Search Mason County Death Records

Mason County obituary and death records are available through the local health office in Shelton, the Washington State Digital Archives, and a range of genealogy tools covering deaths from the county's earliest auditor registers in 1891 through the present day. Whether you are searching for a certified death certificate to settle an estate, looking up a burial in the Shelton area, or tracing a family line from the Hood Canal region, this page walks you through every source and how to use each one.

Mason County Public Health Vital Records

Mason County Public Health operates the Vital Records office at 2300 Kati Court, Shelton, WA 98584. This office provides certified copies of birth and death certificates for events that occurred in Washington State. Requests can be made in person or online through the county's Permitium portal at masonwavitals.permitium.com. Walk-in customers can often receive records the same day if the record is available electronically, though there may be an additional fee for same-day service. The office also handles corrections to birth or death certificates and provides information on adoption records and court-ordered name changes.

The Mason County Public Health vital records page has full details on the application process, which documents to bring, and what the office can and cannot issue. For records not available locally, the office directs requestors to the Washington State Department of Health or VitalChek.

The Mason County vital records office page shown here covers in-person and online ordering options for death certificates in Mason County.

This local health office is the primary contact for Mason County death certificates for events covered by their local record system.

Washington State Digital Archives Death Index

The Washington State Digital Archives Death Certificate Index includes Mason County deaths from 1907 through 1960 and 1965 through 2017 as part of a statewide collection of over 2.3 million records. The index is free to search and requires no account or registration. A volunteer from Shelton, Kathie Adams, transcribed Mason County entries for the 1907 through 1929 portion, which contributes to the quality and completeness of that early section.

Most entries in the early range include name, date of death, age, county of death, and death certificate number. Some include cause of death and residence. The 1965 to 2017 portion comes from the Department of Health's own data. Images of actual death certificates are available for deaths up to 25 years ago on the same site. For Mason County deaths in Shelton, Belfair, Allyn, and other communities, this index is the fastest way to find a death certificate number before ordering a certified copy. If a record appears to be in error, contact the Department of Health Center for Health Statistics at (360) 236-4313 or (360) 236-4312.

Note: Deaths from 1961 through 1964 are not in the online index. Those records are held on microfilm at the State Archives in Olympia only.

Mason County Historical Death and Burial Records

Mason County has a deep historical record set going back to the 1890s. The FamilySearch Mason County genealogy page lists several key collections. The Mason County Auditor has marriage records from 1892, death records from 1891 through 1906, and land records from the 1850s. The County Clerk holds divorce, probate, and court records. For online research, the site lists the Mason County Auditor Death Records from 1891 to 1905 at the Washington State Archives with both index and images. It also lists the Mason County Death and Funeral Cards from 1890 through 1931, which include funeral home records with additional detail not found in standard death certificates.

The Washington State Archives Digital Archives also holds the Mason County Auditor Miscellaneous Recordings collection from 1985 to the present. That collection at TitleInfo/59 includes 43,041 items covering document types such as birth certificates, death certificates, wills, and name changes. The collection is open for research and is updated periodically as the Mason County Auditor transfers new documents. For best results, search by the name of the grantor or grantee, or by year. Related records inquiries can go to the Washington State Archives Southwest Region Branch at (360) 753-1684 or swbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov.

The Mason County Auditor's Office Recording Department at 411 N. 5th Street in Shelton holds historical auditor records including marriage licenses and pre-1907 death registers. The Mason County Auditor recording page describes the office's role as county recorder and its responsibilities for maintaining permanent historical documents. Marriage licenses recorded here can also confirm spousal relationships when used alongside obituary research. The office also records veterans' DD214 forms at no charge.

The Mason County Auditor's recording office maintains historical documents including pre-1907 death records, marriage licenses, and other records that support obituary and genealogy research.

Ordering Mason County Death Certificates

Certified Mason County death certificates are available three ways: in person or online through Mason County Public Health, by mail through the Washington State Department of Health, or online or by phone through VitalChek. The Washington State Department of Health death records page explains all three methods, the required documentation, and which types of certificates the state issues.

The state offers long form certificates (with cause of death and social security number), short form certificates (without cause of death, for probate and title transfers), and noncertified informational copies (without legal certification, for genealogy use). Qualified applicants for certified copies must provide valid government identification and documentation proving their qualifying relationship to the deceased. Fees start at $25 per copy and are nonrefundable. Mail orders take 8 to 10 weeks; VitalChek online or phone orders take 3 to 7 business days. The city or county of death for Mason County residents is typically Shelton or another local community, and that information should be included in your order request.

Under RCW 70.58A, certified copies are restricted to people with a qualifying relationship to the deceased. For use outside the United States, certified copies may need an apostille from the Secretary of State. Noncertified informational copies do not meet standards for legal purposes abroad. The Consumer Resource Center handles order questions at 206-464-6684 or 800-551-4636, open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Genealogy Resources for Mason County Deaths

Several strong tools are available for Mason County genealogy research. FamilySearch offers Washington County Death Registers from 1881 through 1979 and Washington Death Certificates from 1907 through 1960, both of which include Mason County. These are free with a FamilySearch account. The Labor and Industries Fatal Accident Cards from 1915 through 1928 may also document workplace deaths in Mason County, which had a strong timber industry through the early 20th century.

The Washington State Library vital records LibGuide lists the Register of Deaths for Mason County on microfilm (GEN MICRO 979.797 DEATH 1894-1905), covering January 8, 1894 through November 25, 1905. This microfilm is available at the Washington State Library in Olympia. The guide explains that Washington death records prior to July 1, 1907 are held by the county auditor, and after that date by the Washington State Department of Health. The State Library also holds the Washington State Death Index for July 1, 1907 through 2004 on microfilm, and lookup requests can be submitted via the Ask-A-Librarian page with a date range.

For probate records, which often name decedents and list heirs, the Mason County Superior Court Clerk's Office holds filings going back to the county's early years. Local newspapers from Shelton and surrounding communities published obituaries and death notices over many decades, and the Mason County Historical Society may have collected clippings and other materials not found in official records. The Southwest Region Branch of the Washington State Archives handles Mason County original records.

Cities in Mason County

Mason County communities include Shelton, Belfair, Allyn, and Union. No cities in Mason County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

Mason County borders several other Washington counties on the Olympic and Puget Sound side of the state. Each has its own vital records system and health department.