Lake Stevens Death Records
Death records for Lake Stevens are issued through the Snohomish County Health Department, which is the local authority for death certificates throughout Snohomish County. Lake Stevens does not have a city vital records office, so any request for a death certificate tied to a Lake Stevens death goes to the county health department in Everett. The county holds local death records going back to 1960. For earlier deaths, the Washington State Department of Health holds the statewide archive. This page walks through how to get a record, what historical sources cover Lake Stevens, and what Washington law says about access.
Lake Stevens Overview
Getting Lake Stevens Death Records
The Snohomish County Health Department at 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104, Everett, WA 98201 handles all death certificate requests for Lake Stevens. Call (425) 339-5290 with questions. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Their death certificate records for Snohomish County go back to 1960. For deaths that occurred between 1907 and 1960, you will need to contact the Washington State Department of Health instead.
The fee is $25 per certified death certificate. There is also a $15 identity verification fee charged per order. That means the minimum cost for a single certificate is $40. The identity verification fee covers only once per transaction, so if you need multiple copies of the same certificate, additional copies run $25 each after the first. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID when you visit in person. If you cannot make the trip to Everett, mail and online ordering options are available through the county and through VitalChek.
| Office | Snohomish County Health Department - Vital Records |
|---|---|
| Address | 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104 Everett, WA 98201 |
| Phone | (425) 339-5290 |
| Fee | $25 per certificate + $15 identity verification fee |
| Records | Snohomish County deaths from 1960 to present |
The Snohomish County Health Department's death certificate page outlines fees, required documentation, and the steps for requesting a Lake Stevens death record in person or by mail.
Historical Death Records for Lake Stevens
Deaths in Lake Stevens before 1960 are not held at the county health department. Those records are with the Washington State Department of Health, which has maintained statewide death registrations since 1907. For deaths before 1907, state-level records do not exist and you will need to rely on church records, newspapers, and cemetery records to document the death.
The Washington State Digital Archives is a free public resource with digitized county records, early vital statistics indexes, and historical documents from all corners of Washington. The search tool is easy to use and returns results by name across multiple record types at once. If you are doing genealogy research rather than ordering a legal document, the digital archives can often surface the information you need without a certified copy fee.
For Lake Stevens-specific genealogical resources, the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society is a good contact. The society serves both Snohomish and Island Counties and has compiled indexes for Snohomish County marriages going back to 1867. They may also have cemetery records, obituary indexes, or other materials useful for tracing deaths in the Lake Stevens area over many decades. Check their website for current holdings and contact information before making a visit.
Local newspapers that covered Lake Stevens and Snohomish County over the years are available in some library microfilm collections. The Sno-Isle Libraries system, which includes a Lake Stevens branch, may have historical newspaper collections covering local obituaries. Reference staff can help identify which papers covered Lake Stevens during specific periods and how to access those archives.
How to Order a Death Certificate
In-person requests at the Snohomish County Health Department in Everett are the fastest option. The office is at 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104. Bring a completed death certificate application form, a valid government-issued photo ID, and payment covering the $25 certificate fee plus the $15 identity verification fee. The Snohomish County Health Department website has the current application form available to download and print before you arrive.
Mail requests follow the same document requirements. Print and fill out the application, attach a clear photocopy of your photo ID, and send a check or money order to the Everett office. Do not send cash by mail. Processing times for mail requests are longer than in-person, so allow extra time if you have a deadline. If the death occurred before 1960, send your mail request directly to the Washington State DOH rather than the county office.
Online orders go through VitalChek. You can place an order any time. VitalChek charges a service fee on top of the state and county fees, so factor that into your total cost. The overall VitalChek process takes similar time to a mail order. For most routine requests, the in-person option at the Everett office is the most straightforward choice if you are in the area.
Note: Only eligible parties can receive certified copies. Qualified requestors include the deceased's spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or legal representative. Others may request an informational copy only, which is not valid for legal purposes.
Local Research Resources in Lake Stevens
The Lake Stevens City Clerk handles public records requests for city government documents. The city clerk does not issue vital records or death certificates. Their office maintains council minutes, ordinances, and other municipal records. If estate or legal matters involve Lake Stevens city permits or properties, the city clerk may have relevant files worth reviewing.
The Sno-Isle Libraries Lake Stevens branch is a good local resource for genealogical research. Library cardholders can access Ancestry Library Edition and other genealogy databases from within the library. Obituaries published in local papers can sometimes be found through newspaper databases the library subscribes to. Ask a reference librarian for help identifying which resources cover Lake Stevens deaths in the time period you are researching.
The Snohomish County Superior Court handles probate filings for the county, including estates of Lake Stevens residents. Probate records are a useful secondary source when researching a death. They typically include the deceased's name, date of death, beneficiaries, and the estate's administrator. The Washington Courts online case search at courts.wa.gov lets you search probate filings from home at no cost. For older probate records not in the online system, you may need to visit the court in person in Everett.
Washington Law and Lake Stevens Death Records
Death records in Washington are governed by RCW Chapter 70.58A. The law requires a death certificate to be filed within three days of death and before the remains are transported or disposed of. The funeral home or person in charge of final disposition starts the process. A licensed physician or medical examiner provides the medical certification of cause of death. The local registrar registers the certificate, and the county health department holds the local copy.
A certified death certificate under RCW 70.58A carries the official state seal. It is the legal document used to settle estates, claim life insurance proceeds, transfer property, apply for survivor benefits, and handle other legal matters following a death. Washington law limits who can get a certified copy. You need to be an immediate family member or authorized legal representative to receive one. Others can get an informational copy, which shows the same data but is marked on its face as not valid for legal use.
Snohomish County processes death registrations from Lake Stevens and all other county communities, then forwards the data to the state DOH. This means both the county and the state hold the same underlying record after registration. If the county cannot fill a particular request, the state DOH can. The $25 fee is set by state law and is uniform across all authorized issuing offices in Washington.
The $15 identity verification fee charged by Snohomish County is a local administrative fee that covers the cost of verifying the requestor's eligibility. Not all counties charge this separately, but Snohomish does. Make sure you budget for both charges when planning your request.
Snohomish County Death Records
Lake Stevens is in Snohomish County. Death certificate requests for Lake Stevens deaths are handled by the Snohomish County Health Department in Everett. For a full overview of county-level vital records resources, historical access options, and office details, see the Snohomish County death records page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Lake Stevens in Snohomish County and surrounding areas. Each uses the same county health department for death records.