How to Get a Death Certificate in Washington State

Getting a death certificate is one of the first practical steps after a death in Washington, and the details of who issues it and what it costs are specific to Washington.

Who issues death certificates in Washington?

Certified copies come from the Washington State Department of Health’s Center for Health Statistics in Olympia, which holds death records from July 1, 1907, and the local county health departments. In practice, the funeral home usually files the certificate and orders an initial batch of certified copies for you.

How much does a certified copy cost in Washington?

Fees start at $25 per certified certificate (long form or short form), and each is non-refundable. County offices may add their own charges: Clallam County, for example, charges $25 per copy plus $5 to mail each address, or $10 more to expedite. Certificates are available at no fee in specific circumstances.

Who can order a copy in Washington?

Only qualified applicants can get a certified copy, and they must prove their eligibility. The state’s list includes people with a close relationship to the person who died, funeral directors and other agents within a limited time after the death, government agencies, and people who need the short form for personal or property rights. Anyone can order a noncertified informational copy, which can’t be used for legal purposes.

How do I order more copies in Washington?

• At a county health department: many county offices issue certified copies. Clallam County, for example, issues them for deaths from June 2014 on, and other counties offer different services, so check yours.
• By mail to the state: Center for Health Statistics, Department of Health, Olympia, WA 98507, with a check or money order payable to Department of Health. Phone (360) 236-4300.
• Online or by phone: through the state’s ordering service, which adds a fee depending on the order method.

What else should I know before I order?

The short form leaves off the cause and manner of death and the Social Security number. You need the long form if an institution asks for the cause of death.

What should I do next?

Confirm with the funeral home how many copies it is ordering for you, then decide how many more you need; see how many death certificates you need in Washington and our general guide to death certificates.

Add this to your Final Day Plan: your Social Security number, birthplace, and parents’ full names - the death certificate application asks for these, and they’re often surprisingly hard for a family to track down under pressure.

Fees and rules change - confirm current details with the Washington State Department of Health or your county health department before you send payment.