Order a death certificate

Learn how to order a death certificate for someone who has died in King County or Washington state.

Local Deputy Registrar

• Phone:206-837-0719
• Toll-free:1-800-325-6165, ext. 6-4768
• Hours of service: Monday through Friday
• Office: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, except the 1st Wednesday of every month, the office will open at 9 am.
• Street address:201 S Jackson St. Suite 220, Seattle, WA 98104

deaths-master-list-highlight-banner

No list of individuals who have died in King County

Sorry, but there is no master list of names of people who have died in King County. Please follow the instructions below on how to purchase a death certificate.

You must have a relationship to the person whose death certificate you are ordering. You will need to show proof of your identity and relationship. You will also need to pay any necessary fees. There are no refunds, even if we cannot locate the record or if you are not eligible to receive the death certificate.

Please follow the steps outlined below before you order.

Confirm the record is available

• All people who died in Seattle at anytime
• All people who died in King County from 1944 to the present
• All people who died in Washington from 2015 to the present

If you need a certificate for any other deaths in Washington, contact the Washington State Center for Health Statistics.

Confirm you are eligible

• Spouses or domestic partners
• Parents, stepparents, or legal guardians
• Children or stepchildren
• Siblings
• Grandparents or great grandparents
• Legal representatives
• Authorized representatives
• Government agencies
• Courts (if used for official duties)

Confirm you have the right information

• First and last name
• Month and year of death
• City or county of death

Confirm you have documentation to show your identity and eligibility

• To prove your identity, you will need 1 government issued ID, like a drivers license or passport. The ID must include your photo, full name, and date of birth. The ID cannot be expired by more than 60 days. You can see a full list of acceptable IDs (144 KB) on the state Department of Health’s website.

• To prove your eligibility, you will need to provide 1 of the acceptable documents (207 KB) listed on the state Department of Health’s website.

Order and pay

Order online

• To order online, a credit card is required.
• Each death certificate costs $25.
• VitalChek fees are: Other Agency fees of $6.00 and VCN Handling fee of 11.50 which includes standard shipping
• All online orders are processed within 4 to 5 business days and then sent by regular mail, unless you select rush delivery.
• Rush delivery is available via UPS for an additional fee of $18.50 or USPS Priority Mail for $9.90.
• UPS rush delivery requires a signature when delivered. UPS will not deliver to PO boxes.

Order by phone

• To order over the telephone, a credit card is required.
• Each death certificate costs $25.
• VitalChek fees are: Other Agency fees of $6.00 and VCN Handling fee of 11.50 which includes standard shipping
• All telephone orders are processed within 4 to 5 business days and then sent by regular mail, unless you select rush delivery.
• Rush delivery is available via UPS for an additional fee of $18.50 or USPS Priority Mail for $9.90.
• UPS rush delivery requires a signature when delivered. UPS will not deliver to PO boxes.

Order by mail

Order in-person at the Vital Records Office

• King County Vital Records will be using VitalChek kiosks for ordering, and the fee is $28.50.
• Valet parking is available in the King Street Garage, and the first hour is free.

Birth certificates

Order a birth certificate

Change certificates

Make changes to a birth or death certificate

ADA accommodations

If you are visiting the King County Customer Service Center at 201 S. Jackson Street and want to request ADA accommodation, please complete and submit this form.

Locating someone who is buried in King County

The only way this information can be found is to find the death certificate. Key identifiers are needed to locate the correct certificate as noted in the instructions on how to purchase a death certificate.

Also, we have death records for all persons who died in Seattle city limits (all years) or in King County (1944 forward) only. The death certificate costs $25 and can be ordered through the ways outlined in Step 5, Order and Pay, on this page.

For deaths that occurred in Washington State outside King County, contact the Washington State Center for Health Statistics at 360-236-4300 or toll-free, 800-525-0127.