Snohomish County Death Records

Snohomish County death records are held by the Snohomish County Health Department in Everett, which issues certified copies for local deaths and can access all Washington State deaths filed electronically since 2016. The county sits just north of King County and covers roughly 850,000 residents across cities like Everett, Lynnwood, Marysville, and Edmonds. Whether you need a death certificate for an estate, a genealogy project, or a legal matter, this guide covers your options for searching and obtaining Snohomish County death records.

Snohomish County Vital Records Office

The Snohomish County Health Department (SNOHD) at 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104, Everett, WA 98201 is the local issuing authority for death certificates. You can reach them by phone at (425) 339-5290. Staff are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. If you plan to walk in, arrive no later than 3:30 p.m. to be served that day. The office handles both in-person and mail requests for certified copies.

Fees at SNOHD are $25 per certified copy plus a $15 identity verification fee per order. Mail orders add $2 for postage. If you use their in-person kiosk, expect a $3.50 service fee on top of the base cost. Mail-in orders must be paid by money order or cashier's check only. Credit and debit cards are accepted in person but carry a service fee. No fee waivers are available for death certificates under Washington state law.

The health department's coverage is more specific than most people expect. Certified copies are available for deaths that occurred in Everett from 1953 forward, deaths anywhere in Snohomish County from 1960 forward, and all Washington State deaths filed electronically since 2016. If the death occurred in Snohomish County before 1960 but after 1907, contact the Washington State Department of Health.

The Snohomish County Health Department handles most requests for current death records in the county.

The SNOHD vital records page explains fees, required ID, and coverage dates for Snohomish County death certificates.

Historical Snohomish County Death Records

Before 1907, vital records in Washington were kept locally by county auditors rather than by the state. Snohomish County has a solid collection of pre-statehood and early records. The Washington State Digital Archives holds 2,585 death records from the Snohomish County Auditor covering the years 1891 to 1907. The Everett City Clerk's Death Register runs from 1905 to 1907. There are also Snohomish city death records from 1892 to 1909. All of these are free to search online.

For deaths between 1907 and 1997, the Washington State Department of Health death certificates are digitized and indexed at the Digital Archives. These records span the entire state and include Snohomish County. You can search by name and view images in many cases. The archive is one of the best free resources for tracing deaths in the county before recent records were computerized. Note: for deaths after 1997, you need to contact the health department or state DOH directly for a certified copy.

The Snohomish County Auditor's office at 3000 Rockefeller Avenue, Everett, also holds some historical records on microfilm and can point you toward pre-1907 vital record collections. Their phone is (425) 388-3483 and they are open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

How to Order Snohomish Death Records

You have several ways to get a certified Snohomish County death certificate. The most common methods are in-person at the health department, by mail, or through the state DOH. Each has its own fees and timeline. In-person is fastest. Mail takes a bit longer. The state DOH is the right choice for deaths that fall outside the health department's coverage window.

To order in person, bring a valid government-issued photo ID to SNOHD at 3020 Rucker Avenue in Everett. You will need to show proof that you are an authorized requester, meaning an immediate family member, legal representative, or someone with a direct and tangible interest in the record. Fill out the request form on-site. Pay with cash, credit card (with fee), or debit card. You can walk out with the certificate the same day in most cases.

For mail orders, send a completed request form, a photocopy of your ID, proof of your relationship to the deceased, and a money order or cashier's check payable to SNOHD. Include $2 for postage. Mail to: Snohomish County Health Department, Vital Records, 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104, Everett, WA 98201. Allow one to two weeks for processing.

You can also order through VitalChek, the state's authorized third-party vendor. VitalChek handles online and phone orders and adds its own service fees on top of the state fee. For deaths outside SNOHD's coverage range, contact the Washington State Department of Health directly. The state holds records from 1907 forward and can issue certified copies for any Washington death during that period.

The Sno-Isle Genealogical Society offers research help for older Snohomish County records.

The Sno-Isle Genealogical Society maintains indexes and research tools that can help trace historic deaths in Snohomish County.

Genealogy Resources in Snohomish County

The Sno-Isle Genealogical Society is a key resource for anyone researching family history in Snohomish County. They maintain an index of Snohomish County marriages from 1867 to 1899 and offer various other genealogical indexes for the county. Research assistance is available from experienced volunteers. Membership opens access to their full library collection. The society covers both Snohomish and Island counties, hence the "Sno-Isle" name.

The Everett Public Library Northwest Room at epls.org holds local history collections that include newspaper archives, obituaries, and genealogy resources specific to Snohomish County. Staff can help with research requests. The newspaper archive is especially useful for finding death notices and obituaries that pre-date modern online databases. Old Everett newspapers go back well into the late 1800s.

For statewide searches, the Washington State Digital Archives remains the best free starting point. You can search by name across multiple county collections at once. The Washington State Archives system also holds records not yet digitized, and staff at regional branches can assist with research requests.

Washington Vital Records Law

Death records in Washington are governed by RCW 70.58A, the Vital Records Act. This law sets out who can request a certified copy, what information a death certificate must contain, and how long records must be kept. Understanding these rules helps you know what to expect when you request Snohomish County death records.

Under RCW 70.58A, death certificates are not fully public records during the restricted period. Certified copies with all identifying information can only be issued to the deceased's spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or their authorized legal representative. An attorney of record or a person with a direct and tangible interest in the record may also qualify. After 50 years from the date of death, the record becomes open to the public. Genealogists working on older records can often access them without demonstrating a family relationship.

The law also addresses what happens when a death certificate contains an error. You can file an amendment with the issuing health department or with the state DOH. Changes to cause of death require a statement from the attending physician or coroner. Other corrections like name spelling or date of birth need supporting documents such as a birth certificate or marriage record. SNOHD can help you start the amendment process for Snohomish County deaths within their coverage window.

Washington state law does not allow fee waivers for vital records. This is spelled out specifically and applies to all local health departments including SNOHD. The fee is set per copy and cannot be reduced regardless of financial circumstances. This is different from court filing fees, which do have a waiver process.

Cities in Snohomish County

All Snohomish County cities rely on the health department in Everett for death certificates. The same office and procedures apply regardless of which city the death occurred in.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Snohomish County. Each has its own local health department for death certificate requests.