Search Cowlitz County Death Records

Cowlitz County obituary and death records are maintained by the county Health and Human Services office in Longview, the Washington State Digital Archives, and the County Auditor, which holds historical records going back to 1892. Whether you need a certified death certificate for a recent loss in the Longview or Kelso area, want to find an older record from the mid-20th century, or are researching a pioneer family in southwestern Washington, this guide explains each source, how to access it, and what fees apply.

Cowlitz County Health and Human Services

Cowlitz County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) issues certified death certificates and noncertified informational copies for deaths that occurred on or after January 1, 2018. The office may also have records for deaths between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2017, if they were filed electronically. Manually filed paper death records from 2014 through 2017 are not available at the county and must be ordered through the Washington State Department of Health. Walk-in orders are normally ready the next business day after 2:00 PM.

Certified copies are printed on security paper and are valid for legal purposes such as settling an estate, claiming insurance benefits, or notifying Social Security. Noncertified informational copies carry a watermark stating they cannot be used for legal purposes. Verify with the agency you are working with before ordering an informational copy. Walk-in orders go to the 9th Avenue office. Mail orders should include your completed form and payment. Email and fax orders are not accepted. Internet orders placed through VitalChek carry an added fee on top of the base $25 cost.

The Cowlitz County Health and Human Services death certificates page explains the current ordering requirements, lists eligibility rules, and provides the application form you need.

The CCHHS death certificates page shown here is the official source for Cowlitz County death certificate ordering requirements and current fees.

This page covers what types of copies are available, who qualifies to order them, and how to submit an application for a Cowlitz County death certificate.

The Cowlitz County birth and death certificates overview page also covers related services the county provides, including burial transit permits and assistance with out-of-state records.

The Cowlitz County vital records overview page shown here provides a broader look at the county's services, including what the health department handles and where to go for marriage or divorce records.

This resource covers the full range of vital records services in Cowlitz County and directs users to the correct office for each record type.

Cowlitz County Auditor Historical Records

The Cowlitz County Auditor's Office maintains historical records that are useful for genealogy research, including death records from 1892 through June of 1907. The Auditor's Public Record Search is available online for most recorded documents. The office also uploads records to the Washington State Digital Archives, where you can search, view, and order documents with a credit or debit card. Not all Cowlitz County Auditor records are on the digital archives system, so some items still require an in-person visit or written request.

In-person access is available at the Cowlitz County Administration Building, 207 N 4th Avenue, Kelso, WA 98626. The office can be reached at 360-577-3002. Public records requests under the Washington Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) should be directed to the Board of Commissioners website. The Auditor's recording division handles real estate documents, liens, judgments, and other official records that may come up during estate and probate research.

Note: The Auditor holds death records from 1892 to June 1907, making it the right office for any Cowlitz County death that predates state-level registration.

Cowlitz County Death Returns 1898 to 1907

The Cowlitz County Auditor Death Records at the Washington State Digital Archives cover the years 1898 through 1907 and include both an index and images of the original death returns. The collection holds 70 records. Cowlitz County was formed in 1854 from Lewis County, one of the first counties organized by Washington's First Territorial Legislature, and the county seat is Kelso. Records are open for research with no access restrictions.

The original death returns typically show the name of the deceased, date and place of death, age, race and gender, cause of death, birthplace, residence, occupation, father's name and birthplace, mother's maiden name and birthplace, and the name of the person who filed the return. You can search by last name, first and last name, or just the first letter of the last name. A Soundex search option handles variant spellings. For questions or to access physical records, contact the Washington State Archives, Southwest Region Branch, at (360) 753-1684 or email swbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov.

Washington State Digital Archives Death Index

The Washington State Digital Archives Death Certificate Index covers Cowlitz County deaths from 1907 through 1960 and 1965 through 2017 as part of its 2.3 million record statewide database. Searches are free. Entries from 1907 to 1960 were transcribed by volunteers and tend to be more detailed, often including cause of death and burial place. Entries from 1965 to 2017 came directly from the Department of Health and show key identifying facts.

Images of actual death certificates are viewable for records more than 25 years old. If you find a record and need a certified copy, contact the Washington Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, at (360) 236-4313 or (360) 236-4312. That office handles certified copies from July 1, 1907, through three months before the current date. The death index covering 1961 through 1964 is only available on microfilm at the State Archives in Olympia, not through the online system.

The Washington State Library vital records LibGuide notes the Cowlitz County Auditor Death Records, 1898-1907, as available on microform in the state library's genealogy collection. It also lists the Kalama City Clerk Burial Transit Permits from 1941 to 1943, which is a small but unusual Cowlitz County collection covering permits issued for burials in Kalama during those years.

Ordering Cowlitz County Death Certificates

To order a death certificate for a Cowlitz County death, you have four options: walk in at the CCHHS office at 1952 9th Avenue, Longview; mail a completed form and payment to the same address; order online through VitalChek; or order by phone through VitalChek at 1-866-687-1464. The base fee is $25 for any copy type. The Washington State Department of Health vital records ordering page covers the state-level process for older records.

For deaths before January 1, 2014, or for paper-filed records from 2014 to 2017 that the county does not have, you must order from the state DOH. State mail orders take 8 to 10 weeks. VitalChek orders typically arrive within 3 to 7 business days. VitalChek is the only state-authorized third-party vendor, so ignore other companies offering to process orders on your behalf.

Washington's closed-record law under RCW 70.58A restricts certified copies to eligible requesters with a direct relationship to the deceased. Those who qualify include a spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, legal guardian, or legal representative. Anyone who does not qualify can request a noncertified informational copy, which is marked as not valid for legal use but is fine for genealogy. Verify eligibility before you order to avoid having your application returned.

Genealogy Resources for Cowlitz County Deaths

FamilySearch holds Washington County Death Registers from 1881 through 1979 as both an index and image collection. Washington Death Certificates from 1907 through 1960 are also available there as a searchable index. These are free to access with a FamilySearch account. The FamilySearch guide to Washington death records provides a good overview of all the statewide collections and explains which ones cover Cowlitz County.

The Washington State Library holds the Washington State Death Index for July 1, 1907, through 2004, on microfiche and microfilm. Researchers can submit specific lookup requests through the Ask-A-Librarian service by providing the name and a date range. The State Archives holds original death registers and returns for Cowlitz County at the Southwest Regional Branch. For the years 1892 to 1907, the Auditor's records at the county level and the digital archives collection are your best options. Longview and Kelso newspapers have also carried obituaries for more than a century, and local library archives may hold back issues on microfilm.

Cities in Cowlitz County

Cowlitz County communities include Longview and Kelso, which sit adjacent to each other along the Columbia River. Castle Rock, Kalama, and Woodland are smaller communities in the county. Longview is one of Washington's larger cities south of Tacoma. No cities in Cowlitz County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

Cowlitz County borders several other southwestern and south-central Washington counties, each maintaining its own vital records system.