Jefferson County Death Records
Jefferson County obituary and death records span more than a century of history, from early county death registers in the 1890s through current death certificates issued at Jefferson County Public Health in Port Townsend. Whether you need a certified copy for legal use or want to trace a family member through historical records, this page walks you through the main sources, offices, and archives that hold death documentation for Jefferson County, Washington.
Jefferson County Overview
Jefferson County Public Health
Jefferson County Public Health is the main office for death certificates in the county. They issue certified copies for deaths that happened in Jefferson County. You must have a qualifying relationship to the person on the record. Bring valid government-issued ID and proof of your relationship when you apply in person.
The office also handles recent death records from the last few months. For deaths more than a few months old, you can also order through the Washington State Department of Health or VitalChek. In-person visits often get you a same-day certificate. Mail and online orders take longer.
| Office | Jefferson County Public Health |
|---|---|
| Address | 615 Sheridan Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 |
| Phone | (360) 385-9400 |
| Website | Washington State DOH Death Records |
Under RCW Chapter 70.58A, Washington State changed its vital records rules starting January 1, 2021. Only qualified applicants can get a certified death certificate. That means close family members, legal representatives, or someone with a direct need tied to the record. If you do not qualify for a certified copy, you can still request a noncertified informational copy for genealogy or personal research.
Jefferson County Historical Death Records
Jefferson County has death records going back to 1891. The county was one of the first organized by the Washington Territorial Legislature, so its record-keeping started early. Several archives and databases now hold these older records and make them available for research.
The Washington State Archives Digital Archives holds the Jefferson County Auditor Death Records from 1891 to 1907. This collection includes indexes and images of the Register of Deaths for the county. There are 472 entries in this collection. The records are open for research with no restrictions. You can view them online at no cost, which makes them a good first stop for early death research in Jefferson County.
For deaths from July 1907 onward, the Department of Health Death Index at the Washington State Archives covers Jefferson County entries from 1907 to 1960 and again from 1965 to 2017. Each entry typically shows the name of the deceased, date of death, place of death, age, and the death certificate number. Scanned death certificates are available up to 1999. Index-only records cover the period from 2000 to 2017.
Note: Death certificate images are not available for 1961 to 1964 in the digital archives. Indexes for those years are available on microfilm at the State Archives in Olympia.
Jefferson County Genealogical Society Resources
The Jefferson County Genealogical Society (JCGS) has done extensive work to index and preserve local death records. Their library and online resources cover a wide range of sources that go well beyond the standard vital records. These are some of the most useful free resources for death and obituary research in Jefferson County.
The JCGS website hosts indexes compiled by volunteers covering local funeral home records from 1913 to present, coroner reports from 1911 to 1932, county death records from 1891 to 1907, and newspaper obituaries from various dates. They also have an online index to death records from 1985 to the present pulled from the Jefferson County website. Their library holdings include the Washington State Death Index on microfilm and fiche covering 1907 to 2000.
The society has also compiled information on 16 cemeteries in Jefferson County, including sexton records where they are available. City and county directories from 1872 to present are held in the collections of the Jefferson County Historical Society. JCGS volunteers created an index to those directories through 1956. These can help link names and dates found in obituaries to household records and family contexts.
Visit the Jefferson County Genealogical Society research page to access their indexes and find out more about their library collections.
The JCGS research page provides free access to volunteer-compiled indexes for Jefferson County death records, funeral home records, coroner reports, and newspaper obituaries dating back to the late 1800s.
Washington State Library and Archives
Two statewide institutions hold key Jefferson County death materials. Both are worth checking if you cannot find what you need through local sources.
The Washington State Library holds the Jefferson County Auditor Register of Deaths on microform covering August 1891 through March 1906. The library also has the Washington State Death Index on microfilm from 1907 to 2004, organized using the Soundex system. Researchers can submit specific lookup requests through the Ask-A-Librarian program. The library's collections also include city and county directories, county histories, and Washington State newspapers going back to 1853.
The Washington State Archives Northwest Regional Branch in Bellingham holds original county-level vital records. These include birth and death records from January 1891 to July 1907, marriage records, and court records for counties in the northwest region. Jefferson County falls in this region. You can search the online catalog or call the branch at (360) 650-3125 or email nwbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov to schedule a research visit.
Washington Death Certificates from 1907 to 1960 have been abstracted and are available for free at FamilySearch. The JCGS library also holds this data on microfilm and fiche. The Department of Health Death Certificates collection at the Digital Archives covers Jefferson County deaths from July 1, 1907 through 1996. Each certificate often includes place of death, name, date, gender, race, marital status, date of birth, age, occupation, birthplace, parents' names, cause of death, and burial details.
How to Order a Jefferson County Death Certificate
You have several ways to get a certified death certificate for a death that occurred in Jefferson County. The method you choose affects how fast you get it and what fees apply.
- In person at Jefferson County Public Health, 615 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend, (360) 385-9400
- Online through VitalChek, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- By phone through VitalChek at 1-866-687-1464
- By mail to the Washington State Department of Health Center for Health Statistics
- By phone to Center for Health Statistics at (360) 236-4313 or (360) 236-4312
The fee is $25 per certified copy. Online or phone orders through VitalChek carry additional service and handling fees. Mail orders take 8 to 10 weeks after payment processing. Local health department visits may offer same-day service, sometimes with an extra fee. You must provide the decedent's name, approximate date of death, and the city or county of death to request any record.
If you only need the record for personal or genealogy purposes, you can request a noncertified informational copy. Anyone can request this type, and you do not need to prove relationship. It contains the same information as the short form death certificate but carries a watermark stating it cannot be used for legal purposes. For older records no longer under restricted access, the Washington State Digital Archives provides free online access to scanned certificates and index entries.
Note: No refunds are issued if a record cannot be located or if you do not meet the eligibility requirements for a certified copy.
Washington State Death Record Laws
Death records in Jefferson County are governed by RCW Chapter 70.58A, Washington's vital statistics law. This chapter sets out who can get certified copies, what documentation is needed, and how death registration works statewide.
RCW 70.58A.200 establishes the requirements for reporting deaths and filing death certificates. RCW 70.58A.510 allows older certificates to be transferred from the Department of Health to the State Archives custody, though DOH still provides certified copies. RCW 70.58A.520 and RCW 70.58A.530 govern disclosure and the issuance of certified copies. Together, these provisions define when records become available and who may access them.
The 2021 change to vital records law was significant. Before it took effect, more people could access death certificates. Now, only qualified applicants with a direct and tangible interest can get a certified copy. This includes spouses, parents, adult children, siblings, legal representatives, and persons with a court order. Genealogists who do not have a qualifying relationship must use the noncertified informational copy or rely on archival records that are fully open to the public.
Nearby Counties
Jefferson County sits on the Olympic Peninsula. These nearby counties also hold death and obituary records through their own health departments and archives.