Washington
Are Autopsy Reports Public in Washington? (2026)
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited June 14, 2026). · Law checked current as of August 9, 2026. · 4 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Washington autopsy reports are not open public records. Under RCW 68.50.105, autopsy and post mortem reports are confidential and may be released only to a defined group, including the decedent's personal representative, any family member, the attending physician, the prosecuting attorney, law enforcement, and public health officials. The general public cannot obtain them. One narrow exception in the same statute lets a coroner or medical examiner publicly discuss findings when an officer's actions were a proximate cause of the death.
Are Autopsy Reports Public in Washington?
No. Washington autopsy reports are confidential and are not open public records. RCW 68.50.105 states that reports and records of autopsies or post mortems are confidential, with access limited to a specific list of people.
This is different from many records held by government agencies. Even though the medical examiner or coroner is a public office, the autopsy report itself is shielded from general public disclosure.
If you are a member of the public with no statutory connection to the decedent, you will not be able to obtain the full autopsy or toxicology report. The cause and manner of death may still appear on the death certificate, which has its own access rules.
For the broader national picture, see Are Autopsies Public Records?.
Who Performs Autopsies in Washington?
Washington uses a mixed death-investigation system that varies by county. Some counties have a medical examiner, and others have an elected coroner. A handful of small counties assign these duties to the prosecuting attorney.
The state's most populous counties use medical examiners. King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Spokane counties each operate a medical examiner's office staffed by certified forensic pathologists. Many smaller counties elect a coroner instead.
An autopsy is not performed in every death. Under Washington law, the coroner or medical examiner has jurisdiction over deaths that are sudden, violent, suspicious, or unexplained. This includes deaths from drowning, hanging, electrocution, or other specific mechanisms, deaths in custody, deaths of otherwise healthy people who had no recent medical care, and deaths involving unknown identity.
When a case falls under that jurisdiction, the office decides whether a full autopsy, an external examination, or toxicology testing is warranted. Statewide, only a fraction of all deaths are autopsied.
Who Can Request a Washington Autopsy Report?
Access to a Washington autopsy report is limited to the people named in RCW 68.50.105. The statute lists who may examine and obtain copies of the report.
The authorized requesters are:
- The personal representative of the decedent, as defined in RCW 11.02.005
- Any family member (spouse, registered domestic partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or guardian at time of death)
- The attending physician or advanced registered nurse practitioner
- The prosecuting attorney or law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction
- Public health officials
- The Department of Labor and Industries in cases where it has an interest under RCW 68.50.103 (industrial deaths)
- The secretary of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families or a designee, in cases being reviewed under RCW 74.13.640
- The secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services or a designee, under chapter 74.34 RCW (vulnerable adults)
The same statute also lets the coroner, medical examiner, or attending physician meet with the family on request to discuss the autopsy findings.
Chapter 68.50 RCW sets no separate rule for autopsy photographs. Images are part of the records of the autopsy and fall under the same confidentiality rule, which means the same authorized requesters may obtain them. King County, for example, offers a photo CD for $50.00 on the same request form as the report.
Officer-Involved and In-Custody Deaths
RCW 68.50.105(2)(a) carves out one exception. Notwithstanding the confidentiality rule in that section and the investigative-records exemption in RCW 42.56.240(1), a coroner, medical examiner, or designee may publicly discuss findings on any death within that office's jurisdiction where the actions of a law enforcement officer or corrections officer have been determined to be a proximate cause of the death.
Read the exception carefully. It permits public discussion of the findings, not release of the report itself. The confidential record still goes only to the people listed above.
One limit applies. Under subsection (2)(b), the official may not discuss findings outside formal court or inquest proceedings if a pending or active criminal investigation, or a criminal or civil action, concerning the death commenced before January 1, 2014.
How to Get an Autopsy or Toxicology Report in Washington
Request the report directly from the county office that investigated the death. The exact process depends on whether that county has a medical examiner or a coroner, but the steps are similar across offices.
Using King County's medical examiner as a model, the process looks like this:
- Confirm you are an authorized requester, typically a family member of the deceased.
- Complete the office's records request form.
- Email the form together with a copy of your legal photo identification to the office's records address.
- Wait for the office to verify the records and confirm your identity, then pay through the secure link they send.
Fees are modest. King County charges about $50 for the autopsy report and $20 for the investigator report, with small payment-processing surcharges. Other counties set their own fees, so check the specific office.
Processing time varies with case status. King County releases a completed case in 3 to 5 business days, while a current case can take 4 to 6 months. Toxicology results often lag the autopsy report because lab testing takes additional weeks.
The proceedings of an inquest are open to the public, but the underlying autopsy report is not. Nothing in RCW 68.50.105 puts an end date on that confidentiality: closing the investigation or concluding the inquest does not open the report to the general public. Case status changes how quickly an authorized requester is served, not who may be served.
Autopsy Report vs Death Certificate in Washington
The autopsy report and the death certificate are two separate documents. They serve different purposes and follow different access rules.
The death certificate is the official legal record of death. It lists the cause and manner of death in a short, standardized format and is used to settle estates, claim benefits, and close accounts. Washington restricts certified copies to qualified applicants but treats the certificate as a vital record.
The autopsy report is the forensic pathologist's detailed findings. It can run many pages and includes examination notes, diagnoses, and toxicology results. It is confidential under RCW 68.50.105 and is far more limited in who can obtain it.
In short, the death certificate gives you the conclusion on cause of death, while the autopsy report gives you the underlying evidence, and only a narrow group can access that detail. For certificate access, start with Washington Death Records.
| Item | Washington |
|---|---|
| Autopsy report public? | No, confidential under RCW 68.50.105 |
| Who can request | Family member, personal representative, attending physician or advanced registered nurse practitioner, prosecutor, law enforcement, public health officials, Labor and Industries, plus the DCYF and DSHS secretaries in specific case types |
| Death-investigation system | Mixed: medical examiners in large counties, coroners in many smaller counties |
| Where to request | County medical examiner or coroner office that investigated the death |
| Typical fee (King County) | About $50 autopsy report, $20 investigator report |
| Open-case access | Restricted to authorized requesters; confidentiality does not end when the case closes |
| Officer-involved deaths | Coroner or medical examiner may publicly discuss findings under RCW 68.50.105(2)(a) |
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Washington death investigation records and is not legal advice. Access rules, fees, and forms vary by county and can change. Verify current requirements with the specific medical examiner or coroner office before relying on this information.
Sources
This page draws on the Revised Code of Washington (RCW 68.50.105 and Chapter 68.50 RCW) and the King County Medical Examiner's Office records request guidance; verify current details with the county office that holds the record. UP to Washington Death Records and the hub Death Records by State.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are autopsy reports public record in Washington?
No. Under RCW 68.50.105, Washington autopsy and post mortem reports are confidential. They are not open public records and are released only to a defined group such as family members, the personal representative, the attending physician, law enforcement, the prosecuting attorney, and public health officials. A narrow exception in subsection (2)(a) lets a coroner or medical examiner publicly discuss findings in a death an officer's actions caused.
How do I get an autopsy report in Washington?
Contact the medical examiner or coroner office in the county where the death was investigated. You typically complete a records request form, submit a copy of your photo ID, confirm you are an authorized requester, and pay the office's fee once the records are verified.
Who can request an autopsy report in Washington?
RCW 68.50.105 limits access to the decedent's personal representative, any family member, the attending physician or advanced registered nurse practitioner, the prosecuting attorney, law enforcement with jurisdiction, public health officials, the Department of Labor and Industries in industrial-death cases under RCW 68.50.103, the secretary of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families or a designee in cases reviewed under RCW 74.13.640, and the secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services or a designee under chapter 74.34 RCW.
How much does a Washington autopsy report cost?
Fees vary by county. King County charges about $50 for the autopsy report and $20 for the investigator report, plus a small payment-processing surcharge. Other counties set their own fees, so confirm the amount with the specific office.
Can I get an autopsy report while the case is open?
Yes, if you are an authorized requester, though it takes longer. King County notes that current cases can take 4 to 6 months while completed cases take 3 to 5 business days. Case status affects timing, not eligibility: the report stays confidential to that same statutory group after the case closes.
Can a Washington medical examiner talk publicly about a death caused by police?
Yes. RCW 68.50.105(2)(a) lets a coroner, medical examiner, or designee publicly discuss findings on a death where a law enforcement or corrections officer's actions were determined to be a proximate cause. That covers discussing the findings, not releasing the report. Subsection (2)(b) bars discussion outside formal court or inquest proceedings where a criminal investigation or a criminal or civil action about the death began before January 1, 2014.
Is an autopsy report the same as a death certificate?
No. The death certificate is the official vital record listing the cause and manner of death in a short format. The autopsy report is the forensic pathologist's detailed confidential findings under RCW 68.50.105, with much narrower access.
Updates
Added the RCW 68.50.105(2)(a) exception allowing a coroner or medical examiner to publicly discuss findings in officer-involved deaths, completed the statutory list of authorized requesters, corrected the implication that confidentiality ends when a case closes, and removed an unsupported claim about autopsy photographs.
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
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
§ 68.50.105Autopsies, postmortems—Reports and records confidential—Exceptions. (Effective until June 30, 2027.)In forcecited in 3 of our articles
(1) Reports and records of autopsies or postmortems shall be confidential, except that the following persons may examine and obtain copies of any such report or record: The personal representative of the decedent as defined in RCW 11.02.005, any family member, the attending physician or *advanced registered nurse practitioner, the prosecuting attorney or law enforcement agencies having jurisdiction, public health officials, the department of labor and industries in cases in which it has an interest under RCW 68.50.103, the secretary of the department of children, youth, and families or his or her designee in cases being reviewed under RCW 74.13.640, or the secretary of the department of social and health services or his or her designee under chapter 74.34 RCW.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-03 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
Cited in 16 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2019
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Washington courts give RCW 68.50.105 substantive force. Reid v. Pierce County (1998) relied on it in holding relatives of a decedent have a protectable privacy interest in autopsy records, and Comaroto v. Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office (2002) held a suicide note in a post mortem report exempt from disclosure.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Reid v. Pierce County (Washington Supreme Court 1998, 136 Wash. 2d 195)✓Medical examiner employees kept autopsy photos of the plaintiffs' dead relatives and showed them at parties and in scrapbooks. Citing RCW 68.50.105's confidentiality mandate as public policy, the court held immediate relatives have a protectable privacy interest.
- Zueger v. Public Hospital District No. 2 (Court of Appeals of Washington 1990, 57 Wash. App. 584)✓A widower suing over his wife's death argued RCW 68.50.105 barred the hospital pathologist from testifying about her autopsy. The court held the statute makes autopsy reports confidential but not privileged, so the trial court properly admitted the pathologist's testimony.
- Thompson v. Wilson (Court of Appeals of Washington 2008, 142 Wash. App. 803)✓A mother who spent years seeking an explanation of the coroner's ruling that her daughter died by suicide sued him. The court held RCW 68.50.105 makes that meeting with the family mandatory on request, allowed mandamus to compel it, and tolled the deadline.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Are Autopsies Public Records? Vital Records Explained, How to Find a Cause of Death in Washington (2026)
§ 11.02.005Definitions and use of terms.In force
When used in this title, unless otherwise required from the context: (1) "Administrator" means a personal representative of the estate of a decedent and the term may be used in lieu of "personal representative" wherever required by context. (2) "Codicil" means a will that modifies or partially revokes an existing earlier will. A codicil need not refer to or be attached to the earlier will. (3) "Degree of kinship" means the degree of kinship as computed according to the rules of the civil law; that is, by counting upward from the intestate to the nearest common ancestor and then downward to the relative, the degree of kinship being the sum of these two counts. (4) "Electronic" means relating to technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities. (5) "Electronic presence" means the relationship of two or more individuals in different locations communicating in real time to the same extent as if the individuals were physically present in the same location. (6) "Electronic will" means a will or codicil executed in compliance with RCW 11.12.400 through 11.12.491.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
Cited in 59 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- In Re Estates of Donnelly (Washington Supreme Court 1972, 81 Wash. 2d 430)“…udes all of the lawful lineal descendants of the ancestor." RCW 11.02.005(4). A descendant is one "who is descend…”
- Manary v. Anderson (Washington Supreme Court 2013, 176 Wash. 2d 342)“…e statutory example identified by the majority under former RCW 11.02.005(15) (2007) does not encompass the inter…”
- Kwiatkowski v. Drews (Court of Appeals of Washington 2008, 142 Wash. App. 463)“…special administrators,” guardians, or limited guardians, RCW 11.02.005(1), must be brought before the court di…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 42.56.240Investigative, law enforcement, and crime victims.In forcecited in 13 of our articles
The following investigative, law enforcement, and crime victim information is exempt from public inspection and copying under this chapter: (1) Specific intelligence information and specific investigative records compiled by investigative, law enforcement, and penology agencies, and state agencies vested with the responsibility to discipline members of any profession, the nondisclosure of which is essential to effective law enforcement or for the protection of any person's right to privacy; (2) Information revealing the identity of persons who are witnesses to or victims of crime or who file complaints with investigative, law enforcement, or penology agencies, other than the commission, if disclosure would endanger any person's life, physical safety, or property. If at the time a complaint is filed the complainant, victim, or witness indicates a desire for disclosure or nondisclosure, such desire shall govern.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-02 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
Cited in 81 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Sargent v. Seattle Police Dept. (2013) held the effective law enforcement exemption in RCW 42.56.240(1) is not categorical once a case goes to a prosecutor, nor for internal investigation files; the agency must justify each withheld record. Bainbridge Island Police Guild v. City of Puyallup (2011) exempted only an officer's identity.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Bainbridge Island Police Guild v. City of Puyallup (Washington Supreme Court 2011, 172 Wash. 2d 398)✓Police reports on an unsubstantiated sexual misconduct claim against an officer were withheld in full; the court held Section 42.56.240(1) exempts only the officer's identity, since its privacy analysis is the same, and ordered the rest produced with his name redacted.
- BAINBRIDGE POLICE GUILD v. City of Puyallup (Washington Supreme Court 2011, 259 P.3d 190)✓Police reports on an unsubstantiated sexual misconduct claim against an officer were withheld in full; the court held Section 42.56.240(1) exempts only the officer's identity, since its privacy analysis is the same, and ordered the rest produced with his name redacted.
- Sargent v. Seattle Police Dept. (Washington Supreme Court 2013, 179 Wash. 2d 376)✓Seattle police withheld criminal and internal affairs files from a man arrested after a scuffle with an off-duty officer; the court held Section 42.56.240(1) stops applying categorically once a case reaches a prosecutor and never applies categorically to internal investigations.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Are 911 Calls Public Records? State Access Guide (2026), Washington Laws on Recording Police: Your Rights and Legal Limits (2026), Washington Police Body Camera Laws: Mandate & Access
§ 68.50.103Autopsies in industrial deaths.In force
In an industrial death where the cause of death is unknown, and where the department of labor and industries is concerned, said department in its discretion, may request the coroner in writing to perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The coroner shall be required to promptly perform such autopsy upon receipt of the written request from the department of labor and industries.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
Cited in 9 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2019
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Reid v. Pierce County (Washington Supreme Court 1998, 136 Wash. 2d 195)“…r and industries in cases in which it has an interest under RCW 68.50.103. RCW 68.50.105 (emphasis added). See…”
- Zueger v. Public Hospital District No. 2 (Court of Appeals of Washington 1990, 57 Wash. App. 584)“…r and industries in cases in which it has an interest under RCW 68.50.103. While an autopsy report is conf…”
- Newlon v. Alexander (Court of Appeals of Washington 2012, 167 Wash. App. 195)“…written request of the department of labor and industries. RCW 68.50.103. The statutory scheme's only provisions…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 74.13.640Child fatality reviews.In force
(1)(a) The department shall conduct a child fatality review in the event of a fatality suspected to be caused by child abuse or neglect of any minor who is in the care of the department or receiving services described in this chapter or who has been in the care of the department or received services described in this chapter within one year preceding the minor's death. (b) The department shall consult with the office of the family and children's ombuds to determine if a child fatality review should be conducted in any case in which it cannot be determined whether the child's death is the result of suspected child abuse or neglect. (c) The department shall ensure that the fatality review team is made up of individuals who had no previous involvement in the case, including individuals whose professional expertise is pertinent to the dynamics of the case. (d) Upon conclusion of a child fatality review required pursuant to this section, the department shall within one hundred eighty days following the fatality issue a report on the results of the review, unless an extension has been granted by the governor.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
Cited in 2 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2019
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Keith Dahl v. Gina Fino And Pacific Nw Forensic Pathologists (Court of Appeals of Washington 2019)“…milies or his or her designee in cases being reviewed under RCW 74.13.640. 8 RCW 68.50.105(3) does not cont…”
- Richard Lee, App. v. City Of Seattle, Seattle Police Department, Res. (Court of Appeals of Washington 2018)“…or his or her designee in cases being reviewed under RCW 74.13.640.…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Sources and References
- RCW 68.50.105 - Reports and records of autopsies or post mortems - Confidentiality(app.leg.wa.gov).gov
- Chapter 68.50 RCW - Human Remains(app.leg.wa.gov).gov
- King County Medical Examiner - Records requests (autopsy and investigator reports)(kingcounty.gov).gov
- King County Medical Examiner - Investigations: Guide for family and friends(kingcounty.gov).gov
- King County Medical Examiner - Records Request Form (fee schedule: autopsy and toxicology report $50.00, investigators report $20.00, photo CD $50.00; updated 03/2026)(cdn.kingcounty.gov)
- RCW 42.56.240 - Investigative, law enforcement, and crime victims (exemption referenced in RCW 68.50.105(2)(a))(app.leg.wa.gov)