Redmond Death Records

Death records for Redmond, Washington are kept by King County Vital Statistics, which handles all certified death certificates for events that occurred within King County. If you need to find a death record tied to someone who lived or died in Redmond, your main source is the King County office in Seattle. For older events that predate state registration, the Redmond Historical Society and the Eastside Heritage Center both hold local resources that can help with genealogical research. This page explains how to get certified copies, where to look for historical Redmond death records, and what laws apply to access in Washington State.

Redmond Death Records: Getting Certified Copies

King County Vital Statistics issues all certified death certificates for deaths that occurred in Redmond. The office is run by Public Health Seattle and King County. It sits at 201 South Jackson Street, 2nd Floor, in Seattle. Phone is (206) 897-4551. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. If you can go in person, same-day service is available.

The fee is $25 per certified copy. If you mail in your request, add $2 for postage and handling and an additional $15 identity verification fee per order. That total can add up, so in-person visits save money when the trip is practical. You will need to show valid ID and complete a request form. The office can also provide noncertified informational copies, which cost the same but cannot be used as legal proof of the facts they contain.

Eligible requesters include the deceased's spouse or domestic partner, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, legal guardians, and legal representatives. Funeral directors may also request copies within 12 months of death. If you don't fall into one of those categories, you can still get an informational copy, which shows the same data but carries a different legal standing. Washington State RCW 70.58A.530 defines who qualifies for certified copies versus informational ones.

You can also order through VitalChek, which is the only approved third-party vendor for Washington State vital records. VitalChek adds service fees on top of the base $25. The total runs around $40.50 or more depending on shipping. Visit vitalchek.com to place an order online.

King County Vital Statistics through VitalChek handles certified death record orders for Redmond and the broader King County area.

Historical Death Records for Redmond

Redmond sits on the east side of Lake Washington, and local history resources for the area go back to the late 1800s. The Redmond Historical Society maintains an online archive at redmond.pastperfectonline.com that you can search for free. The archive includes obituaries, oral histories, yearbooks, and newspaper materials. These are not the same as official death certificates, but they often fill in gaps for older research when state records aren't available.

The Eastside Heritage Center covers Redmond along with Bellevue, Kirkland, and Sammamish. It holds a large photo collection spanning from the 1880s through the present and keeps records related to key local events. If you're tracing someone who lived in the Redmond area before statewide death registration began in 1907, this center is a solid place to start.

For records going back before King County began keeping formal registers, the Washington State Digital Archives has King County death records searchable online. The Digital Archives holds death indexes and certificates from 1907 through the mid-1990s that can be searched at no cost. Washington transferred death records to state archives after 25 years under RCW 70.58A.510, so older records are more broadly accessible than recent ones.

The Redmond City Clerk maintains a public records request portal for city-generated documents, though vital records like death certificates are held by King County Vital Statistics.

How to Order a Redmond Death Certificate

Three paths exist for getting a death certificate tied to a Redmond death: in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek.

In-person orders at King County Vital Statistics are the fastest option. You walk in, fill out the request form, show valid photo ID, and pay the $25 fee. Same-day service is standard. The office is at 201 South Jackson Street, 2nd Floor, Seattle, which is accessible by light rail and bus from the Eastside.

Mail orders take much longer. Expect 8 to 10 weeks from the time King County receives your request. Write out a letter or complete a request form from the Washington DOH website, include a photocopy of your ID, and send a check or money order for $25 plus $2 postage. Mail to King County Vital Statistics at the address in the table above. Include your return address clearly.

Online orders go through VitalChek. The process takes about 5 to 10 minutes. You fill out an online form, go through an identity verification step, and the order ships directly from the government agency. Delivery times vary by shipping option selected. Total cost starts around $40.50 after VitalChek and DOH processing fees are added.

Research Resources for Redmond Death Records

Beyond the official vital records office, several resources serve researchers working on Redmond death history. The Redmond Historical Society archive at redmond.pastperfectonline.com is searchable online and free to use. It covers obituaries and local newspapers that go back well before formal death registration. You can search by last name or last name initial.

FamilySearch at familysearch.org includes indexed Washington death records and links to scanned images from the Digital Archives. Most records are free to view. FamilySearch volunteers have indexed a large portion of King County death records, making name searches faster than browsing raw scans.

The Washington State Archives also holds local government records. Death registers filed with county auditors before state registration began in 1907 can sometimes be found through the regional archives office. Requests can be made by mail or through the Digital Archives portal. These older registers may include cause of death, age, place of birth, and next of kin information that doesn't always survive in other collections.

Washington Death Records Law

Washington death records are governed by RCW 70.58A, the state's vital statistics law. Under this chapter, death certificates are not public records in the usual sense. They fall outside the state Public Records Act and cannot be freely copied or inspected by just anyone. Access is limited to people with a direct legal interest in the record.

Certified copies go to qualifying family members, legal representatives, and others with documented need. Informational copies are available more broadly but carry a notation that they are not to be used for legal purposes. The distinction matters if you need the record for something like settling an estate, claiming life insurance, or changing title on property. In those cases you need a certified copy, not an informational one.

Death records are transferred to the Washington State Archives 25 years after the date of death under RCW 70.58A.510. Once archived, they become somewhat easier to access through the Digital Archives and state archive offices. Records less than 25 years old stay at the issuing agency and require the standard eligibility verification before copies are released.

The standard fee under RCW 70.58A.560 is $25 per certified copy or informational copy. That fee applies statewide. King County may add identity verification and handling fees on top of the base amount for certain order methods.

King County Death Records

Redmond is in King County. All death certificates for Redmond are issued through King County Vital Statistics. The county page has more detail on court records, archives, and other King County resources.

View King County Death Records

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Redmond. Each has its own death records page with local office details.