Birth & Death Certificates

We provide birth and death certificates, also called vital records, for births and deaths that occurred in Washington State. We issue certified copies of birth and death certificates for:

  • Washington State births registered from  July 1, 1907 – present.
  • Deaths that occurred in Whatcom County from 1989 – present.
  • Deaths that occurred anywhere in Washington State after January 2016.

Find out how to request birth and death records not covered above.


  • You can order a birth or death certificate online, in person, or by mail. A certified copy of a birth or death certificate costs $20.00, plus a convenience fee if paying by credit or debit card.
  • We can provide your birth or death certificate while you wait during certain times. Find out when we offer on-demand processing.
  • To correct a birth certificate, contact the Washington State Vital Records Office at (360) 236-4300 or online.

Contact Us


  1. Vital Records


    Email Us

    509 Girard Street
    Bellingham, WA 98225
    Directions

    Phone: 360-778-6003
    Fax: 360-778-6001

    Hours


    Monday - Friday
    8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

    Closed on holidays


How do I order a birth or death certificate?

IN PERSON

Visit us in person to get on-demand processing of your birth or death certificate. We can issue your certificate while you wait only during these times:

During other business hours, our in-person processing times are:

Save time by filling out your application ahead of time and bringing it in. Applications are available in English, Spanish, and Russian.

ONLINE

You can submit your application for a birth or death certificate online and have it mailed to you, or stop by our office to pick it up.

Follow the instructions to pay after submitting your application. 

Applications submitted before midnight will be available for pick-up after 10:00 am the following business day.

Our online system is not optimized for mobile phones. It works best using a desktop or laptop computer.

BY MAIL

To submit your application by mail:

  • Download and complete the application form in English, Spanish, or Russian.
  • Mail completed application with a check or money order payable to “WCHD” to:

Vital Records

509 Girard St

Bellingham, WA  98225

Regular processing time for mailed applications is one business day, plus mail time each way.


Applications for birth certificates for newborns can take up to 3 weeks to process.

  • If the parents are not married, it may take additional time to process the application. Find more information about rules for Acknowledgment of Parentage from the Washington State Department of Health.


What information do I need to order a birth or death certificate?

To order a birth certificate, you must provide:

  • Full name of the child
  • Child’s birth date
  • City or county of birth
  • Mother’s full name at birth (maiden name)
  • Father’s full name at birth

To order a death certificate, you must provide:

  • Full name of the decedent
  • Date of death, or a 10-year span to search
  • Place of death (nearest city or town)

All the information you provide must match the record on file, including full first, middle and last name. For example, use “John Doe Smith” and not “John D. Smith”.


What about records that you don’t provide?

The Washington State Vital Records Office provides records for:

  • Births in Washington State from July 1, 1907 to present.
  • Deaths in Washington State from July 1, 1907 – present.
  • Marriage and divorce records from January 1, 1968 - present.

You can order birth and death certificates for records outside of Washington State by:

  • Contacting the state or local health department where the event occurred.
  • Going to www.vitalcheck.com.


Birth/Death Certificate Application Forms: