Search Pierce County Obituary Records

Pierce County obituary and death records are maintained by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Vital Records Office, the Washington State Department of Health, and several online archives going back to 1892. Whether you are searching for a death notice for a Tacoma family member, need a certified copy for an estate, or want to research historical burial records from across the county, this page covers every source available and explains how to use each one.

Tacoma-Pierce County Vital Records Office

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Vital Records Office is the local authority for Pierce County death certificates. The office issues certified copies of all Washington State birth records and all Tacoma-Pierce County death records. It also handles all Washington State death records that were filed electronically. This makes it one of the more comprehensive local offices in the state.

Eligible requestors under Washington State law include the person named on the certificate if age 18 or older, parents, spouse or domestic partner, adult children, legal representatives, and others who can document a direct legal need. Washington became a closed-record state effective January 1, 2021 under RCW 70.58A. Anyone ordering a certified copy must provide valid photo ID and proof of their qualifying relationship to the deceased.

The Pierce County government records page at piercecountywa.gov lists all records available online for the county, including directions to the health department for birth and death certificates. Marriage certificates are handled separately by the Pierce County Auditor's Office rather than the health department.

The screenshot below shows the Pierce County public records directory maintained by the county government.

This page directs residents to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department for all vital records requests including death certificates.

Washington State Digital Archives Death Index

The Washington State Digital Archives Death Certificate Index is free and open to everyone. It covers Pierce County deaths from 1907 through 1960 and from 1965 through 2017, with more than 2.3 million records statewide. Search by name and year to find a specific record. No account needed.

Records from 1907 to 1960 were hand-transcribed by volunteers from original certificates. These older entries often show the cause of death, surviving family members, and burial location. The 1965 to 2017 portion was a data extract from the Department of Health and typically shows name, death date, and county. Images of the actual death certificates are available for deaths up to 25 years ago. For deaths between 1961 and 1964, the index is on microfilm at the Olympia archives only.

If you find a record and need a certified copy, contact the Pierce County Vital Records Office at 253-798-6410 or the Washington Department of Health Center for Health Statistics at (360) 236-4313 or (360) 236-4312.

The VitalChek page for Pierce County is a direct link to order copies through the state-approved vendor.

The Pierce County VitalChek page lets you order certified death certificates online with expedited processing starting at $40.50.

Pierce County Historical Death Records

The Washington State Archives Digital Archives holds the Pierce County Auditor Death Records collection covering 1892 through 1907. That collection, described in the Digital Archives listing, contains 7,918 records. It includes both death return forms from the early 1890s and Certificate of Death forms from later years. A small number of Transportation of Corpse Certificates are also in the collection. The entire set is indexed and searchable online for free.

When using the pre-1907 Pierce County collection, you get the best results by searching with the last name alone or the first letter of the last name rather than the full name. The older records may have spelling variations. The Washington State Archives Puget Sound Regional Branch at (425) 564-3940 or psbrancharchives@sos.wa.gov can assist with questions about the collection.

FamilySearch has Washington County Death Registers from 1881 through 1979 with index and images, and Washington Death Certificates from 1907 through 1960 as a searchable index. Both are free with a FamilySearch account and cover Pierce County in full.

Pierce County Public Records Directory

The Pierce County public records directory provides a concise overview of where to access vital records in the county. It notes that birth and death certificates are held jointly by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and the Washington State Department of Health. The directory also covers property records, court records, accident reports, and other document types maintained by various county offices.

This public records directory for Pierce County lists the key offices and methods for requesting vital records including death certificates.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department also provides death certificate ordering through VitalChek on an expedited basis. Available products include long form death certificates (with cause of death and social security number), short form death certificates (basic information), noncertified informational copies, and fetal death certificates. The Washington State DOH death record ordering page covers the full process.

Note: If a Pierce County death occurred more than three months ago and the local office no longer has the certificate, you apply directly to the state Department of Health rather than the county office.

Ordering Pierce County Death Certificates

Three methods are available for ordering a certified death certificate for a Pierce County death. In person at the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is the fastest. That office is at 3629 South D Street in Tacoma and processes in-person requests same-day when the record is on file. Bring your photo ID and any proof of relationship documents.

Mail requests go to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Vital Records at the same address, or directly to the Washington State Department of Health if the death was more than three months ago. For state mail orders, send to P.O. Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507-9709 and make checks payable to the Department of Health. The fee is $25 for the first copy and $20 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Mail processing takes 1 to 2 weeks from the county office and 8 to 10 weeks from the state.

Online and phone orders go through VitalChek, which starts at $40.50 per certificate. There is an optional $3.00 identity authentication fee. Processing is typically 3 to 7 business days. VitalChek is the only state-approved third-party vendor. Any other company offering to process your order will charge additional fees beyond the state rate.

Washington State law under RCW 70.58A.200 requires death certificates to be filed and governs who can request certified copies. Qualified applicants must provide identity documentation and proof of eligibility. Fees are nonrefundable once submitted. Informational copies that are not certified are available for genealogy use but cannot be used in legal or insurance proceedings.

Genealogy Resources for Pierce County Deaths

Researchers have several strong tools for tracing Pierce County family history. The Washington State Digital Archives is the main free online resource. It holds the pre-1907 Pierce County Auditor Death Records, the statewide death index from 1907 through 2017, and images of death certificates up to 25 years old. All are searchable at no cost.

The Washington State Library maintains a statewide death index on microfilm from July 1, 1907, through 2004. The Library's Vital Records LibGuide explains the microfilm holdings and how to submit a specific lookup request through Ask-A-Librarian. That service returns results by name and date range from the microfilm collection.

FamilySearch covers Pierce County through Washington County Death Registers from 1881 to 1979 and Washington Death Certificates from 1907 to 1960. Both collections are free and indexed. Pierce County community members who died in Tacoma, Puyallup, Lakewood, or other parts of the county should all be in these statewide collections.

Local newspapers including the Tacoma News Tribune have published obituaries for Pierce County residents for well over a century. The Tacoma Public Library holds a significant run of local newspaper archives. The Pierce County Library system also has resources for genealogical research and local history.

Note: Cities in Pierce County including Tacoma, Lakewood, Puyallup, Frederickson, Graham, Parkland, South Hill, University Place, and Spanaway do not yet have dedicated city pages on this site. Death records for residents of those communities are handled through the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

Cities in Pierce County

Pierce County includes Tacoma, Lakewood, Puyallup, Frederickson, Graham, Parkland, South Hill, University Place, and Spanaway among its larger communities. Death records for all of these communities are handled through the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Vital Records Office. No Pierce County cities currently have dedicated city pages on this site.

Nearby Counties

Pierce County borders several other Puget Sound area counties. Each has its own vital records system and courthouse resources.