Recommendations for Completing Paperwork

• Complete and file all advance directives, including Living Will and Medical Power of Attorney. Determine with your doctor if you should have a Portable Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST). Anticipated deaths that occur at home but not on hospice service must have a physician of record involved to avoid being considered an unattended death. Assign a family member, friend, or other designated agent to carry out all funeral arrangements.
• Fill out a Washington Death Certificate Worksheet so that basic information is handy whenever it’s needed. 
• Many county registrars may have no experience with those filing their own paperwork, although the Center for Health Statistics in the Washington State Department of Public Health has sent instructions to all county vital records offices reminding them about this process. It can be helpful, in the case of an anticipated death, to visit the county office to inform them of your intent. (See For Professionals for information you can bring with you. And check out Sample Forms to familiarize yourself with what paperwork in Washington looks like).

On This Page

• Recommendations for those choosing to handle their own paperwork
• How to complete the death certificate
• Who has the authority to manage the final affairs as next-of-kin
• How to designate an agent other than family to manage final affairs
• How to obtain certified copies of the death certificate

Completing the Death Certificate (also known as a Death Report)

Washington law does not require use of a licensed funeral director in making or carrying out final arrangements. 
(See Definitions RCW70.58A.010(31); Person having the right to control the disposition of human remains RCW70.58A.200(3); Designated agent RCW68.50.160(3b); Paper Death Certificate Availability RCW70.58A.010(4, 31).) 

Those wishing to handle the paperwork after a death without hiring a funeral director must obtain a blank paper copy of the death certificate (also referred to as a death report), obtain the signature of the medical authority certifying the death within 48 hours in the medical portion, complete the demographic portion signing as the funeral director, and present it to a local registrar in the town or city where the decedent died within 5 (five) days of the death. The State of Washington Department of Health has issued a brief statement regarding the procedure for filing a death certificate, see Families Acting as Funeral Directors. See Authority to Make Arrangements below regarding legal authorization.

Obtaining a Blank Paper Death Certificate
Those who wish to handle the paperwork after a death without hiring a funeral director must obtain a paper copy of a blank death certificate by contacting the county health office in the county where the person died. Here are the steps:

• Find the website for the appropriate county office in this list of Local Health Jurisdictions. 
• Obtain a phone number from the website, either a general information number or for their vital statistics office.
• Call the number and let them know that you are acting as an unpaid funeral director and need to obtain a blank paper death certificate.
• This form is officially known as "Washington State Report of Death, form number DOH 422-024 February 2021."
• In addition to confirming how you can obtain the blank paper death certificate from them, confirm the location of the office where you will file the completed form once it has been signed by the medical certifier.
• If you encounter difficulty with the county office, call the Washington State Department of Public Health's Center for Health Statistics, 1-800-525-0127, and refer to their publication Families Acting as Funeral Directors.

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Filling out the Death Certificate 
The next-of-kin must complete the demographic portion by hand (RCW70.58A.200:2) using a black ball point pen or typewriter to fill in the required information. Cross outs and white outs are not accepted. Use N/A or Unknown when necessary. Families can prepare in advance by filling out a Washington Death Certificate Worksheet or by keeping this information together in a file:

• Full name
• Social Security number
• Date and place of birth
• Address at the time of death
• Marital status and the surviving spouse’s name, if applicable
• Veterans discharge papers (DD-214) if applicable
• Father’s name
• Mother’s full name, including maiden name
• Place of death​
• Highest level of education and occupation

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Getting the Death Certificate Signed by the Medical Certifier

• Present to the Medical Authority who is responsible for certifying the medical portion. They are required to have this portion completed within 48 hours of the death. (RCW70.58.170)
• A Note About Unattended Deaths: If the person is not on hospice service but death outside a medical setting is anticipated, the likelihood of a death investigation can be reduced by contacting the primary care provider in advance to confirm their ability to certify the death based on known health conditions. (See Medical Certification of Death: A Cautionary Tale by Molly Sorios for a story about an unattended death.)

Filing the Death Certificate
The death certificate must then be filed with the registrar within 5 (five) calendar days of when the death occurred in the county where the death occurred. Any fees collected are for the purpose of developing and maintaining the state vital records systems, including a web-based electronic death registration system, and for operating the Health Department.
                    
Many county registrars may have little or no experience with a family filing their own paperwork. It can be helpful, in the case of an anticipated death, to visit their office to inform them of your intent. (See For Professionals for information you can bring with you. You can also print out and bring the state publication Families Acting as Funeral Directors.) 

Burial/Transit Permit
Before disposition can occur, the person having the right to control the disposition of human remains must complete the previous requirements. Once the death certificate is filed, the local registrar will provide the transit/burial permit. This must be acquired prior to disposition. (RCW70.58A.210)

Cremation
According to WAC246-500-050, your county or district registrar may issue a permit for disposition of cremated human remains. The permit may also be used to transport cremated remains by common carrier (airlines, trains, etc.).

Hiring Assistance for Filing
When filing the death certificate requires assistance due to timing or ability, the following funeral homes have committed to offer reasonably priced “a la carte” assistance solely to facilitate the Death Certificate and/or Burial-Transit Permit (unless other services are desired). Please contact them directly for their pricing. When calling you can say, “I understand from the Washington Funeral Resources & Education website that you can assist me in obtaining a Death Certificate and Burial-Transit Permit. I may or may not want to purchase any other products or services from you. How much do you charge solely for assisting me in obtaining a Death Certificate and Burial-Transit Permit?” 

• A Sacred Moment Funeral Services 425-316-8290 (Snohomish, King, Skagit & Island Counties)
• Elemental Cremation & Burial 206-357-1141 (King, Pierce & Snohomish Counties)
• Moles Farewell Tributes & Crematory - Bayview Chapel 360-733-0510 (Whatcom, Skagit & Island Counties)
• The Co-op Funeral Home of People's Memorial 206-529-3800 (Greater King County Area and neighboring counties)

(See Learn The Law for more background on Washingtonians’ legal right to make and carry out final arrangements without hiring a funeral director, and How to Work With Professionals for more on purchasing only what you want from a Funeral Director. If you would like to add your funeral home to this listing, please use our Contact Form for the application.)

Stories of Family-Filed Paperwork 
Read Karen’s Story for an example of family-filed paperwork in Oregon. While researching families' legal access for this website, we approached the State of Washington Department of Health, which subsequently clarified the process for Families Acting as Funeral Directors. Prior to this clarification, families like Heather’s and Mikaela’s faced costly and stressful barriers when attempting to exercise their right to handle the paperwork without hiring a funeral director. Their families' willingness to share their stories contributed to the restoration of access by the state Department of Health. 

​Washington Death Certificate Timeline for Home Funeral Families

Note: The term “family” in the chart above refers inclusively to biological family or to unpaid support people, friends, and community members serving as designated agent.

Authority to Make Arrangements

​Immediate family members or a designated agent have the right to handle all aspects of after-death care. This means you can legally care for and transport a body, keep it the body at home for a viewing period, and arrange for final disposition yourself, without hiring a licensed funeral director, except for any tasks you wish to have done by a funeral home. (See Designation of Agent Form to customize yours.)
     
According to RCW68.50.160(1), the authority to dispose of someone's remains is conferred to a designated agent if a valid written document was completed expressing wishes prior to the death. The order authority is as follows:

1. The person designated by the decedent as authorized to direct disposition as listed on the decedent's United States Department of Defense Record of Emergency Data;
2. The designated agent of the decedent as directed through a written document signed and dated by the decedent in the presence of a witness. The direction of the designated agent is sufficient to direct the type, place, and method of disposition;
3. The surviving spouse or state-registered domestic partner;
4. The majority of the surviving adult children of the decedent;
5. The surviving parents of the decedent;
6. The majority of the surviving siblings of the decedent;
7. A court-appointed guardian for the person at the time of the person's death.

Obtaining Official Copies of the Death Certificate

Obtaining Official Copies of the Death Certificate
Once you file the Death Certificate, the Health Department keeps the original. Certified copies may be needed to settle the affairs of the deceased (for example, for insurance or benefit claims, to close accounts). You can obtain certified copies, for a fee, either through Washington Department of Health or through a funeral home.
 
The Washington State Department of Health is closed to the public until further notice. You can access some services online and request records via VitalChek, or by calling the office during regular business hours: 360-236-4300.
 
Beginning January 1, 2021, only individuals with specific relationships to the person on the record being requested can receive a certified copy. Identity and proof of relationship documentation will be required. The certificate request fee will increase to $33.50 in most cases.
 
“Death records that include the manner of death, cause of death or any of the medical information are known as 'long-form death records.' Short-form death records only include the fact of death or demographic information. Who is eligible to order long-form death records is outlined in a separate section of law. See Chapter 246-490 WAC and Chapter 246-491 WAC for current requirements to order a vital record. Funeral home representatives listed on the death record may order both types of death records for two years from the date of death. After that, the family must order the record directly.”

Qualified applicants for long-form death certificates are:

• Spouse or domestic partner of the decedent;
• Parent, step-parent, or legal guardian immediately prior to death;
• Child or stepchild;
• Sibling;
• Grandparent or great grandparent;
• Grandchild;
• Legal representative;
• Authorized representative;
• Next of kin, only if no one else from this list is living;
• Funeral director or funeral establishment that is named on the record (up to 12 months from the date of death);
• Government agency or courts if the death certificate will be used for official duties.

Qualified applicants for short-form death certificates are the same as the long-form death certificates, plus these additional qualified applicants:

• A title insurer or title insurance agent handling a transaction involving real property;
• A person that demonstrates the certificate is necessary for a determination related to the death or protection of a personal or property right related to the death.

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​Resources and Online Links

​Portable Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
Washington Department of Health
County and District Health Department Map
Washington Certified Death Certificate Fees and Instructions

Washington Death Certificate Worksheet
​Washington DOH 2021 Changes to Vital Records Ordering Requirements FAQ
Washington Death Certificate Online Order Form
​Families Acting as Funeral Directors
Designation of Agent Form