How to get a Washington death certificate

In Washington, order a certified death certificate from the Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics.¹ Local health jurisdictions (local registrars) also issue certified death copies from the central system.² Each certified copy costs $25². You can order online, by mail, at a local office or by phone. Only the people the state lists below can order a certified copy. The fastest published option is at a local office: same day³.

Last checked November 6, 2026 against official sources.

On this page

Ways to order
What a Washington death certificate costs
How long it takes
Who can order a Washington death certificate
ID you need
What the application asks for
Forms
Years held and older records
Special situations
Warnings from the office
The state office
Questions people ask
Sources

Ways to order

How	Cost per copy	Processing time	Payment
Online through VitalChek	$40.50³ for one copy ($25³ certificate fee, $8.50³ VitalChek fee and $7³ DOH processing fee)	3 to 7 business days³	Card³
By mail	$25⁴ + one extra charge	–	Check and money order⁴
At a local office	$25²	Same day³	–
By phone	$40.50³ for one copy ($25³ certificate fee, $8.50³ VitalChek fee and $7³ DOH processing fee)	3 to 7 business days³	Card³

Not offered: online directly with the vital records office and in person.⁵⁶

Online through VitalChek

Vendor: VitalChek⁵
Vendor status: The state's only authorized vendor¹
Fees: Per copy $25³
VitalChek fee $8.50³
DOH processing fee $7³
Total charged $3³
First copy $40.50³
Processing time: 3 to 7 business days³
Payment: Card³

Good to know

To get an apostille together with the certificate order, order by phone (VitalChek) or by mail, not online.⁷

Go to the ordering site¹

By mail

Run by: Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics⁴
Fees: Per copy $25⁴
First Class Mail (No additional charge) $0⁴
Payment: Check and money order⁴
Make payable to: DOH⁴
Mail to: Center for Health Statistics, Department of Health, PO Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507
¹

Open the application or mail instructions⁴

At a local office

Run by: Local health jurisdictions (county/district health departments)³
Fees: Per copy $25²
Processing time: Same day³

Good to know

Local service fees vary by health jurisdiction.⁵

Find a local office⁸

By phone

Run by: VitalChek⁵
Vendor status: The state's only authorized vendor¹
Fees: Per copy $25³
VitalChek fee $8.50³
DOH processing fee $7³
Total charged $3³
First copy $40.50³
Processing time: 3 to 7 business days³
Payment: Card³
Phone: 866-687-1464³

What a Washington death certificate costs

First certified copy: $25²
Each additional copy, same order: $25⁴
Expedite fee: $7⁹
If no record is found: The fee is kept as a search fee⁴
Fees in effect since: Law: 2019 c 148 (chapter 70.58A RCW); Effective: Jan. 1, 2021²

Types of copies

Copy	Accepted for	Fee
Long form death certificate¹⁰	Contains cause and manner of death and the decedent's SSN; e.g. closing bank accounts, life insurance claims.¹⁰	$25⁴
Short form death certificate¹⁰	No cause/manner of death or SSN; e.g. vehicle titles, real estate, probate. Only for deaths registered electronically from January 1, 2018.⁴	$25⁴
Noncertified informational copy of a death record¹⁰	Not for legal purposes; same content as the short form (no cause of death or SSN).¹⁰	$25¹¹
Written notice of no record found⁹	–	$25²

No-fee copies

Veterans Administration claim: no fee for a vital record used for a claim for compensation or pension pending before the VA (official VA documentation required).¹²
Death of a sex offender, for a law enforcement agency's registered sex offender database.¹²
Death of any offender, requested by a Washington county clerk or court to extinguish legal financial obligations.¹²

How long it takes

These are the office's own published times. They do not include shipping. Mail and shipping time is extra unless the office says otherwise.

How you order	Processing time
Online through VitalChek	3 to 7 business days³
At a local office	Same day³
By phone	3 to 7 business days³

Who can order a Washington death certificate

The state names these people and bodies as able to order a certified copy. Each line gives the official wording.

Spouse²
Domestic partner²
Child²
Parent²
Stepparent²
Stepchild²
Sibling²
Grandparent²
Great grandparent²
Grandchild²
Great grandchild²
Legal guardian immediately prior to death²
Legal representative (licensed attorney)²
Authorized representative (notarized form DOH 422-186 or power of attorney)²
Next of kin as specified in RCW 11.28.120 (DOH forms: only if no one else from the list is living)²
Proof for each of the 15 lines above: Copies of vital records linking you to the decedent, certified court orders, title insurer letter (short form only), or agency/court letter for official duties.⁴
Funeral director/establishment or person with right to control disposition named on the record, within 12 months of death²
Government agency or court (official duties only)²
Title insurer or title insurance agent (short form only)²
Person who demonstrates necessity for a determination related to the death or protection of a personal/property right (short form only)²

Other kinds of copies

Informational copy Anyone (noncertified informational copy only; same content as short form)¹⁰

Records open to the public after: 25 years²
Cause of death: Restricted on some copies²
Social Security number on the copy: SSN appears on the long form only; not on the short form or informational copy.⁴

ID you need

Photo ID: Required⁹
Accepted ID: Washington State enhanced driver's license (EDL), driver's license (DL), permit, or identification (ID) card
Out-of-state enhanced driver's license (EDL) or REAL ID license, driver's license (DL) or identification (ID) card
U.S. passport or card
Consulate card
Foreign passport, driver's license, or ID card
Permanent resident card
Tribal membership or enrollment ID card from a federally recognized Indian tribe
U.S. Immigration or naturalization papers
U.S. Armed Services ID card
U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs ID card
U.S. Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service ID
I-571 U.S. Refugee Travel Document
US alien registration card
I-327 U.S. Permit to Re-Enter Travel Document
I-766 Employment Authorization
NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST border crossing card
U.S. Merchant Mariner's card
U.S. B1/B2 Visa Border Crossing Card (Form DSP-150)¹³
Without that ID: At least two alternate documents (e.g., utility bill dated within 2 months, pay stub no more than 30 days old, Social Security card, vehicle registration) that contain matching first and last names and addresses, or together show full name, date of birth and photograph.¹³
Notarization: Not required⁴
ID copy with a mail order: Include a copy of your ID⁴

What the application asks for

Have these details ready before you fill in the form or start an online order.⁴

First and last name of the decedent
Date of death (month and year)
City or county where the death occurred

Forms

Death Certificate Order Form (DOH 422-184) revision July 2025⁴
Birth/Death Informational Copies Order Form (DOH 422-185) revision November 2025¹¹
Acceptable Proofs of Identity Documentation (DOH 422-177) revision August 2021¹³
Acceptable Proofs of Eligibility Documentation (DOH 422-178) revision April 2026¹⁴

Years held and older records

Years the issuing office holds: July 1, 1907 to today¹⁰
Older records: Before July 1, 1907: county auditors' records, now at the State Archives regional branches.¹⁵

Special situations

If no record is found: If no record is found you get a written no-record notice; the $25 is not refunded.⁹
Military and veterans: Veterans Administration claim: no fee for a vital record used for a claim for compensation or pension pending before the VA (official VA documentation required).¹²
Use abroad: Only certified copies can be apostilled; informational copies cannot.¹⁰ Details

Warnings from the office

VitalChek is DOH's only contracted vendor; other third-party sites charge high fees. Complaints: WA Attorney General Consumer Protection, 206-464-6684.¹

The state office

Office: Center for Health Statistics¹
Phone: 360-236-4300¹
Email: [email protected]¹
Mailing address: Center for Health Statistics, Department of Health, PO Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507
¹
Walk-in address: Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics Town Center 2, 111 Israel Road SE, Tumwater, WA 98501
¹
Hours: Phone: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.¹
Appointments: Required⁶
Website: Official website¹

Questions people ask

How much is a certified Washington death certificate?

Each certified copy costs $25.²⁴

How long does it take to get a Washington death certificate?

Online through VitalChek: 3 to 7 business days. At a local office: same day. By phone: 3 to 7 business days.³

Can I order a Washington death certificate online?

Yes. Online through VitalChek.⁵

Who do I make the check or money order payable to?

Write it exactly as the office prints it: DOH.⁴

What ID do I need?

The state accepts: Washington State enhanced driver's license (EDL), driver's license (DL), permit, or identification (ID) card; Out-of-state enhanced driver's license (EDL) or REAL ID license, driver's license (DL) or identification (ID) card; U.S. passport or card; Consulate card; Foreign passport, driver's license, or ID card; Permanent resident card; and the other documents listed above.¹³

Where are older Washington death certificates kept?

Before July 1, 1907: county auditors' records, now at the State Archives regional branches.¹⁵

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these official sources, checked on November 6, 2026. Tap a source number next to a fact to read the exact words.

Vital Records | Washington State Department of HealthWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics
Chapter 70.58A RCW Vital Statistics (full text)Washington State Legislature
Ordering a Vital Record | Washington State Department of HealthWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics
Death Certificate Order Form (DOH 422-184, July 2025)Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statisticsdated July 1, 2025
Certificates and Informational Copies FAQ | Washington State Department of HealthWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics
Schedule An Appointment for Vital Records | Washington State Department of HealthWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics
Apostilles | Washington State Department of HealthWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics
Washington State Local Health Jurisdictions | Washington State Department of HealthWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics
Chapter 246-491 WAC Vital statistics - Certificates (full text)Washington State Legislature (Office of the Code Reviser)
Ordering a Death Record | Washington State Department of HealthWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics
Birth/Death Informational Copies Order Form (DOH 422-185, November 2025)Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statisticsdated November 1, 2025
Vital Records No Fee in Specific Circumstances | Washington State Department of HealthWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics
Acceptable Proofs of Identity Documentation (DOH 422-177, August 2021)Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statisticsdated August 1, 2021
Acceptable Proofs of Eligibility Documentation (DOH 422-178, April 2026)Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statisticsdated April 1, 2026
Common Research Subjects - GenealogyWashington State Archives (Office of the Secretary of State)