Benton County Death Certificates

Benton County death records are handled by the Benton-Franklin Health District, which serves both Benton and Franklin Counties from its office in Kennewick. Certified death certificates for Benton County deaths are available there in person or through mail and online ordering. The Health District holds county death records from 1980 to the present and City of Richland records from 1959 onward. Older records going back to 1907 are available through the Washington State Department of Health and the state Digital Archives. This guide covers where to go, how to order, and how to find historical Benton County death records online.

Benton-Franklin Health District Vital Records

The Benton-Franklin Health District is the primary source for certified death certificates in Benton County. The Health District office is located in Kennewick and serves residents of both Benton and Franklin Counties. Services include certified death certificates for deaths in Benton and Franklin Counties, City of Richland death records from 1959 to the present, and all Benton and Franklin County death records from 1980 to the present. For deaths before 1980, you may need to contact the Washington State Department of Health directly.

The Benton-Franklin Health District in Kennewick issues certified death certificates for Benton County and neighboring Franklin County.

When ordering a certified death certificate, you need a valid government-issued photo ID and documentation showing your relationship to the deceased or your legal interest in the record. Immediate family members such as a spouse, parent, child, or sibling qualify automatically. Attorneys, executors, and others with a documented legal need are also eligible. The Health District processes requests in person, by mail, and through the VitalChek online system.

For online ordering, go to VitalChek and select Washington State. You can order Benton County certificates there with a credit or debit card. VitalChek adds a service fee to the certificate cost. Expedited delivery is available for an additional charge. Mail requests take longer than in-person visits.

Note: Confirm the current fee schedule and hours with the Benton-Franklin Health District before visiting, as these can change.

Benton County Auditor Recording Department

The Benton County Auditor's Office handles property records, real estate documents, and historical vital records for the county. The main address is 7122 W Okanogan Pl., Suite E120, Kennewick, WA 99336. The mailing address is PO Box 470, Prosser, WA 99350. Phone: (509) 736-2727 or (509) 786-5616. Office hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.

The Benton County Auditor's eRecording portal handles property documents, and the office also maintains historical Benton County vital records.

The Auditor holds the historical Benton County death records, including entries that predate the 1907 statewide registration system. These early records include entries from the Records of Yakima County and Benton County from 1869 to 1907, Volume 2 for Deaths. The Auditor also maintains marriage certificates from 1905 to 1995. For copies from the Auditor, the fee is $1.00 per page for plain copies and $3.00 for the first page plus $1.00 per additional page for certified copies. Online recording through their eRecording system is available for real estate documents.

Washington State Digital Archives for Benton County

The Washington State Digital Archives provides free online access to several collections of Benton County death records. You can search and view records without an account or payment. The available Benton County collections include the Benton County Auditor Death Records with dates ranging from unknown to the present, Benton County Auditor Marriage Certificates from 1905 to 1995, Department of Health Death Certificates from 1907 to 1997, Department of Health Death Index from 1907 to 2020, and the Records of Yakima County and Benton County 1869 to 1907 (Volume 2, Deaths).

The 1869 to 1907 volume is especially useful for researchers looking for deaths in what is now Benton County before the county was formally established or before statewide registration began. Benton County was created in 1905 from parts of Yakima and Klickitat Counties, so early records may appear under those counties as well. If you are searching for a death before 1907 and cannot find it in the Benton records, search the Yakima County records in the Digital Archives as well. All records in the Digital Archives are for research use only and are not certified copies.

Ordering Benton County Death Records

Certified death certificates for Benton County can be ordered in several ways. In person is the fastest option. Visit the Benton-Franklin Health District during business hours in Kennewick. Bring your ID and documents showing your relationship to the deceased. Staff can usually process the request within two business days.

Online ordering through VitalChek is the best remote option. Select Washington State on the VitalChek website, complete the form, upload your identification and relationship documents, and pay. The certificate will be mailed to you or available for pick-up depending on what you select. VitalChek charges a service fee beyond the standard $25. Expedited delivery costs more. For mail requests to the state, use the Washington State Department of Health Vital Records office. The DOH page at doh.wa.gov has the forms and current mailing address.

Mail orders to the state take several weeks. If you need the certificate for a legal matter with a deadline, online ordering through VitalChek or an in-person visit to the Health District will save you time.

Genealogy Resources in Benton County

The Tri-City Genealogical Society at tcgs.ws is the main genealogy organization for the Kennewick, Richland, and Pasco area. Their library is located at the Richland Family History Center and holds extensive genealogy resources for Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla Counties. The Society has compiled obituaries from the Courier Reporter for 1924 to 1929 and 1930 to 1935, cemetery records for Desert Lawn Memorial Park in Kennewick, and the Mueller's Chapel of Falls Funeral Record Index from 1910 to 2001. These compiled records can help fill gaps when a death certificate is unavailable or when you need to verify dates from other sources.

The East Benton County Historical Society at ebchs.org maintains collections of photographs, documents, and historical materials from the Tri-Cities region. Their research library supports genealogy and local history research. For deaths in the early settlement period or related to the Hanford-era workforce, the Historical Society may have supplementary sources not available elsewhere.

The Washington State Archives holds Benton County Superior Court records and probate files. Probate records are especially useful for confirming deaths and identifying heirs. Estate files often contain a copy of the death certificate, an inventory of assets, and records of the court proceedings. These records are accessible through the Digital Archives or in person at the Central or Eastern regional branches.

Note: FamilySearch has indexed portions of Benton County death records and is a free starting point for online research before ordering certified copies.

Washington Vital Records Law

Washington regulates the registration and access to death records under RCW Chapter 70.58A. The law requires that every death in Washington be registered with the state within three days and before burial or cremation. The physician or medical examiner certifies the cause of death, and the funeral director submits the completed certificate to the county. The county health district processes it and sends it to the state.

Access to certified copies is restricted under the 2021 revision of the vital records law. Only those with a direct and tangible interest can receive a certified copy. This includes close family members, legal representatives, and persons with a documented need such as settling an estate or filing an insurance claim. An informational copy is available to others but is not valid for legal use. If you are unsure whether you qualify, contact the Benton-Franklin Health District or the state DOH for guidance.

Benton County death records that are 50 or more years old, and for which the deceased would be over 100 years old, become available to the public under state archiving rules. These older records are typically what you find in the Digital Archives collections for the pre-1970s period.

Cities in Benton County

Benton County includes the Tri-Cities metro area on the eastern side of the state. Kennewick and Richland are the major population centers and both have city pages on this site. All death certificates for events in the county are filed through the Benton-Franklin Health District in Kennewick.

Other communities in Benton County include Prosser, West Richland, Benton City, and Finley. All death records for events in any Benton County community go through the same Health District office.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Benton County. If the death occurred near a county line, confirm which county the address falls in before ordering records.