Search Lakewood Death Index Records

Lakewood death index records are part of Washington State's vital records system, with the Washington State Digital Archives providing free access to historical death indexes from 1907 through 1967. This page covers how to search Lakewood death records, how Pierce County handles filings, how to order certified death certificates, and what state law says about access.

How Lakewood Death Index Records Work

Death records in Lakewood follow Washington State's two-tier system. Modern deaths are filed with the Washington State Department of Health, which maintains the statewide vital records registry. Historical records from 1907 through 1967 are searchable for free through the Washington State Digital Archives. Lakewood is a large city in Pierce County. It was incorporated in 1996, making it one of the newer cities in the state. Nearly all Lakewood death records fall in the period after 1967, which means they are not publicly indexed online.

When a death occurs in Lakewood, the attending physician, medical examiner, or funeral home files a death certificate with DOH within ten days. The record enters the state vital records system. The death index is a summary document, not the full certificate. It shows name, date of death, county, certificate number, age, and gender. It does not include cause of death or family details. The index is a finding tool. You use it to locate the certificate number, then request the full record from DOH.

Lakewood does not issue death certificates at the city level. That is the state's job. For certified copies, contact DOH directly or use VitalChek online. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is also involved in vital statistics for the region and can be a local point of contact for questions.

Pierce County Handles Lakewood Death Records

Lakewood is in Pierce County. Deaths that occur in Lakewood are filed through Pierce County's portion of the state vital records system. Pierce County has pre-1907 death registers going back to 1883, indexed in the Digital Archives. Lakewood itself is newer, but the broader Pierce County record set is well-documented historically.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department provides local vital records services for Pierce County, including Lakewood. They can answer questions about death records and vital statistics for the area. For certified death certificates, they will generally direct you to the state DOH, but they are a useful local resource for questions about the process.

Searching Lakewood Death Records Online

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is the best free tool for searching Lakewood area death records. The database covers the statewide death index from 1907 through 1967. For Lakewood specifically, most records will fall after 1967 since the city was not incorporated until 1996. But for deaths in the unincorporated Pierce County area that later became Lakewood, the pre-incorporation records would appear under Pierce County in the index.

Source: Washington State Digital Archives

The Digital Archives is a finding tool for historical records. For recent Lakewood deaths, contact DOH directly. The index does not cover records after 1967.

For deaths after 1967, DOH does not maintain a public online index. Call 360-236-4300 to check whether a specific record exists. DOH staff can confirm over the phone before you pay for a certified copy. This is the practical approach for most Lakewood records given the city's recent incorporation date.

The Digital Archives also includes cemetery records, burial permits, and Pierce County coroner inquest files. Pierce County has death registers going back to 1883, making it useful for genealogical research on the broader area. These older records predate both Washington statehood and the city of Lakewood itself.

Note: The death index does not include cause of death. For that information, you must request the full certified certificate from DOH.

Ordering a Lakewood Death Certificate

Certified death certificates for Lakewood are issued by the Washington State Department of Health. The fee is $20 per copy. Under RCW 70.58, deaths within the past 50 years are restricted to qualified applicants. Qualified applicants include the spouse or domestic partner, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal guardians, and legal representatives of the deceased. Deaths older than 50 years are available to any member of the public.

DOH also issues Verification of Death letters for $15. These confirm a death record exists without providing the full certificate. Fewer restrictions apply, making the Verification letter useful when only confirmation of death is needed rather than the full document.

Mail orders take 4 to 6 weeks. Walk-in same-day service is available for deaths from 1968 to present. Online orders through VitalChek at vitalchek.com cost $20 plus a $12.50 processing fee. VitalChek is available 24 hours a day and is the only authorized third-party vendor for Washington State death certificates.

Lakewood Local Resources

Lakewood has city offices for local government records. The Lakewood City Clerk handles public records requests for city documents. The Lakewood Police Department maintains police reports and records. Neither office issues death certificates, but both may have records relevant to death-related research or legal proceedings involving Lakewood residents.

To request city records, submit a written request under RCW 42.56. The city has five business days to respond. Pierce County Legal Assistance and the Northwest Justice Project provide free or low-cost legal help for qualifying Lakewood residents navigating records requests or other legal matters.

Historical Death Records for Lakewood

Though Lakewood as a city is young, the area has a long history as part of unincorporated Pierce County. Fort Steilacoom, one of the first American military posts in the Pacific Northwest, was located in what is now Lakewood. Deaths in this area before incorporation were recorded under Pierce County. Pierce County death registers from 1883 are indexed in the Washington State Digital Archives, covering the full history of the region.

The Washington State Archives holds physical copies of older Pierce County records. The Archives is at 1129 Washington Street SE, Olympia, WA 98504. Phone: 360-586-1492. Email: archives@sos.wa.gov. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Puget Sound Regional Branch in Bellevue also holds microfilmed Pierce County records.

Source: Washington State Archives

The State Archives holds Pierce County records dating to the 1880s. These cover the Lakewood area throughout its history as an unincorporated community before the city was formed in 1996.

Other sources for historical Lakewood area deaths include probate records at Pierce County Superior Court, historic newspapers from Tacoma and surrounding communities, and FamilySearch's Washington death records collection. Local cemetery records from Fort Steilacoom Cemetery and other burial grounds in the area provide additional historical data on deaths in the region.

Public Records and Access Laws

Washington's Public Records Act under RCW 42.56 gives broad rights to access government records. Death records carry specific restrictions under RCW 70.58. Certified death certificates from the past 50 years are restricted to qualified applicants. Deaths older than 50 years are available to any member of the public. The Digital Archives death index is fully public because it contains only basic identifying information without cause of death.

For Lakewood or Pierce County records outside the vital records system, submit a written request under RCW 42.56. Most offices respond within five business days. Records connected to active investigations may be partially withheld.

Nearby Cities

These nearby Washington cities have their own death records resources and guidance for finding death index records.