How to Find a Cause of Death in Washington (2026)

Washington records a person's cause of death on the medical certification of the death certificate, but only the certified long-form copy shows it. That copy is restricted to family and other qualified applicants. Anyone can buy an informational copy, but it omits the cause of death. Older records open at the State Archives 25 years after death.

How Do You Find Someone's Cause of Death in Washington?

To find someone's cause of death in Washington, request the certified long-form death certificate from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). That is the only standard record that lists the cause and manner of death, and you must be a qualified applicant to receive it.

If the death was sudden, violent, or unexplained, a county coroner or medical examiner investigated it. In those cases an autopsy report may also exist, and family members can request it.

For a death more than 25 years ago, you can often find the cause in the original record held by the Washington State Archives. Obituaries and newspaper notices sometimes describe the cause as well, though they are not official records.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Washington?

No. The cause of death is not public in Washington. The state is a closed-record state for death certificates, and the cause and manner of death are treated as sensitive medical information.

Anyone may buy a noncertified informational copy of a death record, but that copy contains the same limited data as the certified short form and does not show the cause or manner of death. Only the certified long-form copy includes it, and that form is limited to qualified applicants under RCW 70.58A.530.

This restriction eases with time. Under RCW 70.58A.510, vital records transfer to the Washington State Archives 25 years after the death, and the public can then obtain noncertified copies of those older records. For a wider look at how states handle this, see Are Cause of Death Records Public?

Where the Cause of Death Is Recorded

The cause of death lives in two places in Washington: the death certificate and, when one is performed, the autopsy report.

On the Death Certificate

Every Washington death certificate has a medical certification section completed by the certifying physician, advanced practice registered nurse, coroner, or medical examiner. This section states the immediate cause of death, the underlying conditions, and the manner of death (natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined).

DOH issues this detail only on the certified long-form certificate. The short form and the informational copy reproduce the rest of the record but leave the cause and manner of death blank.

On the Autopsy Report

When a coroner or medical examiner investigates a death, an autopsy may follow. The autopsy report gives a far more detailed account of the cause of death than the one-line entry on the certificate.

Under RCW 68.50.105, autopsy and postmortem reports are confidential. They are released only to specific people, including the personal representative, any family member, the attending physician, and certain government officials.

How to Request Records That Show the Cause of Death

Start with the certified long-form death certificate from the Washington State Department of Health. To receive it, you must prove your identity and show that you are a qualified applicant.

Qualified applicants under RCW 70.58A.530 include the decedent's spouse or registered domestic partner, child, parent, stepparent, stepchild, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, legal guardian, legal representative, and next of kin. Government agencies and a funeral director within 12 months of death also qualify.

If a coroner or medical examiner handled the case, request the autopsy report from that county office. Under RCW 68.50.105 a family member or the personal representative may examine and obtain a copy.

If you are not a qualified applicant, your options are narrower. You can read the obituary, ask the family, or wait until the record opens at the State Archives.

Finding the Cause of Death for Older or Historical Deaths

For older Washington deaths, the best route is the Washington State Archives. Records transfer there 25 years after the death under RCW 70.58A.510, and the original record typically shows the cause of death as it was first written.

The Washington State Digital Archives, run by the Secretary of State, lets the public search a free statewide death index and view many older death certificate images online. The five regional archives branches also hold original death registers from the counties they serve.

For genealogy and family history, these archive records are usually the most complete public source for a cause of death. Newspaper obituaries from the period can fill in details the official record leaves out.

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Eligibility rules, fees, and procedures change. Always confirm the current requirements with the Washington State Department of Health or the county coroner or medical examiner before you request a record.

Sources

This page is based on the Washington State Department of Health vital records guidance, the Revised Code of Washington (Chapters 70.58A and 68.50), and the Washington Secretary of State Archives.

UP: Washington Death Records | Hub: Death Records by State