Washington
Washington Death Records: Are They Public + How to Get One
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited June 14, 2026). · Law checked current as of August 8, 2026. · 6 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Washington is a closed-record state for death certificates. Certified copies go only to qualified applicants: the decedent's family, legal representatives, and, for the short form that omits cause of death, title insurers and anyone who shows the copy is needed to protect a right connected to the death. Anyone may order a noncertified informational copy, and records become public at the State Archives 25 years after the death.
Are Death Records Public in Washington?
No. Washington is a closed-record state for death certificates. Under RCW 70.58A.540, vital records are exempt from public inspection under the state Public Records Act (Chapter 42.56 RCW).
That means a certified copy is not available to just anyone who asks. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) issues certified copies only to people with a qualifying relationship to the deceased.
There is one form of broad access. Anyone may request a noncertified informational copy of a death record without proving identity or relationship. These copies are marked "informational only" and cannot be used for legal purposes.
Importantly, an informational copy does not show the cause or manner of death. That sensitive detail stays restricted to qualified applicants. For a wider look at how states treat this, see whether cause of death records are public.
Who Can Request a Washington Death Record?
A certified copy of a Washington death certificate is restricted to qualified applicants. RCW 70.58A.530 sets the eligibility list.
Qualified applicants for a certified copy include the decedent's:
Eligible Requesters
- Spouse or registered domestic partner
- Child, parent, stepparent, or stepchild
- Sibling, grandparent, grandchild, great grandparent, or great grandchild
- Legal guardian immediately prior to death
- Legal representative or authorized representative
- Next of kin as defined in RCW 11.28.120
- Government agencies and courts acting in their official capacity
- A funeral director, the licensed funeral establishment, or the person with the right to control disposition of the remains under RCW 68.50.160 who is named on the death record, within 12 months of the date of death
To receive a certified copy, you must provide valid government-issued photo identification and documentation proving your qualifying relationship. You also need the decedent's first and last name, the date or approximate date of death, and the city or county of death.
The short form certification of death, which omits cause and manner of death, reaches further. RCW 70.58A.530(10) adds two categories on top of the list above: a title insurer or title insurance agent handling a transaction involving real property in which the decedent held some right, title, or interest, and any person who demonstrates that the certified copy is necessary for a determination related to the death or the protection of a personal or property right related to the death. That second category is how creditors, insurers, beneficiaries and property claimants outside the family list can still obtain a certified record.
Anyone who meets neither list can still order an informational copy, which requires no proof of identity or relationship.
How to Get a Washington Death Certificate
The Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, issues death certificates for deaths occurring in the state. Local health jurisdictions can also issue records for deaths in their county.
The standard fee is $25 per copy under RCW 70.58A.560. Additional charges may apply depending on the ordering or shipping method you choose.
You can order a Washington death certificate several ways:
- In person through a participating local health department, often with same-day service.
- Online through the state's authorized vendor, VitalChek, typically processed in 3 to 7 business days.
- By phone through VitalChek.
- By mail to the Department of Health, which takes roughly 8 to 10 weeks.
You will choose between a long-form certified copy, which includes the cause and manner of death, and a short-form certified copy, which omits it. Both go only to qualified applicants, but the short form draws on the broader pool described above. Fees, methods, and processing times change, so confirm current details with the Department of Health before ordering.
Is the Cause of Death Public in Washington?
No. The cause and manner of death is the most tightly restricted part of a Washington death record. It appears only on a long-form certified copy issued to a qualified applicant.
Short-form certified copies and noncertified informational copies do not display cause-of-death information. So even though anyone can buy an informational copy, that copy will not reveal how the person died.
This mirrors how Washington handles related medical records. For more on that topic, see whether autopsies are public records. Washington birth certifications are restricted as well, though they are not sealed: RCW 70.58A.530(4) releases them to the subject and to close family, legal guardians and representatives. Birth records transfer to the State Archives 100 years after the birth rather than the 25 years that applies to deaths. For more, see our guide to whether birth certificates are public records.
How Far Back Do Washington Death Records Go?
The Department of Health holds Washington death records from 1907 onward. Records stay under DOH and local-jurisdiction control until they age out into the archives.
Under RCW 70.58A.510, death records transfer to the Washington State Archives 25 years after the date of death. Once transferred, the archives may provide noncertified copies of those records to the public. This is the point at which an older death record effectively becomes a public record for research and genealogy.
For deaths nationwide, there is no single federal death-records database. The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) confirms that death certificates are issued and held by the states, not the federal government. The Social Security Administration maintains a public Death Master File, but under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 it excludes deaths that occurred within the most recent three calendar years.
Washington Death Records: Quick Facts
| Question | Washington Answer |
|---|---|
| Open or closed record? | Closed (RCW 70.58A.540) |
| When do records become public? | 25 years after death, at the State Archives (RCW 70.58A.510) |
| Who can request a certified copy? | Spouse, family, legal representative, next of kin, and other qualified applicants; the short form also reaches title insurers and anyone needing it to protect a right related to the death (RCW 70.58A.530) |
| Cost | $25 per copy (RCW 70.58A.560) |
| Issuing office | Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics |
| Governing statute | Chapter 70.58A RCW |
Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about access to public records in Washington, not legal advice. Rules, fees, and processing times change. Always verify current requirements with the Washington State Department of Health or the State Archives before requesting a record.
Sources
This page is based on Washington statutes and official Department of Health guidance; the full list of government sources is published below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are death records public in Washington?
Not as certified copies. Washington is a closed-record state, and certified death certificates are restricted to qualified applicants under RCW 70.58A.530 and RCW 70.58A.540. Anyone may order a noncertified informational copy, but it omits the cause and manner of death. Records become public at the State Archives 25 years after the death.
How do I get a death certificate in Washington?
Order from the Washington State Department of Health or a local health department in person, online or by phone through VitalChek, or by mail. Certified copies require government-issued photo ID and proof of your qualifying relationship. The fee is $25 per copy.
Who can get a death certificate in Washington?
Qualified applicants under RCW 70.58A.530, including the decedent's spouse or domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, legal guardian, legal or authorized representative, next of kin, and government agencies acting officially. The short form certification reaches further under RCW 70.58A.530(10), adding title insurers and anyone who demonstrates the copy is necessary to protect a personal or property right related to the death. Anyone else can request an informational copy.
How much does a Washington death certificate cost?
The standard fee is $25 per copy under RCW 70.58A.560. Additional charges may apply depending on the ordering or shipping method, such as online or expedited service through VitalChek.
Is the cause of death public in Washington?
No. The cause and manner of death appears only on a long-form certified copy issued to a qualified applicant. Short-form certified copies and informational copies do not display cause-of-death information.
How far back do Washington death records go?
The Department of Health holds death records from 1907 onward. Under RCW 70.58A.510, records transfer to the Washington State Archives 25 years after the death, after which the public can obtain noncertified copies for research and genealogy.
Updates
Corrected who may obtain a Washington death certificate: the short form certification also reaches title insurers and anyone who shows the copy is needed to protect a right related to the death, the 12-month limit and the 'named on the death record' condition were restored to the person controlling disposition of the remains, the description of Washington birth records was corrected (restricted but not sealed, with a 100-year archives transfer), and an incorrect statement about what the State Archives charges the public was removed.
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Revised Code of Washington
§ 70.58A.540Vital records not subject to public disclosure—Exceptions.In force
(1) All or part of any vital records, reports, supporting documentation, vital statistics, data, or information contained therein, including information related to sex designation changes under this chapter, are not subject to public inspection and copying under chapter 42.56 RCW. (2) With the exception of certifications and informational copies issued under RCW 70.58A.530, or unless otherwise authorized by this chapter, all vital records, reports, supporting documentation, vital statistics, data, and information contained therein maintained by the department are confidential and are not subject to state or federal discovery, subpoenas, or other compulsory process.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-03 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
§ 70.58A.530Issuance of certifications and informational copies of vital records.In forcecited in 5 of our articles
(1)(a) A certification issued in accordance with this section is considered for all purposes the same as the original vital record and is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. (b) An informational copy is not considered the same as the original vital record and does not serve as prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. (2) The state and local registrar shall issue all certifications registered in the vital records system from the state's central vital records system database upon submission by a qualified applicant of all required information and documentation required either by this chapter or by rule, or both, and shall ensure that all certifications include: (a) The date of registration; and (b) Security features that deter altering, counterfeiting, or simulation without ready detection as required under this chapter. (3) A person requesting a certification of birth, death, fetal death, or birth resulting in stillbirth must submit an application, identity documentation, evidence of eligibility, and the applicable fee established in RCW 70.58A.560 to the state or local registrar.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-04 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
Also relied on in: Washington Birth Certificate: Fees, Ordering and Who Is Eligible, How to Find a Cause of Death in Washington (2026), How to Get a Washington Death Certificate (2026)
§ 70.58A.510Preservation of vital records—Transfer to state archives.In forcecited in 3 of our articles
(1) The state registrar shall develop and implement a preservation management policy for the vital records system for permanent preservation while in the custody of the state registrar. (2) The state registrar shall transfer the custody of vital records to the state archives in accordance with state archival procedures when: (a) One hundred years have elapsed after the date of live birth or fetal death; (b) Twenty-five years have elapsed after the date of death; and (c) Twenty-five years have elapsed after the date of marriage, divorce, dissolution of marriage, dissolution of domestic partnership, declaration of invalidity of marriage, declaration of invalidity of domestic partnership, or legal separation. (3) The state archives may provide noncertified copies of original vital records in the custody of the state archives, due to a transfer under subsection (2) of this section, to the public.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
§ 70.58A.560Fees for certifications or informational copies of vital records—Exceptions.In force
(1) The department and local registrars shall charge a fee of $25 for a certification or informational copy of a vital record or for a search of the vital records system when no matching record was identified, except as provided in subsection (2) of this section. (2) The department and local registrars may not charge a fee for issuing a certification of: (a) A vital record for use in connection with a claim for compensation or pension pending before the veterans administration; (b) The death of a sex offender, for use by a law enforcement agency in maintaining a registered sex offender database; (c) The death of any offender, requested by a county clerk or court in the state for purposes of extinguishing the offender's legal financial obligation; or (d) The birth of a child, requested by a parent or guardian who has a child who is a member of an assistance unit that is eligible for or receiving basic food benefits under the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program or the state food assistance program and is enrolling the child in an early learning program as defined in *RCW 43.216.010 or a public school as defined in RCW 28A.150.010.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
§ 68.50.160Right to control disposition of remains—Liability of funeral establishment or cemetery authority—Liability for cost.In force
(1) A person has the right to control the disposition of his or her own remains without the predeath or postdeath consent of another person. A valid written document expressing the decedent's wishes regarding the place or method of disposition of his or her remains, signed by the decedent in the presence of a witness, is sufficient legal authorization for the procedures to be accomplished. (2) Prearrangements that are prepaid, or filed with a licensed funeral establishment or cemetery authority, under RCW 18.39.280 through 18.39.345 and chapter 68.46 RCW are not subject to cancellation or substantial revision by survivors. Absent actual knowledge of contrary legal authorization under this section, a licensed funeral establishment or cemetery authority may not be held criminally nor civilly liable for acting upon such prearrangements.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
Cited in 19 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Lee v. Jasman (Court of Appeals of Washington 2014, 183 Wash. App. 27)“…right to control the disposition of the human remains under RCW 68.50.160 [(coroner)] shall file the certificate…”
- Whitney v. Cervantes (Court of Appeals of Washington 2014, 182 Wash. App. 64)“…y arose out of common law, it is now codified by statute in RCW 68.50.160. 3 A person has the right to control t…”
- Braun v. Selig (Court of Appeals of Washington 2016, 194 Wash. App. 42)“…or the cost of disposition of human remains is set forth in RCW 68.50.160. (1)A person has the right to control…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 11.28.120Persons entitled to letters.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
(1) Administration of an estate if the decedent died intestate or if the personal representative or representatives named in the will declined or were unable to serve shall be granted to some one or more of the persons hereinafter mentioned, and they shall be respectively entitled in the following order: (a) The surviving spouse or state registered domestic partner, or such person as he or she may request to have appointed[;] (b) The next of kin in the following order: (i) Child or children; (ii) father or mother; (iii) brothers or sisters; (iv) grandchildren; (v) nephews or nieces; (c) The trustee named by the decedent in an inter vivos trust instrument, testamentary trustee named in the will, guardian of the decedent, conservator of the decedent, or an agent named in a durable power of attorney appointed by the decedent, if any such a fiduciary controlled or potentially controlled substantially all of the decedent's probate and nonprobate assets; (d) One or more of the beneficiaries or transferees of the decedent's probate or nonprobate assets; (e)(i) The director of revenue, or the director's designee, for those estates having property subject to the provisions of chapter…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
Cited in 24 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Atchison v. Great Western Malting Co. (Washington Supreme Court 2007, 161 Wash. 2d 372)“…is eligible to be appointed personal *377 representative. RCW 11.28.120 prioritizes the order in which intestat…”
- Harris v. Griffith (Court of Appeals of Washington 2018, 413 P.3d 51)“…state so long as they petition within 40 days of the death. RCW 11.28.120(2), (7). Otherwise, a court may appoint…”
- In re the Estate of Leith (Washington Supreme Court 1953, 42 Wash. 2d 223)“…ight to have it heard. The statute to which they refer is RCW 11.28.120 [cf. Rem. Rev. Stat., § 1431]. Its mate…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Washington Probate and Intestate Succession: What Happens Without a Will (2026)
Sources and References
- Washington State Department of Health, Ordering a Death Record(doh.wa.gov).gov
- RCW 70.58A.530, Issuance of certifications and informational copies of vital records(app.leg.wa.gov).gov
- RCW 70.58A.540, Public records exemption for vital records(app.leg.wa.gov).gov
- RCW 70.58A.510, Preservation and transfer of vital records to the State Archives(app.leg.wa.gov).gov
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Where to Write for Vital Records(cdc.gov).gov
- Social Security Administration, Death Master File(ssa.gov).gov