Benton County Death Index Records

Benton County death index records are available through the Washington State Digital Archives for deaths from 1907 through 1967, and through the Washington State Department of Health for certified death certificates from 1907 forward. Benton County is one of the larger counties in eastern Washington, with major cities including Kennewick and Richland. The county auditor office in Kennewick can assist with historical records research, and the Benton County Coroner handles deaths that require investigation. This page explains how to find and access death records for any year.

How Benton County Death Index Records Work

Washington State started its centralized death registration system in 1907. Since that year, all death certificates filed in Benton County have gone to the state rather than staying at the county. The Washington State Department of Health now holds all certified death certificates from 1907 forward, regardless of which county the death occurred in. If you need a certified copy of a Benton County death certificate, you request it from the state, not from the county.

The Washington State Digital Archives hosts a free death index covering 1907 through 1967. This searchable database includes Benton County deaths and shows the name, age, gender, date of death, county, and certificate number for each record. You can search it at digitalarchives.wa.gov with no account or fee required. The certificate number shown in the results is what you use when ordering a certified copy from the Department of Health.

For deaths before 1907, the records are county-level. Benton County was established in 1905, just two years before the state system began, so there is a very short window of pre-state records. The Benton County Auditor may hold any burial permits or early registers from that brief period. The Washington State Archives in Olympia also holds microfilm materials from early Washington counties. The auditor office at co.benton.wa.us/auditor can help confirm what early materials exist.

The screenshot below is from the Washington State Digital Archives, the main free resource for Benton County death index searches. The Digital Archives covers 1907 through 1967 and is free to search for all Washington counties including Benton.

Benton County Auditor Office

The Benton County Auditor is based in Kennewick, not in the county seat of Prosser. The auditor maintains county records and can assist with historical records research. Death certificates from 1907 forward are state records and the auditor will direct those requests to the Department of Health. The auditor may hold burial permits, cemetery records, and early death registers from before the statewide system began in 1907.

Benton County is part of the Tri-Cities area, which also includes Kennewick, Richland, and Pasco in neighboring Franklin County. The area grew significantly during and after World War II due to the Hanford nuclear site in Richland. This rapid growth means local death records from the mid-twentieth century reflect a very different population than earlier decades. If you are researching a death from the 1940s through 1960s, keep in mind the Digital Archives covers those years and the index will include records from that era. The Benton County Auditor is the county's primary office for records research and can assist with historical death records inquiry.

Searching Benton County Death Records Online

The Washington State Digital Archives is the best free tool for online death index searches in Benton County. The database covers 1907 through 1967 and is available at digitalarchives.wa.gov. Search by name, date range, or certificate number. Results show the name, age, gender, date of death, county, and certificate number. No account is needed and there is no fee to search.

For deaths after 1967, no free online index exists. Those records are restricted under RCW 70.58.107 until the 50-year mark has passed, at which point they become public records. You must be a qualified applicant to get a certified copy of a restricted death record. Qualified applicants include the spouse or domestic partner, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal guardian, legal representative, or a person with a tangible interest.

If you need to confirm a death occurred without getting the full certified certificate, the Department of Health offers a Verification of Death letter for $15. That letter confirms a record exists on file but does not include all certificate details. It can be useful for legal or administrative purposes when the full certificate is not yet accessible to you. Contact DOH at 360-236-4300 or visit doh.wa.gov.

Ordering Benton County Death Certificates

Certified death certificates for Benton County deaths from 1907 forward are issued by the Washington State Department of Health at a cost of $20 per certificate. There are four ways to order: by phone, by mail, in person, or online. Benton County does not issue certified death certificates.

By phone: call 360-236-4300, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. By mail: send your request to Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, PO Box 9709, Olympia WA 98507-9709. Include the full name of the deceased, date of death, county, your relationship, and a copy of your ID. Mail requests take four to six weeks. Walk-in service is at 101 Israel Road SE, Tumwater WA 98501.

For online orders, use VitalChek. It is the state-authorized online ordering service and charges a $12.50 processing fee plus shipping on top of the $20 state fee. Visit vitalchek.com to submit your order. VitalChek is the authorized online ordering platform for certified death certificates from all Washington counties.

Under RCW 70.58.050, deaths must be registered within 10 days of occurrence. The Department of Health processes the registration and maintains the official record from that point. Amendments to a death certificate after filing are governed by RCW 70.58.200 and typically take 8 to 12 weeks to complete.

Benton County Coroner Records

The Benton County Coroner investigates deaths that are sudden, unexpected, violent, or of unknown cause within the county. The coroner's office determines the cause and manner of death and prepares case files that are separate from the official death certificate. These records can include autopsy reports, toxicology findings, and investigation notes. The coroner is located at 7122 W. Okanogan Place in Kennewick, the same complex as the auditor's office.

Coroner records are government records subject to the Washington Public Records Act under RCW 42.56. Some records may be withheld if they are part of an active investigation or if another legal exemption applies. You can contact the Benton County Coroner at co.benton.wa.us/coroner to ask about specific records or submit a formal records request. The coroner's records are separate from the certified death certificate system managed by the Department of Health.

Not every death in Benton County involves the coroner. Most routine deaths go directly through the funeral home and into the state registration process. Coroner involvement is limited to cases meeting specific criteria under Washington law. If you are looking for a standard death certificate rather than a coroner investigation file, the Department of Health is the right source.

Historical Death Records in Benton County

Benton County was formed in 1905 from parts of Yakima and Klikitat counties, making it a relatively young county. It had only about two years of local death record-keeping before the statewide system started in 1907. Early records from that brief pre-state period, if they survive, would likely be at the county auditor's office or at the Washington State Archives in Olympia.

The Washington State Archives Research Facility is located at 1129 Washington Street SE, Olympia WA 98504. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Staff can be reached at archives@sos.wa.gov or 360-586-1492. The Archives holds microfilm of county-level death records and can identify what Benton County materials are available. Their website is at sos.wa.gov/archives. The Washington State Archives in Olympia is the main repository for pre-1907 county death records and microfilm collections from across Washington.

FamilySearch has worked with the State Archives to digitize a portion of Washington's early vital records. Searching FamilySearch.org is free and may turn up records not yet available through other databases. For Benton County, probate court records can also document deaths. Estate filings from the Superior Court often name the deceased, give dates, and list heirs. Newspaper obituaries from the Kennewick and Richland area papers are another useful secondary source. Local libraries may have archives of regional papers going back many decades.

The CDC maintains a Washington vital records reference page at cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/washington.htm that describes where records are held by time period and how to access them.

Public Records Access in Benton County

Benton County operates under the Washington Public Records Act, codified at RCW 42.56. The Act gives anyone the right to request records held by Washington state and local agencies. Benton County has an online public records portal that makes submitting requests straightforward. You can access it through co.benton.wa.us/publicrecords. Agencies must respond to requests within five business days, either with the records, a denial with legal basis, or an estimated timeline.

Death certificates have their own access framework under RCW Chapter 70.58. Under RCW 70.58.107, death records less than 50 years old are restricted to qualified applicants. Those include the spouse or domestic partner, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal guardian, legal representative, or someone with a demonstrated tangible interest in the record. Once a record reaches 50 years, it becomes fully public and access is open to anyone.

The free death index on the Digital Archives covers 1907 through 1967, meaning all those records have passed the 50-year threshold and are public. You can search the index and view results freely. To get a certified copy you still go through the Department of Health, but the index itself has no access restrictions. RCW 70.58 governs vital statistics in Washington State, including who can access death certificates and the rules around public disclosure.

Cities in Benton County

Benton County includes several cities and communities. Death index records for residents of all these communities are handled through the same state and county channels.

Other communities in Benton County include Prosser, West Richland, Benton City, and Paterson. All death records for these areas are processed through the Washington State Department of Health and are searchable through the Digital Archives index for the years 1907 through 1967.

Nearby Counties

Benton County borders several other counties in central and eastern Washington. If a death occurred near a county line, records may have been filed in an adjacent county.