Mason County Death Index

Mason County death index records are maintained within Washington State's centralized vital records system, with historical indexes available for free through the Washington State Digital Archives. Located on the Olympic Peninsula with Shelton as the county seat, Mason County has a population of about 67,000. This page explains how to search the Mason County death index, obtain certified death certificates from DOH, and access historical records for genealogical or legal purposes.

How Mason County Death Index Records Work

Death records in Mason County are part of Washington State's centralized vital records system. When a death occurs, the attending physician or funeral director files the certificate with DOH within ten days. DOH maintains the state registry in Tumwater. Mason County does not hold its own modern death certificate database.

Historical deaths from 1907 through 1967 are indexed in the Washington State Digital Archives. The index is free to search and shows the decedent's name, death date, county, certificate number, age, and gender. Cemetery records and burial permits for Mason County are also available through the Digital Archives, making it a useful resource for genealogical research that goes beyond just the death index.

The death index is a finding aid. It tells you a record exists and gives you the certificate number. You then use that number to request the full certificate from DOH. The full certificate includes cause of death, informant details, place of burial, and family information not shown in the index.

Mason County Auditor Death Records

The Mason County Auditor in Shelton handles county records including historical death registers from before the state vital records system. The auditor's office at 411 North Fifth Street can assist with questions about pre-1907 Mason County death records and can point researchers toward the right resource for historical documentation.

Source: Mason County Auditor

The Mason County Auditor can help with historical record questions and direct you to DOH or the Digital Archives for modern or indexed records.

The auditor does not issue modern certified death certificates. Those go through DOH. The auditor maintains other county records that may be relevant to estate and property matters, which often follow a death. The auditor's historical records can supplement what the Digital Archives holds for pre-1907 Mason County deaths.

Searching Mason County Death Records Online

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is the primary free resource for Mason County death index searches. The index covers 1907 through 1967. Search by name and filter by Mason County. Each result shows the certificate number, which you can use to request a full copy from DOH.

Source: Washington State Digital Archives

The Digital Archives is free, public, and covers six decades of Mason County death data from 1907 to 1967.

For deaths after 1967, no free public online index exists. Contact DOH at 360-236-4300 to ask about a specific record. Provide the name and approximate year. You can also order online through VitalChek if you are ready to proceed with a formal request. Confirming a record exists before paying is a reasonable step, especially for older post-1967 deaths.

FamilySearch and Ancestry maintain Washington death index records that supplement the Digital Archives. For Mason County, these may include cemetery transcriptions and burial records that add context beyond what the state index shows.

Ordering a Mason County Death Certificate

Certified death certificates for Mason County deaths are issued by DOH. The fee is $20 per copy. Under RCW 70.58, deaths within the past 50 years are restricted to qualified applicants: spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, or legal representatives of the deceased. Deaths older than 50 years are open to the general public.

You can order in person at DOH, 101 Israel Road SE, Tumwater WA 98501, Monday through Friday 8am to 4:30pm. By mail, send to PO Box 9709, Olympia WA 98507-9709. Mail orders take 4 to 6 weeks. Online orders go through VitalChek at vitalchek.com, costing $20 plus $12.50 in processing fees.

Source: VitalChek Online Ordering

VitalChek is the state-authorized online vendor for Washington death certificate orders, processing requests for Mason County events as well as other counties.

DOH offers Verification of Death letters for $15. These documents confirm a death was registered and carry fewer access restrictions than certified copies. They work for many administrative and legal purposes that don't need the full certificate with cause of death and family details.

Mason County Coroner Death Records

The Mason County Coroner investigates deaths that are sudden, violent, unattended, or otherwise require a formal determination of cause and manner. When the coroner takes a case, the coroner files the death certificate with DOH. That certificate enters the state system just like any other. The coroner's investigative files are separate.

Coroner records are public under RCW 42.56 with limited exceptions for active investigations. Submit a public records request to the Mason County Coroner to obtain reports. The county typically responds within five business days. Family members researching cause of death in coroner cases should contact the coroner's office directly, as the coroner can often provide more detail than what is on the death certificate alone.

Historical Death Records in Mason County

Mason County was established in 1854 from the original Thurston County. Historical death records from the territorial and early statehood periods are held at the Washington State Archives in Olympia. The Archives is at 1129 Washington St SE, Olympia WA 98504, reachable at 360-586-1492 or archives@sos.wa.gov, Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm.

Source: Washington State Archives

The State Archives in Olympia holds Mason County records from before the DOH system and can assist with requests for older deaths not in the Digital Archives.

Cemetery records for Mason County are available through the Digital Archives and through local historical and genealogical organizations. The Hood Canal area has well-documented burial records. Probate records at the Mason County Superior Court in Shelton are public and often reference dates of death. These records can help confirm or supplement information found in the death index, especially for deaths in the early twentieth century where documentation may be incomplete.

Public Records Access for Mason County Death Records

Washington's Public Records Act under RCW 42.56 establishes the right to access government records. RCW 70.58 applies specifically to vital records and restricts access to death certificates for deaths within the past 50 years. Qualified applicants include the spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and legal representatives of the deceased. Deaths older than 50 years are available to the public.

Source: RCW 70.58 Vital Statistics

RCW 70.58 is the primary statute governing who may obtain a certified Mason County death certificate and what fees apply.

For Mason County public records outside the vital records system, submit a request through the Mason County public records process at masoncountywa.gov/public_records. The county follows RCW 42.56 requirements. The death index in the Digital Archives is fully public, free, and open to anyone without restriction or qualification.

The CDC's Washington vital records page at cdc.gov links to DOH and national death statistics resources, providing useful context for how Washington State vital records fit into the broader national reporting system.

Source: CDC Washington Vital Records

The CDC page is a national reference point for Washington vital statistics, connecting Mason County death data to the broader federal health records system.

Cities in Mason County

Mason County's cities and communities file death records through the Washington State DOH system. No cities in Mason County meet the population threshold for individual city pages on this site.

The main communities in Mason County include Shelton, Belfair, Allyn, and Union. Death records for all of these are held by the Washington State DOH and indexed for the historical period through the Digital Archives.

Nearby Counties

These counties border or lie near Mason County on the Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound.