Find Birth Records in Lewis County

Lewis County birth records are handled by Lewis County Public Health and Social Services in Chehalis, one of Washington's original counties established in 1845. Certified copies of birth certificates are available for Washington births registered from 1907 to present. You can request records by mail, pick them up in person at the Chehalis office, or place an order online. This page covers local ordering, state-level options, who qualifies for certified copies, and where to find historical birth records that predate state registration requirements. The county holds historical birth records going back to 1891, and delayed birth records covering births as far back as 1871 are also available.

Lewis County Birth Certificate Office

Lewis County Public Health and Social Services processes birth certificate requests for Washington births from July 1, 1907 to present. The office is located at 360 NW North Street in Chehalis. You can call the courthouse main line at 360-740-1333. Birth certificates cost $25 per copy. The office accepts mail requests, walk-in visits, and online orders through VitalChek. If you need to request a record quickly, an in-person visit is usually the fastest route since same-day processing is often available.

Lewis County is one of Washington's two original counties, created in 1845, and the county seat has been Chehalis for much of its history. The courthouse at 345 West Main Street in Chehalis is where many county records are stored. For birth records specifically, the Public Health office handles requests. You do not need to go to the main courthouse building for birth certificates, though staff there can point you in the right direction if needed.

The WA211 community resource page for Lewis County Public Health lists contact details and service descriptions. WA211 is a statewide directory of public services and is a useful reference when phone lines are busy or you want to confirm hours before visiting.

The WA211 listing for Lewis County Public Health provides contact details and service information for the vital records office.

This page lists Lewis County Public Health contact information and the services it provides, including birth and death certificate requests.

Certified vs. Informational Copies

Washington became a closed record state on January 1, 2021, when RCW Chapter 70.58A took effect. Under this law, certified copies of birth certificates are restricted to qualified individuals. The list includes the person named on the certificate (if age 18 or older), their spouse or registered domestic partner, children, parents, stepparents, stepchildren, siblings, grandparents, great-grandparents, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, legal guardians, legal representatives, authorized representatives, and government agencies or courts with a legitimate purpose.

Anyone who doesn't meet those criteria can still request a noncertified informational copy. The informational copy contains the same facts as a certified copy but is stamped to show it cannot be used as legal proof of identity or for government purposes. The cost is the same: $25 per copy. You'll still need to submit valid photo ID when requesting an informational copy, though you don't need to document a family relationship.

Under RCW 70.58A.530, the requestor must provide identification and, for certified copies, proof of their relationship to the subject. Requests that cannot be verified will not be fulfilled, and fees are not refunded in those cases. Plan to include a legible copy of your driver's license or state ID along with your request.

Historical Lewis County Birth Records

Lewis County has some of the oldest local vital records in Washington. The County Auditor recorded births and deaths from 1891 to 1907, and marriage records date back to 1850, reflecting the county's long history as one of the territory's original jurisdictions. The County Clerk holds court records going back to the 1870s. These older records are a valuable resource for anyone researching family history in southwestern Washington.

The Washington State Archives holds Birth Returns from 1891 to 1907 and separate Birth Registers covering the same period for Lewis County. Delayed birth records covering births from 1871 through 1921 are also available at the archives. Delayed records were created when individuals born before formal registration existed needed to document their birth later in life. These records often contain affidavits and supporting documents that aren't found in regular birth registers. Contact the Washington State Archives to confirm the status of specific records and whether a trip to the physical archive or an online request through the Washington State Digital Archives will serve your needs.

The Washington State Digital Archives holds many Lewis County historical birth records from the pre-1907 period.

Search the Digital Archives for Lewis County birth registers, returns, and delayed birth records dating back to the 1870s.

Lewis County court records from the 1870s are maintained by the County Clerk, whose office is also at the courthouse in Chehalis. Court records from that era sometimes contain documentation of births and family relationships that were used as evidence in probate, guardianship, and other civil proceedings. If you need to trace a family line and the birth records don't turn up what you need, court files are worth checking as a secondary source.

Ordering Through Washington State DOH

If you prefer to order through the state rather than the county office, the Washington State Department of Health processes birth certificate requests for all Washington counties including Lewis. The state DOH handles mail, phone, and in-person requests. For online orders, VitalChek is the state's authorized vendor. Phone: 360-236-4300. VitalChek line: 1-866-687-1464.

Mail requests go to PO Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507. The physical walk-in address is 111 Israel Road SE, Tumwater, WA 98501, but walk-ins require an appointment. Fees through the state are: $25 per copy by mail; $25 plus $8.50 service fee plus $7.00 delivery fee for online or phone orders; $25 plus $13.50 appointment fee plus $2.50 copy fee for in-person appointments. All fees are nonrefundable. Mail processing takes about 8 to 10 weeks. Online and phone orders through VitalChek usually process in 3 to 7 business days.

Full ordering details are on the DOH birth record ordering page. That page also has links to the correct request forms and explains what documentation you'll need to include with a mail request.

The Washington State DOH birth record ordering page explains all three ordering methods and current fee amounts.

Use this state page to order a Lewis County birth certificate through mail, phone, or the VitalChek online system.

Washington Vital Records Law

Birth records in Washington are governed by RCW Chapter 70.58A, the Revised Uniform Vital Statistics Act. The law establishes who may access records, what documentation is required, how corrections are handled, and what happens when a person requests nondisclosure under RCW 70.58A.540. A nondisclosure request removes the record from the general access pool, meaning only those on the qualified list can get a certified copy and informational copies may also be restricted.

The law is administered jointly by the Washington State Department of Health and local health departments like Lewis County Public Health. When state and local rules differ, the state law controls. The closed record provisions took effect January 1, 2021, and apply to all Washington birth certificates regardless of when the birth occurred. Older records are subject to the same access rules as recent ones.

RCW Chapter 70.58A is the primary Washington statute governing birth certificate access and vital records administration.

This chapter sets out the legal framework for who can request birth records and how requests are processed in Washington State.

Cities in Lewis County

Lewis County has no cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated birth records page. Chehalis is the county seat. All residents can access birth records through Lewis County Public Health at 360 NW North Street in Chehalis or through the Washington State DOH in Tumwater.

Nearby Counties

Lewis County borders several other Washington counties. Click any county below to find birth records information for that area.