How to Get a Washington Death Certificate (2026)

A Washington death certificate is issued by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Center for Health Statistics, with in-person service offered through many local (county) health departments. A certified copy costs $25 and is available only to qualified applicants such as the immediate family, a legal representative, or a government agency. Anyone may buy a $25 informational copy.

How Do You Get a Death Certificate in Washington?

You get a Washington death certificate from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Center for Health Statistics, or in person from a participating local (county) health department. DOH offers three main ordering methods.

Online or by phone (VitalChek): VitalChek is the only contracted, approved third-party vendor for Washington vital records. You can order at vitalchek.com or by phone, and orders ship in 3 to 7 business days.

By mail: You can mail a completed application and payment directly to the state Center for Health Statistics. Mail orders take longer to process than the other methods.

In person: DOH partners with local Washington health departments for in-person purchases of most death certificates. Many can fulfill orders the same day, though services vary by county.

To order, you provide the deceased person's first and last name, the date or approximate month and year of death, and the city or county where the death occurred.

Who Is Eligible to Request a Washington Death Certificate?

Eligibility depends on the type of copy. A certified copy is restricted to qualified applicants, while an informational copy is available to anyone.

Qualified applicants for a certified copy include the deceased person's spouse or domestic partner, child, parent, stepparent, stepchild, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, and other direct-line relatives. The list also includes a legal guardian, legal or authorized representative, next of kin, a government agency acting in its official capacity, a court, and funeral directors or persons controlling disposition of the remains within 12 months of death.

If you are not a qualified applicant, you can still request a noncertified informational copy. Informational copies are available to anyone and do not require proof of identity or relationship.

Washington Death Certificate Cost and Processing Time

A Washington death certificate costs $25 per copy, whether it is a certified copy or an informational copy. Each additional copy ordered at the same time is also $25.

When you order online or by phone through VitalChek, an added vendor processing fee brings the nonrefundable total to about $40.50, plus any shipping option you select. Mail orders to the state office are $25 with no vendor surcharge.

Processing time depends on the method. In-person orders at a local health department are often filled the same day. VitalChek online and phone orders process and ship within 3 to 7 business days, depending on the shipping you choose. Mail orders can take 8 to 10 weeks after payment is received and processed.

Certified vs Informational Copy in Washington

The difference is legal validity and who can buy it. A certified copy is printed on secure certified paper and can be used for legal purposes such as settling an estate, claiming benefits, or closing accounts. An informational copy carries a watermark stating that it cannot be used for legal purposes and is for information only.

Certified copies are restricted to qualified applicants and require proof of identity and, in most cases, proof of a qualifying relationship. Informational copies are available to anyone with no identity or relationship verification.

Informational copies contain the same information as the short-form death certificate. You cannot obtain an informational copy of a long-form death record, so if you need cause-of-death details you generally need a certified long-form copy as a qualified applicant.

How to Get Additional or Replacement Copies

You get additional or replacement Washington death certificates the same way you ordered the first one, through VitalChek, by mail, or in person. Each copy is $25.

Ordering several copies in a single request is usually the most efficient approach, because estates and benefit claims often require multiple originals. If you discover later that you need more copies, you simply submit a new order with the deceased person's name, date of death, and place of death.

For a certified copy, you will again need to provide one valid government-issued identification document (or two documents from the alternative list) and, if you are not the subject of the record, documentation linking you to the deceased.

Washington Death Certificate at a Glance

Disclaimer: This page provides general information about obtaining a Washington death certificate and is not legal advice. Fees, processing times, and eligibility rules can change. Always verify current requirements with the Washington State Department of Health or your local health department before ordering.

Sources

This page is based on guidance published by the Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics.

Related: Washington Death Records and Death Records by State.