Tacoma Death Records Lookup

Tacoma death records go back to 1907 and are held by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. If you need to find a death record or obtain a certified death certificate for someone who died in Tacoma, the health department at 3629 South D Street is your main office. You can request records in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek. The department serves all of Pierce County, and their Tacoma-specific records cover every death in the city from 1907 to the present. For recent deaths, the health department is your fastest local resource.

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department - Vital Records

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is the primary office for Tacoma death records. They hold certified copies of death certificates for all deaths occurring in Tacoma from 1907 to the present, and for Pierce County from 1926 to the present. Their scope is broad. In addition to local records, they can issue certified copies of all Washington State birth records and all Washington State death records filed electronically. If you need a death certificate from elsewhere in Washington, this office can often help.

The department has two staff members listed as deputy registrars. Lynsey Daigneault can be reached directly at (253) 649-1534. Stacey Gaines is reachable at (253) 649-1529. For general inquiries and main line calls, use (253) 649-1402. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The full range of services including burial and cremation permits is described at tpchd.org/info/birth-and-death-records.

When you visit, bring a valid government-issued photo ID. For certified copies, you also need documentation of your relationship to the deceased. Qualifying family members include spouses, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and others listed under Washington State law. The department also issues burial and cremation permits for deaths occurring in Pierce County.

Tacoma Death Certificate Fees and Ordering

The base fee for a Tacoma death certificate is $25 per certified copy. This fee is set by state law and applies regardless of how you order. An additional identity verification fee of $15 per order may apply. There is also a reduced fee for next-day pick-up in some cases. Call the office at (253) 649-1402 to confirm the current fee structure before ordering.

Online orders go through VitalChek. Tacoma-Pierce County uses VitalChek for online requests. You can start your order at the online ordering form linked from forms.tpchd.org/certificates.php. Total online cost is $48.50, which includes the $25 certificate fee, a $12.50 health department processing fee, and $11.50 for VitalChek. Processing takes 3 to 7 business days. Optional express shipping is available at extra cost.

Mail requests go to 3629 South D Street, Tacoma, WA 98418. Include your request form, a photocopy of your photo ID, documentation of your relationship to the deceased, and a check or money order payable to Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. Do not send cash or originals. Mail processing takes several weeks.

In-person visits allow same-day service during business hours. This is the best option when time is short. Bring all required documents and your payment. Staff can produce copies while you wait in most cases.

Note: All fees are nonrefundable under Washington State law, including in cases where no matching record is found.

Tacoma Public Library Local History Resources

The Tacoma Public Library holds a local history collection that includes obituaries, historical newspapers, and genealogy resources useful for death record research. The screenshot below shows the Tacoma Public Library website, which lists the library's local history and genealogy services at their main branch at 1102 Tacoma Ave South.

The library's local history collection can help researchers find obituaries and death-related records that go beyond what is in official state databases, particularly for historical Tacoma deaths.

Historical Tacoma Death Records

Tacoma has a rich set of historical death records accessible through multiple sources. The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov has free public access to Pierce County Auditor death records from 1892 to 1907, the Puyallup City Clerk Death Register from 1891 to 1898, and Department of Health death certificates from 1907 to 1997. The death index covers 1907 to 2017. All of these are searchable and free with no registration required.

For family history research, the Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society is a strong local resource. Their website at tpcgs.org lists resources, meetings, and research assistance for Pierce County genealogy. The society maintains indexes and collections that complement official death certificate records, especially for older Tacoma deaths where records may be incomplete.

The Washington State Historical Society is based in Tacoma at 1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402. They hold major collections on Pacific Northwest history and have a research library open to the public. Their website is at washingtonhistory.org. For broader genealogy work, FamilySearch at familysearch.org has Washington death certificates from 1907 to 1960 and a state death index through 2020, all searchable for free.

Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society

The Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society supports death record research in the Tacoma area. The screenshot below shows the TPCGS website, which lists resources, indexes, and research assistance available for Pierce County families.

The society holds local indexes and collections that work alongside official death certificates, particularly useful for researching Tacoma deaths before 1907 when statewide registration had not yet begun.

Heritage Quest Research Library

Heritage Quest Research Library serves the Tacoma area as a dedicated genealogy research library. Their address is 2102 E. Main Ave., Suite 105, Puyallup, WA 98372. Phone: 253-863-1806. Email: research@hqrl.com. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Their website is at hqrl.com.

The library holds resources specific to the Tacoma and Pierce County area, including local newspapers with obituaries, cemetery records, and historical death-related documents not found in state databases. If you are doing deep genealogy research on a Tacoma family, this library is worth a visit in addition to the official health department and digital archives.

The Pierce County Auditor's office at 2401 S 35th St, Tacoma, WA 98409, phone (253) 798-7435, handles property records and marriage licenses. Do not go there for death certificates. That office does not issue them. For death certificates, you must contact the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

Pierce County Death Records

Tacoma is the county seat of Pierce County. All Tacoma death records are held through the Pierce County vital records system. Visit the Pierce County death records page for more details on county resources and additional search options.

View Pierce County Death Records

Nearby Cities

These cities near Tacoma are also in Pierce County and use the same health department for death records.