Search Grant County Obituary Records

Grant County obituary and death records are available through the Grant County Health District, the Washington State Digital Archives, and several genealogy collections covering deaths from the late 1800s to the present. Whether you are searching for a recent death certificate, a historical burial record, or a death notice clipped from a local paper, this guide covers every source available for Grant County. You will find contact details, fees, time period coverage, and direct links to search tools for each resource listed here.

Grant County Health District Vital Records

The Grant County Health District is the local office for death certificates in Grant County. Starting January 1, 2021, a new vital records law changed the ordering requirements for death certificates throughout Washington State. Only individuals with a qualifying relationship to the person named on the record can receive a certified copy. You will need to provide identity documents and proof of your relationship when you apply.

The Grant County Health District provides certified death certificates for deaths that occurred in Grant County from November 2014 to the present. For deaths prior to that date, you should go online through the Washington State Department of Health or call 360-236-4300 for further guidance. For deaths before July 1, 1907, contact the County Auditor in the county where the death occurred.

The Grant County Health District vital records page has full details on the application process, accepted identification, and the new 2021 law requirements. The page shown here is the Grant County Health District's official vital records ordering portal.

This is the main source for certified Grant County death certificates for recent deaths, including those needed for estate settlements and insurance claims.

Washington State Digital Archives Death Index

The Washington State Digital Archives Death Certificate Index is a free search tool covering Grant County deaths from 1907 through 1960 and from 1965 through 2017. The full collection has more than 2.3 million statewide entries. Most records show the name, date of death, gender, location, age at death, and death certificate number. Some entries also include residence location.

The 1907 to 1960 entries were indexed by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints FamilySearch volunteers, with many Washington State residents helping fill in gaps. Those older entries are generally more detailed and often include cause of death, place of burial, and family information. The 1965 to 2017 portion was supplied by the Department of Health. For Grant County researchers, this index is often the best free starting point before spending money on a certified copy.

For deaths outside the index coverage, the Department of Health Death Certificates collection at the Digital Archives covers July 1, 1907 through 1996, with ongoing additions. That collection includes full certificate images for records older than 25 years. For very recent deaths, contact the Grant County Health District directly at (509) 766-7960.

Note: The 1961 through 1964 death index is available only on microfilm at the State Archives in Olympia, not online.

Grant County Historical Death Records

Grant County death records go back to the late 1800s at the county auditor level. Before the state assumed death registration responsibility on July 1, 1907, the County Auditor collected death returns from physicians and coroners. Those early records have been preserved and are part of the broader Washington State Archives collection.

The Grant County Courthouse Complex FAQ explains clearly which office handles which records. For deaths from November 2014 to the present, contact the Health District at (509) 766-7960. For pre-2014 deaths, the state Department of Health is the right place. For deaths before July 1, 1907, contact the County Auditor. The Superior Court Clerk can be reached at 509-754-2011 x2801 for court-related records.

The Grant County Public Records page explains how public records requests work in Grant County under RCW 42.56. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are directed to the Washington State Department of Health rather than through the general public records request process. For other records, the county's public records officer can help identify which department holds what you need.

WAGS Library Grant County Death Certificate Collection

The Washington State Genealogical Society (WAGS) Library holds a unique collection of Grant County death certificate copies donated by researcher Kathleen Pasta. Pasta did extensive work in Grant County and indexed the copies she gathered. This represents a non-government repository of Grant County-specific death certificate images and indexes that is not available through official channels.

The WAGS Library Grant County collection lets you search for one name at a time. Items purchased online will be sent as email attachments by WAGS volunteers. Allow a week to ten days for processing after you submit your request. The page shown below is the WAGS Library search interface for Grant County death certificate copies compiled by Kathleen Pasta.

This collection is a useful secondary source for researchers who cannot find a record through the official state or local channels, especially for mid-20th century Grant County deaths.

VitalChek also handles online orders for Grant County vital records. The VitalChek Grant County ordering page notes that the Health District issues certified death certificates for events in Grant County within the last 45 days, and the page lets you place expedited orders online.

VitalChek is the state-contracted third-party vendor and is the fastest option for ordering certified copies without appearing in person.

Ordering Grant County Death Certificates

There are three ways to order a certified death certificate for a Grant County death: in person at the Health District, by mail through the Washington State Department of Health, or online through VitalChek. The Washington State DOH vital records ordering page covers all three methods and lists what identification and relationship documents you need to provide.

Mail orders go to the Washington Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, P.O. Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507-9709. The fee is $25 per certificate by mail, and orders typically take 8 to 10 weeks after payment is received. Online orders through VitalChek start at $40.50 per certificate. A $3.00 optional identity authentication fee can raise the total to $43.50. VitalChek processes orders in 3 to 7 business days, far faster than mail.

Under RCW 70.58A, certified copies are restricted to people with a direct and tangible interest in the record. That includes immediate family members, legal representatives, and government agencies acting in official capacities. For genealogy purposes, informational copies are available more broadly and are not restricted. Informational copies cannot be used for legal purposes but are fine for family history research.

For questions about orders, call the Consumer Resource Center at 206-464-6684 or 800-551-4636, Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The specific death records ordering page at DOH lists what you need to include with your application and how to prove your relationship to the deceased.

Genealogy Resources for Grant County Deaths

Researchers working on Grant County family history have several tools available beyond the official death certificate channels. FamilySearch holds Washington Death Certificates from 1907 through 1960 as a free searchable index. Washington County Death Registers from 1881 through 1979 are also available on FamilySearch with images. Both collections include Grant County entries and are free to use with a FamilySearch account.

The Washington State Library vital records LibGuide explains how to search the statewide death index on microfiche and microfilm, covering July 1, 1907 through 2004. Specific lookup requests can be submitted through the Ask-A-Librarian service. The index spans many reels, so include a date range when you submit your request.

Local newspapers in Moses Lake, Ephrata, and other Grant County communities have published obituaries and death notices for generations. Many of those notices have been extracted and indexed. The Grant County Auditor's early records from before 1907 are part of the statewide digitization project at the Washington State Archives, and those records can be searched through the Digital Archives site at no charge.

Cities in Grant County

Grant County communities include Moses Lake, Ephrata, Quincy, and Soap Lake. No cities in Grant County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

Grant County is in central Washington and borders several counties with their own vital records systems and court offices.