Filing Death Records
Audience: Medical providers, medical examiners, coroners, and funeral homes
Washington State requires medical providers, medical examiners, coroners, and funeral homes to electronically report and register a death within 5 days of the death in the Washington Health and Life Event System (WHALES).
WHALES is not accessible to the public. To find vital records data or statistics, visit the Washington State Department of Health Statistics webpage.
To report a death, medical providers, medical examiners, coroners, and funeral homes must be enrolled in WHALES. To request more information or access, please contact Washington State at DeathRegistration@doh.wa.gov.
Cowlitz County Health & Human Services (CCHHS) staff review death records at least three times per business day at approximately 10:00 a.m.; 1:00 p.m.; and 4:00 p.m. Reviews on non-business days will be done at approximately 12:00 p.m., but only if qualified staff are scheduled to work.
During non-business hours, a funeral home can request an emergency burial transit permit for religious reasons, as allowed in the WA State Dept. of Health guidelines. Funeral Homes should call our After-Hours Reporting Line at 360-636-9595.
| CCHHS has developed the below Flow Chart to assist in the process and requirements of filing a death record through our office. |
Resources:
- CDC Death Certification: Writing Cause-of-Death Statements: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/writing-cause-of-death-statements.htm
- Laws and rules: Funerals and cemeteries: https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/funeral-directors/laws-and-rules-funerals-and-cemeteries
- Department of Licensing – Funeral Directors: https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/funeral-directors
- Department of Licensing – Funeral Establishments: https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/funeral-establishments
- Facility and Practitioner Corrections Information: https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/vital-records/how-correct-record/facility-and-practitioner-corrections-information