Skamania County Death Records

Skamania County death records in Washington State are issued through the Skamania County Community Health office in Stevenson. The office provides certified copies of death certificates for deaths that occurred in the county from 1907 to the present. For deaths before 1907, records are available through the Washington State Archives and the Digital Archives online. This page covers how to get a certified copy, where to find older records, and what resources exist for genealogy research in Skamania County.

Skamania County Community Health

Skamania County Community Health provides vital records services for the county. The office is part of the Skamania County government and operates out of Stevenson, the county seat. You can reach them through the main county website at skamaniacounty.org. The office issues certified copies of death certificates for deaths occurring in Skamania County from 1907 to the present.

Each certified copy costs $25. You will need to show a valid government-issued photo ID and provide proof of your relationship to the deceased. Eligible requestors include immediate family members, legal representatives, and others with a documented legal need. Call the office before you visit to confirm current hours and any updated requirements, as small county offices can have schedule changes that are not always reflected online.

For pre-1907 death records in Skamania County, the local health office will not have those files. Historical records from 1891 to 1907 are available through the county auditor's office and the Washington State Digital Archives. See the section below for more detail on those older records.

If you cannot access the Skamania County office or prefer a state-level option, the Washington State Department of Health can also issue certified copies of Skamania County death records for all years from 1907 forward. The DOH accepts requests by mail, in person, and online through VitalChek.

Historical Skamania County Death Records

Skamania County's oldest recorded death records go back to 1891. The Skamania County Auditor maintained death records from 1891 to 1907, and those records are now digitized and searchable for free through the Washington State Digital Archives. The collection includes an index and scanned images of the original auditor death records. The statewide DOH death certificate collection on the same site covers 1907 to 1997, and the death index extends coverage from 1907 to 1960 and from 1965 to 2020.

This means you can search for most Skamania County deaths between 1891 and 1997 entirely online at no cost. The Digital Archives search tool lets you look by name, county, and approximate date. If a record image is available, you can view and download it directly from the site. This is the most efficient first step for genealogy research involving Skamania County families.

The Washington State Department of Health vital records page provides ordering instructions, eligibility requirements, and links to both online and mail-in request options for Skamania County death certificates.

Physical records for Skamania County are held at the Washington State Archives Southwest Regional Branch in Olympia. You can reach that branch at (360) 753-1684. The branch holds Skamania County court records and older vital records documents. If the digital version of a record is incomplete or hard to read, a visit to Olympia may get you a better copy of the original.

Note: Records before 1891 in Skamania County are limited. Some early deaths may appear only in church records, cemetery registers, or newspaper obituaries rather than any official government file.

Ordering Skamania County Death Certificates

For recent deaths in Skamania County, your first call should go to Skamania County Community Health. Their office in Stevenson handles in-person and mail requests. Bring your government-issued ID and have your payment ready. Call ahead to confirm hours before making the drive, especially if you are coming from outside the county.

Mail requests go to the Skamania County Community Health address in Stevenson. Include a completed application form, a photocopy of your photo ID, and payment in the form the office accepts. Check their website or call to confirm what forms of payment they take for mailed requests. Send the package with tracking so you know when it arrives.

The Washington State Department of Health is your other main option. The DOH accepts requests by mail at P.O. Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507-9709, in person at their Tumwater office, and online through VitalChek. The base fee is $25 per copy. VitalChek charges an additional service fee for online orders, but the convenience may be worth it if you need the certificate quickly or are requesting from out of state.

The Washington State Archives holds physical Skamania County records including older vital records documents at the Southwest Regional Branch in Olympia.

Genealogy Resources for Skamania County

Skamania County is a small, rural county, but genealogy researchers have a few good options to work with. The Washington State Digital Archives is the most accessible resource for free online searches. As described above, it covers Skamania County auditor records from 1891 to 1907 and DOH death certificates from 1907 to 1997. Start there before reaching out to any physical office.

The Skamania County Historical Society at skamaniahistory.org maintains local historical records including photographs, documents, and artifacts from Stevenson and the surrounding area. Their collection includes materials useful for genealogy research on Skamania County families. Check their website or contact them directly to learn what they have and how to access it.

For broader southwest Washington genealogy, the Washington State Archives Southwest Regional Branch in Olympia holds physical county records. Researchers who need original documents or microfilm versions of older records can contact the branch at (360) 753-1684 to learn what is available for Skamania County and how to arrange access. The branch covers multiple southwest Washington counties, so staff are familiar with the region's record history.

Local libraries in Stevenson and White Salmon may also hold newspaper archives with obituaries that can supplement official death records. These are not always indexed online, so a visit or a call to the library reference desk can turn up useful material that does not appear in any digital search.

Washington Death Records Law

Skamania County death records fall under RCW 70.58A, Washington State's vital statistics chapter. This law defines how death certificates are created, who can obtain certified copies, and what restrictions apply to different types of records. Understanding the basics of this law will help you submit the right request to the right office on the first try.

Under RCW 70.58A, certified death certificates are issued only to qualified requestors. The law defines that group as the surviving spouse or domestic partner, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and legal representatives of the deceased. Government agencies, funeral homes, and attorneys with a valid legal purpose can also request records. If you fall outside these categories, you can request an informational copy. An informational copy carries a stamp stating it is not valid for legal use, but it contains the same basic information and can be used for genealogy and personal research.

After a death record reaches 50 years of age, access restrictions under state law ease significantly. That is the policy reason why pre-1970s Skamania County death records are available for free on the Digital Archives. For deaths in the past 50 years, you will need to go through the proper channels and provide documentation before any certified copy will be released.

Washington requires that a medical certifier or coroner complete and sign the cause of death section of every death certificate. The death must also be reported within three days under state law. In Skamania County, smaller populations and more rural conditions sometimes mean that reporting goes through the county auditor or health office rather than a large institutional system. The process is the same legally, but the people involved may be fewer and easier to reach for questions.

Communities in Skamania County

Skamania County includes Stevenson, the county seat, along with smaller communities such as White Salmon, North Bonneville, and Underwood. None of these communities meet the population threshold for individual city pages on this site. All death records for the county are processed through the Skamania County Community Health office in Stevenson.

Nearby Counties

Skamania County borders four other Washington counties. Death records are filed in the county where the death occurred, so confirm the location before you contact any records office.