Search Death Records in Pasco

Pasco is the county seat of Franklin County and is served by the Benton-Franklin Health District for vital records. If you need to find or order a death certificate for someone who died in Pasco, the health district office in Kennewick is where you apply. The district serves both Franklin and Benton counties, so their staff handles requests from the entire Tri-Cities area. For historical death records going back to the late 1800s, the Franklin County Auditor and the Washington State Digital Archives both hold materials that can help you trace deaths in this part of eastern Washington.

Pasco Death Records - Where to Start

Pasco death certificates are issued by the Benton-Franklin Health District. Despite the name, this office serves both Benton and Franklin counties, so Franklin County records including Pasco are handled here. The office is in Kennewick, about eight miles west of Pasco across the Columbia River. Address: 7102 W. Okanogan Place, Kennewick, WA 99336. Phone: (509) 460-4204. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The health district holds Franklin County death records from 1980 to the present. For deaths from 1907 through 1979, you need to request from the Washington State Department of Health. The fee is $25 per certified copy. Bring a valid photo ID and be prepared to show your relationship to the person named on the certificate.

The Pasco City Clerk's office handles public records requests for city documents and can direct you to the county health district for death certificate orders.

The Pasco City Clerk is at City Hall, 3rd Floor, 525 N. 3rd Avenue, Pasco, WA 99301. Phone: (509) 544-3096. Email: cityclerkPRR@pasco-wa.gov. Their online portal uses the NextRequest system. The city clerk does not issue death certificates but can help with other public records and can point you to the right county office.

Historical Records for Pasco

Pasco has some of the most interesting historical death records of any city in eastern Washington. The Franklin County Auditor holds a death register from 1879 to 1910 containing 67 recorded deaths from the early settlement period. This register predates Washington's formal vital records system and captures some of the first deaths recorded in Franklin County as settlers arrived in the region. Contacting the Franklin County Auditor directly is the best way to access or inquire about these very early records.

For records after 1907, the Washington State Digital Archives is the primary free online source. Their database holds scanned death certificates for all Washington counties, searchable by name and date at no charge. The Franklin County collection covers deaths from the time statewide registration began through the recent past. Many records can be downloaded directly from the site without any fee. This is the fastest way to find a specific death in Pasco going back more than a few decades.

The Franklin County Courthouse holds court records that can supplement historical death research. The Franklin County Clerk at 1016 N 4th Ave B306, Pasco, WA 99301, phone (509) 545-3525, maintains records including probate filings that often document deaths. Estate inventories, letters of administration, and wills filed in probate court can confirm deaths for individuals whose death certificates are missing or unavailable. These records sometimes pre-date state registration requirements.

Mid-Columbia Libraries serves Franklin County and has genealogy resources at their Pasco branch. Their collections include access to Ancestry.com, local newspaper archives, and other databases useful for tracing deaths in the Tri-Cities region. The genealogy section can help you locate obituaries and other documentary evidence when official records are incomplete.

Ordering a Pasco Death Certificate

You can order a certified Pasco death certificate by visiting the Benton-Franklin Health District in person, mailing a request to their Kennewick office, or ordering online through VitalChek. In-person orders are processed on the same day when records are available. Bring your photo ID and any documents that show your relationship to the deceased. The office is closed over the lunch hour, so plan your visit for morning or mid-afternoon.

For mail orders, download and complete the application form from the Benton-Franklin Health District website. Include a photocopy of your photo ID and payment by check or money order payable to Benton-Franklin Health District. The fee is $25 per copy. Mail to 7102 W. Okanogan Place, Kennewick, WA 99336. Allow one to two weeks for mail requests.

For deaths before 1980, contact the Washington State Department of Health at P.O. Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507-9709. The state fee is also $25 per copy. For those very early records in the 1879-1907 range, contact the Franklin County Auditor, as those records were maintained at the county level before statewide registration existed.

Local Genealogy and Research Resources

The Mid-Columbia Genealogical Society is the primary local organization for genealogy research in the Pasco area. They hold regular meetings and maintain research files on Franklin and Benton County families. Their collections include cemetery surveys, obituary indexes, and resources specific to the Tri-Cities area that are not available through state databases. Connecting with local society members can be especially useful when researching immigrant families who settled in this part of Washington in the early twentieth century.

Mid-Columbia Libraries branches in Pasco and across Franklin County provide free public access to genealogy databases including Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com during library hours. The Pasco branch also holds local history materials. Their website at midcolumbialibraries.org lists current hours and available resources. Staff can help you start a search if you are new to genealogy research.

The Franklin County Clerk's office maintains records that can complement death certificate research. Probate filings are especially useful for confirming deaths from the early settlement period when vital records may not have been formally registered. The clerk's office at 1016 N 4th Ave B306, Pasco, can advise on what records they hold and how to request copies.

Note: For deaths that occurred on the Hanford Site or in connection with federal government activities in the area, additional federal records may exist. The National Archives Pacific Alaska Region and other federal agencies sometimes hold relevant documentation.

Washington Vital Records Law

Washington death records are governed by RCW 70.58A. This chapter applies equally to Pasco and all other Washington cities. It defines who may obtain a certified copy, what fees are charged, and what information every death certificate must contain. The law was significantly updated in 2018 and is the current governing authority for how vital records are created and accessed in the state.

Certified copies of a death certificate can be issued to the decedent's spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. Legal representatives with proper authority can also request them. If you do not fall into these categories, you may still receive an informational copy. Informational copies contain the same data but are stamped "not a valid document for establishing identity" and cannot be used for legal or financial purposes.

Washington death records become open to the general public 50 years after the date of death. Before that date, identity and eligibility requirements apply. After 50 years, anyone can request a copy without showing a family connection. The Digital Archives holds many older records freely, making it easy to access records that have passed the 50-year mark without going through the official request process.

The law requires that every death in Washington be registered within five days of occurrence. The attending physician or medical examiner certifies cause and manner of death. Funeral directors then file the completed certificate with the local registrar. Errors can be corrected through a formal amendment process under RCW 70.58A, and requests for corrections go through the State Registrar in Olympia.

Franklin County Death Records

Pasco is the county seat of Franklin County, and the county page covers the full range of death records resources for the area. Find details on the Benton-Franklin Health District, historical records going back to 1879, the county auditor's office, and local genealogy organizations.

View Franklin County Death Records

Nearby Cities

These cities near Pasco are in the Tri-Cities area and use the Benton-Franklin Health District for death records.