Camas Death Records
Camas death records are issued through Clark County Public Health, which handles vital records for all cities in Clark County including Camas. Camas is a city of around 27,000 in southwestern Clark County along the Columbia River. The county health office in Vancouver is the place to go for certified death certificates. For older historical records and genealogy research, the Clark County Genealogical Society and the Camas Cemetery records provide strong local resources. The Washington State Digital Archives also holds Clark County death records going back to the 1890s.
Camas Overview
Obtaining Camas Death Records
Clark County Public Health handles certified death certificates for all deaths in Clark County, including Camas. The office is at 1601 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., Building 17, 4th Floor, Suite 419, Vancouver, WA 98661. The phone number is 564-397-8092. Their main website is at clark.wa.gov/public-health. Washington's closed record rules, which took effect January 1, 2021, limit access to certified copies to qualified applicants. You will need a government-issued photo ID and proof of your eligibility, such as documentation of your relationship to the deceased.
The county office in Vancouver is about 15 miles west of Camas. If you prefer not to make the drive, you can order through VitalChek online or by mail. The fee is $25 per certified copy. Clark County also maintains records through the Clark County Auditor's office, which holds pre-1907 death records for those researching early Camas deaths. The county auditor can be a useful supplemental contact when you are dealing with records that fall outside the health department's range.
| Office | Clark County Public Health |
|---|---|
| Address | 1601 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., Building 17 4th Floor, Suite 419 Vancouver, WA 98661 |
| Phone | 564-397-8092 |
| Fee | $25 per certified copy |
| Website | clark.wa.gov/public-health |
The Camas City Clerk at camas.us maintains administrative records and historical city documents. Their holdings at the Washington State Archives include administrative subject files from 1906 to 1992, city minutes from 1906 to 1991, ordinances from 1903 to 1969, and resolutions from 1918 to 1980. These are not death records per se, but they can provide important context for historical research on Camas families and community events. The City Clerk's website is at camas.us.
Clark County Public Health in Vancouver issues certified death certificates for all Clark County deaths, including those occurring in Camas.
Historical Death Records for Camas
The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov holds Clark County Auditor death records from before 1907 and Washington State Department of Health death certificates from 1907 through 1997. These records are free to search and accessible to any researcher. For Camas, which was established in the 1880s around the paper mill, early death records from the community's founding years are in the Clark County Auditor files. The Digital Archives are searchable by name, which makes them practical for genealogy research without requiring a trip to any office.
The Clark County Genealogical Society at ccgs-wa.org has been preserving vital records from local Clark County newspapers since 1972. Their library is at 3609 NW 6th Avenue, Battle Ground, WA 98604, and you can reach them at 360-687-8653. The society maintains death indexes compiled from local newspapers, which is a valuable source for obituaries and death notices that may not appear in the official records. For obituary copy requests, you can contact them at info@ccgswa.org. This is one of the more thorough county-level genealogical societies in southwestern Washington.
The Camas Cemetery at 630 NE Oak Street, Camas, WA 98607 holds records dating from 1846 to May 2016. The cemetery has 5,814 total records and is owned by the city. It was established in 1885 by the Camas Colony Company and deeded to the city in 1914. The online database at interment.net makes it possible to search Camas Cemetery records without a visit, which is useful for confirming burial information alongside death certificate research.
The Clark County Genealogical Society has compiled death indexes from local newspapers since 1972 and maintains a research library that supports Camas genealogy work.
How to Order a Camas Death Certificate
There are three ways to order a certified death certificate for a Camas death: in person at Clark County Public Health in Vancouver, online through VitalChek, or by mail to the county health office. For most people, the online or mail route is most practical given the distance between Camas and the county office.
Online ordering through VitalChek is the fastest and most convenient route if you cannot go in person. VitalChek is the state-authorized vendor for Washington and connects directly to the county system. You fill out the form, upload your ID and eligibility documentation, pay the $25 fee, and the certificate is mailed to you. Standard processing runs 7 to 10 business days after the order is verified.
For mail orders, send your completed application, a copy of your government-issued photo ID, proof of your eligibility, and a check or money order for $25 to Clark County Public Health at the Fourth Plain address in Vancouver. If the death falls outside the county's records window or you prefer to go through the state system, the Washington State Department of Health at doh.wa.gov handles all Washington deaths from 1907 onward. State processing typically takes two to four weeks.
Note: For pre-1907 Camas deaths, contact the Clark County Auditor, as those records were kept at the county level before statewide registration began.Camas Local Resources
The Camas City Clerk maintains historical city documents that go back to 1906. These records are held at the Washington State Archives and include administrative files, city council minutes, ordinances, and resolutions spanning most of the twentieth century. While these are not vital records, they can help researchers understand the historical context around a death, particularly if it involved a municipal employee, a property transfer, or a community event. The City Clerk's office is accessible at camas.us.
The Clark County Genealogical Society at ccgs-wa.org is the strongest local genealogy resource for Camas. Their newspaper death indexes go back to 1972 and cover deaths reported in Clark County publications. For deaths before 1972, the society may still have information through other compiled records. Contact them at info@ccgswa.org for specific obituary requests. The library in Battle Ground is open for research visits as well.
The Fort Vancouver Regional Library serves the Camas area and provides free access to genealogy databases for cardholders. Washington Law Help at washingtonlawhelp.org offers free guides on probate and estate matters. If you need a death certificate to settle an estate or for a legal proceeding, those guides walk through the Washington probate process in plain language. The Clark County Bar Association can also refer you to estate attorneys in the Vancouver-Camas area if you need professional representation.
Washington Death Records Law
Washington vital records are governed by RCW Chapter 70.58A, which sets rules for the creation, registration, and access of death records statewide. For Camas, Clark County Public Health acts as the local registrar and implements the law at the county level. The statute requires a death certificate to be filed within three days of a death and before any disposition of the body. The attending physician or medical examiner certifies the cause of death. A licensed funeral director completes the personal data section and files the record with Clark County Public Health.
Access to certified copies of death records is restricted under Washington law. The closed record rules that took effect January 1, 2021 mean only qualified applicants can receive certified copies. Qualified applicants under RCW 70.58A include immediate family, legal representatives, government agencies, and individuals with a documented direct and tangible interest in the record. Clark County Public Health applies these standards for all Camas records requests. If you are unsure whether you qualify, call the office before making the drive from Camas to Vancouver.
Informational copies are available with somewhat less documentation. These copies are clearly marked as not valid for legal purposes and are useful for genealogy or family history when you do not need an official certified version. Clark County Public Health issues both types and can explain which one fits your specific need.
For deaths that occurred before Washington's statewide registration began in 1907, access rules are different. Those pre-1907 records, held through the county auditor and now accessible through the Digital Archives, are treated as public historical records and do not carry the same restrictions as certified copies from the modern vital records system. Anyone can search those older Clark County records through the Digital Archives without showing eligibility.
Clark County Death Records
Camas is in Clark County. All death certificates for Camas residents are issued through Clark County Public Health in Vancouver. For more details on Clark County's vital records program and resources across the county, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Camas in Clark County and access death records through Clark County Public Health.