Bothell Washington Death Records
Bothell death records involve two county health agencies because the city spans both King County and Snohomish County. Which office you contact depends on the address where the death occurred. For the Snohomish County portion of Bothell, records go through Snohomish County Health. For the King County portion, King County Vital Statistics handles certificates. Bothell's population is around 55,000, and the city is known for being split across county lines, which creates a unique situation for vital records. Understanding which county applies to your address is the first step in finding the right records.
Bothell Overview
Obtaining Bothell Death Records
Because Bothell sits on the King-Snohomish county line, death records fall under whichever county the death address belongs to. Most of the residential areas on the south and west side of Bothell are in King County, while the northern and eastern portions are in Snohomish County. If you are not sure which county your address falls in, the Bothell City Clerk at 18305 101st Ave NE, Bothell, WA 98011, phone 425-408-6000, can help you confirm.
For Snohomish County deaths, contact the Snohomish County Health Department at 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104, Everett, WA 98201. The phone number is 425-339-5290. The department issues death certificates for Snohomish County deaths from 1960 to present, and for Everett deaths from 1953 to present. The fee is $25 per certificate plus a $15 identity verification fee. Washington became a closed record state on January 1, 2021, so you will need to provide government ID and proof of eligibility when ordering. Snohomish County Health also provides online ordering at snohd.org.
| Snohomish County Office | Snohomish County Health Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104 Everett, WA 98201 |
| Phone | 425-339-5290 |
| Fee | $25 per certificate + $15 identity verification fee |
| Website | snohd.org/314/Death-Certificates |
For King County deaths in Bothell, contact King County Vital Statistics at 908 Jefferson Street, 2nd Floor, Seattle, WA 98104, phone 206-477-2166. The fee is $25 per certified copy. The King County office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk-in visits typically get same-day service. You can also order online at kingcounty.gov.
The Bothell City Clerk at 18305 101st Ave NE processes public records requests and can help confirm which county jurisdiction a specific Bothell address falls under.
Historical Death Records for Bothell
For historical death records in the Bothell area, the Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is a key free resource. The Archives hold King County Auditor death records from 1891 to 1907, Snohomish County records from that same pre-state period, and Washington State Department of Health death certificates from 1907 through 1997. Whether the Bothell address was in King or Snohomish County at the time, you can search both sets of county records on the Digital Archives site at no cost.
The Bothell Historical Museum at 9919 NE 180th St, Bothell, WA 98011, maintains local historical records, photographs, and documents from Bothell and the surrounding communities. Their collections span the town's early settlement years and can help researchers build context around a death that appears in records but lacks detailed information. The museum's holdings include materials from both the King and Snohomish county portions of Bothell's history at bothellhistoricalmuseum.org.
For Snohomish County records from 1907 to 1960 that fall outside the county health department's range, the Washington State Department of Health holds statewide records from 1907 onward. Orders can be placed at doh.wa.gov. The state system bridges the gap between what county offices hold and what is in the Digital Archives, which covers through 1997.
How to Order a Bothell Death Certificate
The first step is to confirm which county the death address falls in. Once you know whether you need Snohomish or King County, you have three ordering options: in person at the county health office, online, or by mail.
For Snohomish County deaths, the online portal at snohd.org allows online ordering. You will pay the $25 certificate fee plus the $15 identity verification fee. Mail orders go to the Rucker Avenue address in Everett. In-person visits are also accepted during office hours. For King County deaths, VitalChek at vitalchek.com handles online orders, and in-person orders are available at the Jefferson Street Seattle office with same-day service.
If you are unsure which county office to use, or if the death is older than what either county office holds, go to the Washington State Department of Health at doh.wa.gov. The state office handles all Washington deaths from 1907 onward and can fill the gap when county offices lack older records. Processing times at the state level are typically two to four weeks.
Note: Both King and Snohomish County offices follow Washington's closed record rules, so you will need ID and proof of eligibility regardless of which office you contact.Bothell Local Resources
The Bothell City Clerk at 18305 101st Ave NE, Bothell, WA 98011, phone 425-408-6000, handles public records requests for city documents including city council records and municipal code. The City Clerk office is a useful contact when you need to determine which county portion a specific address belongs to, since they deal with both county jurisdictions as part of their day-to-day operations.
The Bothell Historical Museum at bothellhistoricalmuseum.org preserves local historical records, photos, and documents from Bothell and the surrounding communities. For anyone doing genealogy research on Bothell families, the museum is a practical first stop before diving into state archives. Staff can often help narrow down which set of county records applies to a particular family based on their historical address.
The King County and Snohomish County library systems both serve Bothell, and both offer access to genealogy databases including Ancestry Library Edition. Washington Law Help at washingtonlawhelp.org also has self-help resources on probate and estate matters if you need a death certificate for legal purposes tied to a Bothell estate.
Washington Death Records Law
Washington death records are governed by RCW Chapter 70.58A. The law applies statewide and covers every county, including both King and Snohomish, which share jurisdiction over Bothell. Under RCW 70.58A, a death certificate must be filed within three days of a death and before any disposition of the body. The attending physician or coroner completes the cause of death section, and a licensed funeral director files the record with the local health registrar.
For Bothell, the local health registrar depends on which county the death occurred in. A death at a Snohomish County address files with the Snohomish County Health Department. A death at a King County address files with King County Vital Statistics. Both offices then feed records into the state vital records system maintained by the Washington State Department of Health.
Access to certified copies is restricted under the closed record rules that took effect January 1, 2021. Qualified applicants include immediate family members, legal representatives, and others with a direct and tangible interest in the record. Both the King and Snohomish county offices apply the same eligibility standards since they both operate under the same state law. Informational copies are available with somewhat broader access but cannot be used for legal purposes.
One practical note for Bothell residents: if you are not sure which county a death falls under and you contact the wrong county office, they will typically let you know and direct you to the right one. Mistakes in identifying the jurisdiction are common in Bothell precisely because of the county split, and the health offices are used to handling these situations.
County Death Records for Bothell
Bothell spans two counties. The Snohomish County portion is served by Snohomish County Health, and the King County portion is served by King County Vital Statistics. Visit either county page for more details on how each county manages death records across their jurisdictions.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Bothell and are served by either Snohomish or King County death records offices.