Access Bremerton Death Records
Bremerton death records are handled by the Kitsap Public Health District, which serves all of Kitsap County including Bremerton. The health district office is located in Bremerton itself, making it accessible for local residents without requiring a ferry or long drive. Bremerton is the largest city in Kitsap County with a population of around 46,000. If you need to find or order a certified death certificate, the Kitsap Public Health District is the primary source for records going back to the county's registration history. The Washington State Digital Archives also provides free access to older historical records.
Bremerton Overview
Obtaining Bremerton Death Records
The Kitsap Public Health District at 345 6th Street, Suite 300, Bremerton, WA 98337 is the office to contact for certified death certificates in Bremerton. The phone number is (360) 728-2235. The office issues certificates for births and deaths occurring in Kitsap County. The fee is $25 per certified copy. If you order multiple copies at the same time, additional copies are $10 each. If you need the certificate mailed to you, there is a $4.50 shipping and handling fee. In-person requests take 5 to 10 business days. Mail orders typically take 2 to 3 weeks. The online portal at kitsappublichealth.org/vitalrecords also provides an ordering option.
Washington's closed record rules have applied since January 1, 2021. Only qualified applicants can receive a certified copy of a death certificate. That includes the registrant if living, immediate family members, legal representatives, and others with a documented direct interest in the record. You will need a valid government-issued photo ID and documentation showing your eligibility, such as a birth certificate showing your relationship to the deceased or a legal document showing your authority to request the record.
| Office | Kitsap Public Health District |
|---|---|
| Address | 345 6th Street, Suite 300 Bremerton, WA 98337 |
| Phone | (360) 728-2235 |
| Fee | $25 first copy; $10 each additional; $4.50 S&H if mailed |
| Processing Time | 5-10 business days in-person; 2-3 weeks by mail |
| Website | kitsappublichealth.org/vitalrecords |
One important note: the Kitsap Public Health District does not handle marriage or divorce records. Those records go through a different office. For death certificates specifically, the health district is your source. If you need records that fall outside their coverage window, the Washington State Department of Health at doh.wa.gov holds statewide records from 1907 onward.
The Bremerton City Clerk handles public records requests for city documents. Vital records like death certificates are processed through the Kitsap Public Health District.
Historical Death Records for Bremerton
For death records older than what the Kitsap Public Health District holds, the Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is the best free resource. The Archives contain Washington State Department of Health death certificates from 1907 through 1997, as well as pre-1907 county auditor death records. Kitsap County's pre-1907 records are searchable through the Digital Archives at no cost. These records cover the early years of Bremerton's history, which dates to the establishment of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in the 1890s.
The Kitsap County Historical Society and Museum at kitsaphistory.org maintains local historical records, photographs, and artifacts for Kitsap County. The museum specializes in the naval heritage of the region, which is central to Bremerton's identity. For anyone researching deaths connected to shipyard workers or naval personnel, the historical society may have materials that supplement what is in the state archives. Research assistance is available through the museum.
The Bremerton Historical Society at bremertonhistory.org holds collections specific to Bremerton including photographs, documents, and artifacts. Their materials cover the shipyard history and community development of the city. These local collections can provide context and often contain obituary records or other materials that point toward official records in the state or county system.
How to Order a Bremerton Death Certificate
You have three ways to order: in person at the Kitsap Public Health District, by mail, or online. The online portal at the health district website is a good option for most people since you can submit your request without a trip to the office. Processing runs 5 to 10 business days for in-person orders and 2 to 3 weeks for mail orders.
For online ordering, you can also use VitalChek, the state-authorized vendor for Washington vital records. VitalChek processes requests through the state system and mails the certificate to you. Processing times through VitalChek are generally similar to direct mail orders. Make sure you have your photo ID and eligibility documentation ready to upload as part of the process.
Mail orders go to the 6th Street address in Bremerton. Include your completed application, a copy of your photo ID, proof of eligibility, and a check or money order made out to Kitsap Public Health District. The $4.50 shipping fee applies if you want the certificate mailed back to you. If the death is older than what the health district holds, place your order through the Washington State Department of Health at doh.wa.gov, which covers statewide deaths from 1907 forward.
Note: Kitsap Public Health only handles Kitsap County births and deaths. Deaths from other counties must go to the appropriate county health office or the state DOH.Bremerton Local Resources
The Bremerton City Clerk at bremertonwa.gov processes public records requests for city documents including city council records, ordinances, and other official city materials. The City Clerk does not issue vital records but can help with requests for city-generated documents. If you are researching a death connected to a municipal court case or a city record, the City Clerk is the right contact.
The Kitsap Regional Library system serves Bremerton with several branch locations. Library cardholders get free access to genealogy databases including Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest. The Bremerton branch also has a local history collection that may contain newspaper obituaries and other materials relevant to researching older deaths in the area. Staff at the reference desk can help you navigate available resources.
Washington Law Help at washingtonlawhelp.org offers free guides on probate and estate administration. If you need a death certificate to settle an estate in Kitsap County, the guide on Washington probate procedures is a useful starting point. For legal representation, the Washington State Bar Association at wsba.org has an attorney directory where you can search for estate and probate lawyers serving the Kitsap area.
Washington Death Records Law
Washington's vital records law under RCW Chapter 70.58A governs death records across the state. The law applies uniformly to all counties including Kitsap, where Bremerton is located. Under the statute, a death must be registered within three days of the event and before any final disposition of the body. The attending physician or medical examiner completes the cause-of-death section, and a licensed funeral director or authorized agent completes the personal information and files the certificate with the local health registrar, which in Bremerton's case is the Kitsap Public Health District.
The 2021 closed record change under RCW 70.58A means access to certified copies is now limited. Before that date, death records in Washington were more broadly accessible to the public. The current law restricts certified copies to qualified applicants: the registrant if alive, a spouse or domestic partner, a parent, a child, a sibling, a grandparent, a legal guardian, an authorized agent, or anyone with a documented direct and tangible interest. The Kitsap Public Health District applies these rules for all Bremerton requests.
Informational copies are still available to a broader group of requesters but carry a notation that they are not valid for legal purposes. They are useful for family history research when you do not need an official certified document. If you are unsure whether you qualify for a certified copy or whether an informational copy will serve your needs, call the Kitsap Public Health District before making a trip to the office.
Historical records that predate 1907 are not subject to the same access restrictions since they were not registered under the current vital records system. Those records, held in the Digital Archives and the state archives, are treated as public historical documents and are generally open to any researcher.
Kitsap County Death Records
Bremerton is the county seat of Kitsap County. All death certificates for Bremerton deaths are issued through the Kitsap Public Health District. For more details on Kitsap County's vital records system and resources across the peninsula, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
Bremerton is the main qualifying city in Kitsap County. University Place in Pierce County is the closest qualifying city across the water.