Search Redmond Death Index Records

Redmond death index records are part of Washington State's vital records system, with the free historical death index available through the Washington State Digital Archives covering deaths from 1907 through 1967. Redmond is a city in King County, and all death records from Redmond flow through the state Department of Health and King County's vital statistics office. This page explains how to search Redmond death records, how to order certified death certificates, and what state laws govern access to these records.

How Redmond Death Index Records Work

Death records in Redmond follow Washington State's centralized vital records system. When a death occurs in Redmond, the attending physician or funeral home files a death certificate with the Washington State Department of Health within ten days. DOH maintains all death certificates from 1907 to the present for all of Washington. The state runs one unified registry, not separate city or county databases.

The death index is not the same as a death certificate. The index is a summary record showing the name of the deceased, the date of death, the county, the certificate number, age, and gender. Cause of death is not shown in the index. The index is a finding tool. Once you locate an entry and note the certificate number, you can use that number to request the full certified death certificate from DOH or through an authorized vendor.

Redmond is in King County. All Redmond deaths are counted in the King County death index. The city does not maintain its own death index. Records go to the state, and the state is where you search and order. King County's pre-1907 death returns go back to 1881, which means researchers can access historical records from Redmond's earliest years through the Digital Archives at no cost.

Note: Redmond was incorporated in 1912, so deaths before that year would appear in King County records under the unincorporated county designation.

Which County Handles Redmond Death Records

Redmond is in King County, Washington's most populous county. King County handles the local processing of death records for Redmond through the King County Auditor and Public Health Seattle and King County. When a death occurs in Redmond, the funeral home submits the certificate electronically through the state EBDRS system, and the record becomes part of the DOH registry.

King County has a local vital statistics office that can issue certified death certificates directly, in addition to the state DOH office in Tumwater. Redmond residents or their families can use either office to order certificates. Both charge $20 per certified copy. The King County Medical Examiner at 325 Ninth Ave., Third Floor, Seattle, WA 98104 (206-731-3232) handles sudden, unexplained, or violent deaths in Redmond.

Searching Redmond Death Records Online

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is the best free resource for searching Redmond death index records. It covers the statewide death index from 1907 through 1967. For King County specifically, the archives include pre-1907 death returns going back to 1881. That gives Redmond area researchers access to decades of indexed death records at no cost.

To search, go to the Digital Archives and use the fields for first name, last name, year of death, and county. Filter by King County to narrow results to Redmond and the surrounding area. Each result shows the person's name, death date, county, certificate number, age, and gender. Keep the certificate number when you find a match. You will need it to order the full certified copy from DOH.

Source: Washington State Digital Archives

The Digital Archives search is free and open to the public. No account or registration is needed to view index results.

You can also search by "Redmond Washington death" at digitalarchives.wa.gov for results targeted to Redmond, including cemetery and burial records. For deaths after 1967, contact DOH directly at 360-236-4300 or use VitalChek.

Ordering a Death Certificate for Redmond

Washington State law under RCW 70.58 governs death certificate access. Deaths within the past 50 years are restricted to qualified applicants. The fee is $20 per certified copy. A Verification of Death letter costs $15 and confirms a death occurred without providing all the detail of a full certificate.

Qualified applicants for restricted records include the spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or legal representative of the deceased. You must show proof of your identity and relationship to the deceased when requesting any restricted record. Deaths older than 50 years are public records available to anyone without proving a relationship.

You have four ways to order a Redmond death certificate:

• In person at DOH in Tumwater or at Public Health Seattle and King County
• By mail to DOH at PO Box 9709, Olympia WA 98507-9709
• By phone at 360-236-4300, Monday through Friday 8am to 4:30pm
• Online through VitalChek at vitalchek.com

Source: VitalChek Online Certificate Ordering

VitalChek is the only authorized third-party vendor for online Washington death certificate orders and charges a $12.50 processing fee on top of the $20 state fee.

Mail orders take 4 to 6 weeks. Walk-in service at DOH handles records from 1968 to present on the same day. Records from 1907 to 1967 may need extra processing time even with in-person requests.

Redmond Local Resources

The Redmond City Clerk handles public records requests for city records under RCW 42.56. The Clerk's office does not maintain death certificates, but it can assist with related city records and direct you to the right agency. The Redmond Police Department maintains police reports that may document death-related incidents such as accidents or investigations.

The King County Medical Examiner investigates sudden, unexplained, or violent deaths in Redmond. When the ME's office handles a case, it files the death certificate with DOH. The ME's investigative records are separate from the vital records system and can be requested under RCW 42.56 by submitting a public records request directly to the King County Medical Examiner's office.

Historical Redmond Death Records

For deaths before 1907, researchers need to look beyond the DOH system. The Washington State Archives holds early death registers and pre-statehood records. King County's pre-1907 death returns go back to 1881 and are indexed in the Digital Archives for free searching. Redmond was incorporated in 1912, so very early deaths from this area would appear in King County death registers from the territorial and early statehood periods.

The State Archives Research Facility in Olympia at 1129 Washington St SE can assist with requests that go beyond what appears online. Staff can be reached at 360-586-1492 or archives@sos.wa.gov, Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm. The Puget Sound Regional Branch of the Archives in Bellevue also holds microfilm copies of King County records. Their main site is at sos.wa.gov/archives.

Source: Washington State Archives

The State Archives holds pre-1907 records and can assist genealogical researchers looking for early Redmond area deaths.

Other useful sources for historical Redmond death research include probate records at King County Superior Court, FamilySearch's Washington death index collections, historic newspapers digitized through the Washington State Library, and cemetery records for Redmond-area cemeteries in the Digital Archives.

Public Records and Access Laws

Two state laws govern death record access in Washington. The first is RCW 70.58, the Vital Statistics Act. It limits access to certified death certificates for deaths within the past 50 years. Only qualified applicants can get those records. Deaths older than 50 years are public and available without restriction.

The second law is RCW 42.56, the Public Records Act. This law applies to all government records held by state and local agencies. For records outside the vital records system, such as police reports or medical examiner files, you submit a public records request under RCW 42.56. Agencies must respond within five business days.

Source: RCW 70.58 Vital Statistics

RCW 70.58 sets out who can obtain certified copies of Washington death certificates and what fees apply statewide.

Death index records in the Digital Archives from 1907 through 1967 are fully public. The index shows only basic identifying details and no cause of death, so it does not trigger the same privacy restrictions as a certified certificate. Anyone can search and view the index at no cost.

The CDC also maintains Washington vital statistics data at the national level. Their Washington page at cdc.gov provides additional contact information and links to state resources.

Source: CDC Washington Vital Records

The CDC page provides a national entry point to Washington's vital statistics system and links to DOH resources for Redmond and statewide.

Nearby Cities

These Washington cities also have death records resources and guidance for the death index.