Vital Records (Birth & Death certificates)

New Vital Records Law and rules went into effect on January 1, 2021 for Washington State that made changes to requirements for birth and death certificates, which included increased security of personal information. 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. 

WASHINGTON STATE VITAL RECORDS
LIST OF ACCEPTABLE PROOFS OF IDENTITY:
English     or     Español

For more information, visit the Washington State Department of Health Frequently Asked Questions.

Basic Certificate Information


Certificate Data Changes

If you need to correct something on a certificate you already have or update a record with a legal name change, go to the Washington State Department of Health (WA DOH) How to Correct a Record webpage for detailed steps you need to follow or contact information to ask questions directly to the Olympia, WA Vital Statistics office. 

No Same-Day Service
If the record summarized on the application exists in the state database, certificates are generally available 1 to 2 business days after the certificate application and correct fee have been processed by the Okanogan County Public Health District (OCPHD). If there is a hold placed on a record by the vital statistics office in Olympia, such as a parentage issue or an error under review, there may be a delay.


Outside of Washington Life Event Record
If you are seeking a certificate of a birth or death which occurred outside Washington state, we recommend visiting the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Where to Write for Vital Records webpage for more information. Other contacts if the life event of a United States citizen took place outside of the United States: 


ONLINE
If you would like to pay with a credit card, you will need to complete the application online. The online application will require you to provide an email address and the ability to take an in-focus picture or copy of your proof of identity to upload during the application. The online application offers options to:

  • receive automated application status updates via text or voice message
  • pick-up certified certificate(s) from the OCPHD office in Okanogan or have them mailed to the address on your application

If you are applying for a newborn birth certificate online, please be aware of the delay in record availability due to processing time between the event date and when the information becomes accessible. OCPHD will issue the newborn birth certificate as quickly as possible when the data becomes available from the state database in Olympia.

Please be aware of minimal convenience fees associated with the online application.  A flat non-refundable $4.00 convenience fee and a credit card processing fee will be added to the total of the online certificate application.

 

POSTAL MAIL
To print a blank Vital Records application or use a fillable form, scroll to the bottom of this webpage. Be sure to include the required document(s) and correct payment amount in the envelope with the completed application. Application PDFs to print are located at the bottom of this webpage.
 

IN-PERSON
You are welcome to complete an application at the OCPHD office or bring the form with you by printing out from the list at the bottom of this webpage.  Application PDFs to print are located at the bottom of this webpage.  
Birth and Death certificate applications presented in-person at the OCPHD office will only be accepted between 7:30 AM until 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday.


Fee Information

    • Each certificate is $25.00.
    • Each record order, regardless of the number of certificates, will have a $2.00 handling fee.
    • No refunds

If you have questions after reviewing the certificate application instructions, please call (509)422-7140

BIRTH Certificates
We have access to the Center for Health Statistics (Vital Records in Olympia) and can issue certified copies of birth certificates -- often used for passports, school enrollment, tribal enrollment, Social Security benefits, etc -- for individuals born in Washington State from 1921 to present. 

For birth certificates involving an adoption, please go to the Washington state Department of Health: Adoptions information page.

DEATH Certificates
Toward the end of 2014, death certificate records available through the OCPHD began transitioning to digitized electronic information. 

  • Any deaths which occurred in Washington state toward the end of 2014 thought today can be requested here in our office at OCPHD.
  • For deaths recorded before 2014, you will need to contact the Center for Health Statistics in Olympia and request certified copies.


To order records from Washington State Center for Health Statistics, click on this link :
 https://doh.wa.gov/about-us/programs-and-services/disease-control-and-health-statistics/center-health-statistics

 

Doc app

Document Center

The Document Center provides easy access to public documents. Click on one of the categories below to see related documents or use the search function.

Categories always sorted by seq (sub-categories sorted within each category)
Documents sorted by SEQ in Ascending Order within category

Birth Certificates3 documents

  • Certified BIRTH Certificate Order Form (English)
    document seq 2.20
  • Certified BIRTH Certificate Order Form (Spanish)
    document seq 4.20
    Formulario De Solicitud Por Correo De Actas De Nacimiento (Español)
  • Okanogan Vital Records online application / Solicitud en línea de Okanogan Vital Records
    document seq 5.00
    Online form with credit card payment / Formulario en línea con pago con tarjeta de crédito

Death Certificates3 documents

  • Certified DEATH Certificate Order Form (English)
    document seq 2.20
  • Certified DEATH Certificate Order Form (Spanish)
    document seq 4.20
    Formulario De Solicitud Por Correo De Actas De Defunción (Español)
  • Okanogan Vital Records online application / Solicitud en línea de Okanogan Vital Records
    document seq 5.00
    Online form with credit card payment / Formulario en línea con pago con tarjeta de crédito

VR: Support Forms & Reference10 documents

  • Acceptable Proofs of ELIGIBILITY (English)
    document seq 0.00
  • Acceptable Proofs of ELIGIBILITY (Spanish)
    document seq 0.00
  • Acceptable Proofs of IDENTITY (English)
    document seq 0.00
  • Acceptable Proofs of IDENTITY (Spanish)
    document seq 0.00
  • Affidavit for Correction (English)
    document seq 2.20
  • Affidavit for Correction (Spanish)
    document seq 2.40
  • Authorized Representative form (English)
    document seq 4.20
  • Authorized Representative form (Spanish)
    document seq 4.40
  • Birth or Death Informational Record Copy (English)
    document seq 6.00
  • Birth or Death Informational Record Copy (Spanish)
    document seq 6.50