Find Death Records in Lincoln County

Lincoln County death records are available from the county public health office in Davenport for events from 1907 to the present. Older records covering deaths from 1891 through 1906 are held by the Washington State Archives and indexed in the free Digital Archives database. This page explains where to look for Lincoln County death certificates, what each source covers, and what you will need to submit a records request.

Lincoln County Vital Records

Lincoln County Public Health issues certified copies of death certificates for events that occurred in the county. The office is located in Davenport and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The fee is $25 per certified copy. To get a copy, you must provide a valid government-issued photo ID and show proof of your relationship to the deceased or a legal interest in the record. Records from 1907 to the present are available through this office.

The Lincoln County website covers vital records services available through the county's public health office in Davenport.

Lincoln County is one of the smaller counties in eastern Washington, and it serves residents of Davenport and the surrounding farming communities. The public health office handles all vital records requests for the county. If you are not sure whether the county or the state holds the record you need, contacting the office directly is the fastest way to find out. You can reach them through the main county website at co.lincoln.wa.us.

If the death occurred more than a few years ago or you are not sure which office holds the record, the Washington State Department of Health is the central repository for all Washington death certificates from 1907 forward. The state also accepts online orders through VitalChek.

Historical Lincoln County Death Records

Before the state began requiring death registration in 1907, Lincoln County used a county auditor system to record deaths. The Lincoln County Auditor maintained death records from 1891 through 1907. These records are now available on microfilm at the Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg and are indexed in the Washington State Digital Archives.

The Digital Archives collection for Lincoln County includes the auditor's death records from 1891 to 1907 as both an index and scanned images of the original documents. The Department of Health death certificates from 1907 through 1997 are also searchable in the same system. A death index covering 1907 to 1960 and 1965 to 2020 is available as well. All of this is free to search and does not require an account or fee. You can access it directly at digitalarchives.wa.gov.

The Lincoln County Auditor's records include historical death registers from before 1907 that are now preserved at the Washington State Archives.

The Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg holds Lincoln County historical records that have not yet been digitized. You can contact the branch at (509) 963-2136 or visit in person to request access to these materials. Probate files, court documents, and other county government records can all help fill in context around a death.

Note: Genealogists researching pre-1891 deaths in Lincoln County will need to look at church records, cemetery documentation, and early newspaper archives, as no formal county death register predates 1891.

How to Obtain Lincoln County Death Records

Getting a certified death certificate from Lincoln County is straightforward. For recent deaths, contact Lincoln County Public Health. Bring or send a valid photo ID, proof of your relationship to the deceased, and payment of $25. You can request in person or submit your request by mail. The office will review your documentation and issue the certificate if you qualify.

For older records or if you need a copy and are unsure who has it, go directly to the Washington State Department of Health. The state maintains certified copies of all Lincoln County deaths from 1907 onward. You can apply on the DOH website, download and mail a paper application, or use VitalChek to order online. VitalChek processes requests with a credit card and charges a service fee on top of the state's copy fee. Standard orders typically take two to four weeks. Expedited options are available for urgent needs.

For free genealogy research, the Washington State Digital Archives is the best place to start. The database covers Lincoln County death records from 1891 through 1997 and includes searchable indexes with images. You do not need to register or pay to search. Keep in mind that the Digital Archives provides historical information only and cannot issue certified copies for legal use.

Lincoln County Genealogy Resources

Lincoln County has a small but well-documented local history record. The Lincoln County Historical Society maintains collections that include photographs, local documents, and materials from Davenport and surrounding communities. While the historical society website was not accessible at the time this page was prepared, the organization can be reached through local library contacts in Davenport.

The Washington State Library provides microfilm resources for Lincoln County newspapers and historical records. Their Ask-A-Librarian service can help guide researchers who are not sure where to find a specific type of record. The library's main page is at sos.wa.gov/library. This is a useful first stop if the vital records system does not have what you need.

Local cemeteries in Lincoln County have been documented through various genealogical projects. Cemetery records often include burial dates and sometimes death dates and causes. Checking cemetery records alongside the Digital Archives results can help confirm or correct information in the official death registers. The Eastern Washington Genealogical Society and similar regional organizations also hold research files that cover Lincoln County families.

For court-related records that might relate to a death, such as probate filings or guardianship cases, the Washington State Archives Central Regional Branch in Ellensburg is your best option. These records can tell you who was named in an estate and give more detail than a death certificate alone.

Washington Death Records Law

Death records in Washington State are governed by RCW Chapter 70.58A. This statute covers how death certificates are created, who must file them, who can get a copy, and when records become publicly available. Understanding the basics of this law helps explain why some records are easy to access while others require proof of relationship.

Washington requires death certificates to be filed within three days of a death. The death must be registered before any disposition of the body takes place. The attending physician or coroner provides the cause of death. The funeral home or the person responsible for final arrangements provides the deceased person's personal information. Once filed, the certificate goes through the local registrar, which for Lincoln County is the county public health office, before being forwarded to the state.

Under RCW 70.58A, certified copies of death certificates are restricted to authorized requesters for 50 years after the date of death. Authorized requesters include the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the deceased, as well as legal representatives and others who can show a legal need for the record. After 50 years, the record is treated as a public document. This is the reason that pre-1970s records in the Digital Archives are openly searchable while recent certificates require ID and proof of relationship.

The law also sets out requirements for correcting errors on death certificates, handling deaths in unusual circumstances, and coordinating between the state and county registrars. The Washington State DOH vital records page has the most up-to-date information on procedures and current fee amounts, which can change over time.

Cities in Lincoln County

Lincoln County includes Davenport, Harrington, Sprague, Reardan, and other small communities. Death records for all residents are handled through Lincoln County Public Health or the Washington State Department of Health.

No cities in Lincoln County meet the population threshold for dedicated city pages. All Lincoln County residents access death records through the same county and state offices described on this page.

Nearby Counties

Lincoln County sits in eastern Washington and borders several other counties. If you are unsure which county a death occurred in, check the community name against county boundary maps.