Are Autopsy Reports Public in Washington? (2026)

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:

1. Confirm you are an authorized requester, typically a family member of the deceased.
2. Complete the office's records request form.
3. Email the form together with a copy of your legal photo identification to the office's records address.
4. 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.

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.