Search Benton County Birth Records

Benton County birth records are handled by the Benton-Franklin Health District, which serves both Benton and Franklin counties from its office in Kennewick. The health district issues certified copies of birth certificates for all Washington State births, not just those recorded in Benton or Franklin counties. Residents of Kennewick, Richland, and the surrounding Tri-Cities area can request records in person at the Kennewick office, or order online through VitalChek. Historical birth records from before 1907 are preserved at the Washington State Archives and are searchable online for free.

Benton-Franklin Health District Vital Records

The Benton-Franklin Health District is the local agency that issues certified birth certificates for Benton County residents. The district office in Kennewick accepts walk-in requests during regular business hours. It issues certified copies of birth certificates for any Washington State birth, not just those registered in Benton or Franklin counties. Death certificate service is more limited: the district only issues those for Benton or Franklin County deaths. For all other death records, you need the state DOH.

The health district's vital records page at bfhd.wa.gov has current details on services, hours, and the application process. A new state vital records law took effect on January 1, 2021, adding security requirements and tightening the list of who qualifies for certified copies under RCW 70.58A.530. The health district follows these rules for every request it processes.

Same-day service and FedEx delivery are available at an additional charge on top of the $25 base fee. The processing fee and any delivery charges are added at checkout. All fees are nonrefundable once you submit a request.

The Benton-Franklin Health District vital records page lists current hours, fees, and services for in-person birth certificate requests in Kennewick.

The health district serves both Benton and Franklin counties and can issue certified copies of any Washington State birth certificate.

How to Order Benton County Birth Certificates

In-person requests at the Benton-Franklin Health District office in Kennewick are a common choice for county residents. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and, if requesting for someone else, documentation of your relationship. Walk-in service is available during the posted business hours. Same-day expedited service costs more and is only available during certain hours, so call ahead if you need that option. The standard turnaround at the local office is typically much faster than the state DOH mail process.

For online ordering, the Benton-Franklin Health District participates in VitalChek. Use the district-specific ordering link at vitalchek.com, or call VitalChek at 866-687-1464 any time. Online fees are $25 for the certificate, $8.50 for the VitalChek service charge, and $7.00 for DOH processing. You can also pay $3 more for an identity quiz that may speed up verification. Most online orders ship within three to seven business days.

Mail orders go to the Washington State DOH, not the local health district. Send a completed application and a $25 check or money order to: Center for Health Statistics, PO Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507. Mail orders take approximately eight to ten weeks. WA211 also lists the Benton-Franklin Health District as a local resource for vital records help. Their listing at search.wa211.org provides direct contact details and service notes.

The VitalChek online ordering page for Benton-Franklin Health District lets you order certified birth certificates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

VitalChek is the only authorized third-party vendor for Washington State vital records and handles secure online payment and delivery.

Note: The $25 base fee applies regardless of whether the record is found. All processing fees charged by VitalChek and DOH are nonrefundable.

Benton County Historical Birth Records

Benton County was created on March 8, 1905, which makes it one of the newer counties in eastern Washington. The county auditor kept birth returns and birth registers from 1905 through 1907. These records are held at the Washington State Archives in Olympia. Washington State began centralized birth registration on July 1, 1907, so the overlap period from 1905 to 1907 is the key window when both county auditor records and early state records may exist for the same births.

For births before 1907, the Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov is your best free resource. You can search by child's name, parent names, gender, and birth year. Many early Washington birth records have been digitized and are available to view online at no cost. The State Archives genealogy page at sos.wa.gov provides guidance on navigating these collections. The Washington State Library guide at washstatelib.libguides.com also lists microform collections and supplementary research tools for the early statehood period.

The WA211 community resource listing for Benton-Franklin Health District provides contact details and service notes for residents seeking local help with vital records requests.

WA211 is a statewide directory of health and human services resources and can help you confirm current office information.

Who Can Access Benton County Birth Records

Since January 1, 2021, Washington has restricted certified birth certificates to qualified applicants only. The rules are set in RCW 70.58A.530 and apply statewide, including at the Benton-Franklin Health District. Qualified applicants include the person named on the certificate, their spouse or domestic partner, children, parents, stepparents, stepchildren, siblings, grandparents, great grandparents, grandchildren, great grandchildren, legal guardians, legal representatives, authorized representatives, and government agencies or courts. If you do not qualify for a certified copy, you can still request a noncertified informational copy, which has a watermark and cannot be used for official purposes like a passport or driver's license.

Every certified copy request requires a valid government-issued photo ID. Requests for another person's record also require proof of your relationship to that person. The Benton-Franklin Health District staff will review your documents before processing the request. The same eligibility rules apply whether you request in person, by mail, or through VitalChek online.

Under RCW 70.58A.540, birth records are confidential for 100 years from the date of birth. Once a record is over 100 years old, it moves into the public domain and access restrictions no longer apply. This makes records from 1925 and earlier now publicly accessible. The full scope of Washington vital records law is in RCW Chapter 70.58A.

The Washington State DOH FAQ on certificates and informational copies explains the difference between certified and noncertified copies and who qualifies for each.

This FAQ is helpful if you are unsure whether you qualify as a certified copy requestor or if you need to understand what an informational copy can and cannot be used for.

Cities in Benton County

Benton County includes several cities with significant populations, two of which have dedicated pages on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties share borders with Benton County in southeastern and central Washington.