of Health or through the Yakima County Health District for local questions and assistance. The state accepts requests by mail, phone, and online. Mail requests go to Center for Health Statistics, Department of Health, PO Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507. The fee is $25 per certified copy. Online orders through VitalChek cost $40.50. Call VitalChek at 1-866-687-1464 for phone orders. Mail processing takes eight to ten weeks after payment.

For faster processing, VitalChek online orders typically ship within a few business days. The Yakima County Health District can assist with local questions about eligibility and procedures. Under RCW 70.58A, only eligible individuals with a direct and tangible interest can receive certified copies. Noncertified informational copies are available to anyone at the same fee but are not valid for legal use.

• 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
• Proof of qualifying relationship required for certified copies
• Mail orders: 8-10 weeks after payment processing

Yakima County Obituary Records

Yakima is the county seat of Yakima County. Death records for the city are part of the Yakima County vital records system. For more on the county health district, additional resources, and information covering all of Yakima County, visit the county obituary records page.

View Yakima County Obituary Records

Nearby Cities

These cities near Yakima also have obituary and death record resources available through county and state offices.