Search Edmonds Death Records

Edmonds death index records are part of Washington State's central vital records system, with free historical death indexes available through the Washington State Digital Archives for deaths from 1907 through 1967. Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, and all death records from within the city are filed with the Washington State Department of Health. This page covers how to search the Edmonds death index, where to order certified death certificates, and what laws govern access to these records.

How Edmonds Death Index Records Work

When a death occurs in Edmonds, the funeral home or attending physician files a death certificate with the Washington State Department of Health electronically within ten days. That certificate becomes part of the state's permanent vital records registry. The city of Edmonds does not maintain a separate death index. All records go to the state, and the state is where you search and request them.

The death index differs from a death certificate. An index entry shows only the name, date, county, certificate number, age at death, and gender. Cause of death does not appear in the index. No family information is listed. Use the index to find the certificate number for a specific person, then request the full certified document from DOH if you need more detail.

Edmonds is in Snohomish County at the south end of the county along Puget Sound. All Edmonds deaths appear in the Snohomish County portion of the state death index. Edmonds was incorporated in 1890, and the city has a history stretching back to the late 1800s. Records from before 1907 for the Edmonds area may be in Snohomish County's older death registers.

Snohomish County Handles Edmonds Death Records

Edmonds is in Snohomish County. The Snohomish County Auditor in Everett maintains historical county records. The Snohomish Health District in Everett issues death certificates for events occurring in Snohomish County, including Edmonds. This provides a local option in addition to ordering from the state DOH in Tumwater. Both charge $20 per certified copy.

Source: Snohomish County Medical Examiner

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner investigates sudden, unexplained, or violent deaths in Edmonds and the rest of Snohomish County.

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's office at 3223 112th St. SE, Everett WA 98208 investigates sudden, violent, or unexplained deaths in Edmonds. Phone: 425-438-6200. When the ME handles a case, it files the death certificate with DOH. ME investigative records are separate and can be requested under Washington's Public Records Act.

Searching the Edmonds Death Index Online

Use the Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov to search Edmonds death records for free. The statewide index covers 1907 through 1967. Filter your search by Snohomish County to focus on Edmonds records. Each index entry shows the full name, death date, county, certificate number, age at death, and gender. Record the certificate number to use when ordering a certified copy from DOH.

The Digital Archives also holds older Snohomish County records that predate the 1907 statewide registration. Searching for "Snohomish County death" or "Edmonds Washington death" may surface older burial records and cemetery entries for the Edmonds area. No account or login is needed. The search is completely free.

Source: Edmonds City Clerk

The Edmonds City Clerk handles public records requests for city documents; death certificates are ordered separately from DOH or the Snohomish Health District.

Source: Washington State Digital Archives

The Digital Archives is free and requires no registration. Start all Edmonds death index searches here before trying paid sources.

For deaths after 1967, no public online index exists. Contact DOH at 360-236-4300 or the Snohomish Health District at 425-339-5200 to check whether a record exists. You can also run a targeted search at digitalarchives.wa.gov.

Ordering an Edmonds Death Certificate

Certified death certificates for Edmonds deaths are ordered from the state DOH or the Snohomish Health District. The fee is $20 per certified copy. Under RCW 70.58, deaths within the past 50 years are restricted to qualified applicants. Those who qualify include the spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, and legal representatives of the deceased. Deaths older than 50 years are available to anyone.

A Verification of Death letter costs $15. It confirms a death occurred without giving you the full certificate. The Verification has fewer restrictions and is sufficient when you do not need a certified copy for legal purposes.

Order Edmonds death certificates four ways:

• In person at DOH: 101 Israel Road SE, Tumwater WA 98501 (Monday through Friday 8am to 4:30pm)
• In person at Snohomish Health District: 3020 Rucker Ave., Everett WA 98201
• By mail to DOH: PO Box 9709, Olympia WA 98507-9709
• Online through VitalChek at vitalchek.com ($20 state fee plus $12.50 processing)

Mail orders take 4 to 6 weeks. Walk-in service at DOH handles 1968-to-present records the same day.

Source: VitalChek Online Certificate Ordering

VitalChek is available 24 hours a day and is the authorized online vendor for Washington State vital records.

Edmonds Local Resources

The Edmonds City Clerk handles public records requests for city documents. The Clerk does not hold death certificates but can assist with related city records. The Edmonds Police Department Records unit maintains police reports for death-related incidents within the city.

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner investigates deaths in Edmonds that are sudden, unexplained, or violent. Investigative records from the ME can be requested under RCW 42.56 separately from the death certificate that is filed with DOH.

Historical Death Records for Edmonds

Edmonds was incorporated in 1890 and has a history going back to the mid-1800s. For deaths before the 1907 statewide registration system began, researchers need to check Snohomish County's older records. The Washington State Archives holds early county death registers that may include Edmonds-area deaths from the 1890s and early 1900s.

The State Archives Research Facility is at 1129 Washington St SE, Olympia WA 98504. Staff are available Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm at 360-586-1492 or archives@sos.wa.gov. Their website is at sos.wa.gov/archives. The Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov contains digitized Snohomish County records including cemetery and burial records for the Edmonds area.

Source: Washington State Archives

The State Archives holds Snohomish County records predating 1907 and can help researchers find historical death records for Edmonds.

Probate records at Snohomish County Superior Court, historic newspapers, cemetery records for Edmonds-area cemeteries, and FamilySearch's Washington collections are all useful supplementary sources for historical Edmonds death research.

Public Records and Access Laws

Washington's RCW 70.58 restricts certified death certificates for deaths within 50 years to qualified applicants. Deaths older than 50 years are public. The Digital Archives index from 1907 to 1967 is fully open with no restrictions. Anyone can search and view it at no cost.

For records held by Edmonds or Snohomish County, Washington's Public Records Act at RCW 42.56 applies. You can submit a public records request for police reports, ME investigative files, and similar documents. Agencies respond within five business days.

Source: RCW 70.58 Vital Statistics

RCW 70.58 sets out the fees, access rules, and qualified applicant requirements for Washington death certificates statewide.

The CDC page at cdc.gov provides national context and links to Washington state vital records resources.

Source: CDC Washington Vital Records

The CDC page links to state-level resources and provides national vital statistics data for all Washington counties including Snohomish.

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities are also served by Washington's death records system. Each has resources and guidance for searching death index records.