Spokane County Obituary Records

Spokane County obituary and death records cover deaths from the county's earliest registration years through the present and are available through the Spokane Regional Health District, the Washington State Department of Health, and several free online archives. The county contains Spokane, the state's second largest city, along with Spokane Valley and Orchards, and has been keeping death records since the late 1800s. This guide explains where to find records, what each source contains, and how to order certified copies when you need them.

Spokane County Vital Records Office

Certified death certificates for Spokane County deaths are issued by the Spokane Regional Health District and by the Washington State Department of Health. The Spokane Regional Health District may offer same-day in-person service for a fee, which is often faster than ordering by mail or through the state office. The Washington State Department of Health vital records page covers all three ordering methods: in person at a local health district, by mail to the state office, and online through VitalChek.

Spokane County was created in 1858 from Walla Walla County and re-established in 1879. The county courthouse was completed in 1895. The County Auditor has birth and death records from 1890 through 1907, plus marriage records from 1890. The County Clerk holds divorce, probate, and court records. For any death before July 1, 1907, the auditor records and the Washington State Digital Archives are your primary sources.

Washington's closed-records law under RCW 70.58A has been in effect since January 1, 2021. Certified copies are restricted to individuals with a direct and tangible interest in the record. Anyone else can request a noncertified informational copy, which is suitable for genealogy research but cannot be used for legal or administrative purposes.

Washington State Digital Archives Death Index

The Washington State Digital Archives Death Certificate Index is a free resource that covers deaths statewide from 1907 through 1960 and from 1965 through 2017. For Spokane County, this index is an important tool because the county had a large and active population throughout most of that period. The full index contains more than 2.3 million records. Searches cost nothing and are open to anyone.

Records in the 1907 to 1960 portion were transcribed by volunteers and include cause of death, surviving relatives, place of burial, and other details not always captured in later records. The 1965 to 2017 portion was supplied by the Department of Health and contains basic identifying facts. Certificate images are available for deaths that occurred more than 25 years ago. If you locate a record and need a certified copy, call (360) 236-4313 or (360) 236-4312.

The Digital Archives also holds the Spokane County Auditor Death Returns from 1888 through 1907 and the Spokane County Auditor Death Register from 1891 through 1907, both as index and image collections. These are the primary sources for any Spokane County death before the state took over registration on July 1, 1907.

The Washington State Digital Archives holds Spokane County death records from 1888 onward, including pre-state county auditor records and the statewide Department of Health death index covering most of the 20th century.

Spokane County Historical Death Records

The FamilySearch Spokane County Genealogy wiki provides a detailed overview of the records available for genealogical research in the county. The County Auditor's death records from 1890 through 1907 and the Spokane County Death Returns from 1888 are held at the Washington State Digital Archives as both index and image collections. These are essential for any family that lived in Spokane County before 1907.

FamilySearch holds Washington County Death Registers from 1881 through 1979 and Washington Death Certificates from 1907 through 1960 as free searchable collections. Both can be accessed with a FamilySearch account. For Spokane County, the pre-1907 records in particular fill a gap between the county's settlement era and the start of statewide death registration. The Spokane County Courthouse holds land records, probate records, and court records going back to the 1880s.

The Washington State Library vital records LibGuide explains that before July 1, 1907, counties were responsible for collecting death records in registers or on single-sheet returns. Those early records for Spokane County have been microfilmed and are at the Washington State Library. Patrons can submit lookup requests through the Ask-A-Librarian service to have staff search specific records.

Spokane Library and Recorder Resources

The Spokane Public Library serves Spokane city and county residents and holds an extensive collection of local history and genealogy materials. The library has indexed obituaries from the Spokesman-Review, which is the primary daily newspaper serving the Spokane area. Researchers can contact the library's reference desk for help locating death notices and obituaries for Spokane County residents. The Spokesman-Review's obituary archive goes back many decades and is one of the most detailed sources for biographical information about county residents.

The Spokane County Recorder's web portal provides access to official county land and document records. While the recorder does not issue death certificates, the office holds probate and estate documents that can reference death dates and heir information for Spokane County decedents. These records are useful when a death certificate is unavailable or when you need to corroborate information from other sources.

The Spokane County Library District serves Spokane Valley and other unincorporated areas of the county. The Spokane County Library District provides access to genealogy databases and can help researchers find obituary clippings and death notices from community newspapers serving areas like Spokane Valley, Orchards, and the county's smaller communities.

The Washington State Department of Health vital records page is the main portal for ordering certified Spokane County death certificates online, by phone, or by mail through the state's Center for Health Statistics.

This page covers all ordering methods, eligibility requirements, and current fee schedules for certified and informational copies of Washington death records.

Ordering Spokane County Death Certificates

Certified death certificates for Spokane County deaths can be ordered in person at the Spokane Regional Health District, by mail to the state office in Olympia, or online through VitalChek. In-person service at the local health district may allow same-day processing for a small additional fee. For all other methods, the fee starts at $25 per certificate by mail and $40.50 per certificate through VitalChek.

Mail requests go to Washington Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, P.O. Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507-9709. Processing takes 8 to 10 weeks after payment is received. Online and phone orders through VitalChek typically ship within 3 to 7 business days. VitalChek is the only state-contracted third-party vendor for Washington vital records; any other company charging to help you apply is not authorized and may add extra fees on top of the state cost.

The state death record ordering page explains what documentation you need to provide. Required information includes the decedent's full name, approximate date of death, and city or county of death. You also need proof of your identity and your qualifying relationship to the deceased. For help, the Consumer Resource Center is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at 206-464-6684.

Genealogy Resources for Spokane County Deaths

Several free and low-cost resources support genealogical research for Spokane County deaths. The Washington State Library holds the Washington State Death Index from July 1, 1907 through 2004 on microfiche and microfilm. The vital records LibGuide explains how to use those materials and submit lookup requests through the Ask-A-Librarian service.

The CDC's Where to Write for Vital Records page for Washington confirms key contact information for the state vital records office and describes what to include in a request. This is a useful quick reference when preparing a mail order for a Spokane County death certificate.

FamilySearch provides free access to the Spokane County Auditor Death Returns from 1888 through 1907 and Washington Death Certificates from 1907 through 1960 through its Washington collections. These can often be found faster than ordering from the state office, especially when you only need the death date and do not need a certified document. The Spokesman-Review obituary archive, accessible through Genealogy Bank and the Spokane Public Library, is the best source for newspaper death notices and the biographical detail they include.

Cities in Spokane County

Spokane County includes the city of Spokane, Spokane Valley, and Orchards, along with several smaller communities. City pages for Spokane County communities are not currently available on this site.

Nearby Counties

Spokane County borders several other eastern Washington counties. Each has its own vital records system and courthouse.