Snohomish County Birth Records Search

Snohomish County birth records are issued by the Snohomish County Health Department in Everett, which provides certified Washington State birth certificates for births from 1907 to the present. The department issued over 23,000 birth certificates in 2019 alone, making it one of the busier local vital records offices in Washington. This guide covers in-person, mail, and online ordering, eligibility rules, fees, and historical records resources for the county.

Snohomish County Health Department - Birth Records Office

The Snohomish County Health Department handles certified birth certificate requests for all Washington births in the county from 1907 forward. The office is at 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104 in Everett. Walk-in service is available during regular hours, and a self-service kiosk in the lobby allows ordering from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The kiosk charges a small service fee of $3.50 per order on top of the base certificate fee.

When ordering at the counter or by mail, you will need to provide the child's full name, date of birth, city of birth, the father's full name, and the mother's full maiden name. Having this information ready before you visit will speed up the process. Staff can assist with requests that need some verification, but incomplete information may cause delays.

One thing to note about the hours: the office closes the first Wednesday of each month from 8 to 9:30 a.m. for a staff meeting. Plan around that if you are coming in early on a Wednesday. Regular hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The office is closed on county holidays.

The Snohomish County Health Department birth certificates page has downloadable application forms, information on accepted ID, and current fee details.

The health department serves as the primary local source for Snohomish County birth records, issuing thousands of certified copies each year.

Who Qualifies for a Certified Copy

Washington is a closed-record state. Certified birth certificates are limited to qualified applicants under RCW 70.58A.530. This rule has been in effect since January 1, 2021. If you do not qualify for a certified copy, you can still request a noncertified informational copy, which is issued on plain paper with a watermark. Informational copies are not accepted for passports, driver's licenses, or other legal purposes.

Qualified applicants include: the person named on the record (if 18 or older), their spouse or domestic partner, parent or stepparent, child or stepchild, sibling, grandparent, great-grandparent, grandchild, great-grandchild, legal guardian, legal representative, authorized representative, and government agencies or courts. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. If you are requesting on behalf of a qualifying relative, you also need proof of the relationship such as a marriage certificate, birth certificate, or court order.

The Snohomish County Health Department follows the same eligibility rules as the state DOH. Staff will verify your ID at the counter. If you are unsure whether you qualify, call the office at 425-339-5290 before visiting to save yourself a trip.

Ordering Snohomish County Birth Certificates

You have four ways to get a Snohomish County birth certificate: walk-in service at the health department counter, the self-service kiosk in the lobby, mail request, or online through VitalChek. Each option fits a different need.

In-person at the counter is the fastest option when you need a certificate the same day. Bring your ID, the required information about the birth, and payment. The office accepts cash, check, and credit or debit cards. The kiosk in the lobby is a convenient self-service alternative, available from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a $3.50 service fee added. Both counter and kiosk orders can typically be completed in one visit.

Mail requests take longer. Download and complete the application from the health department website, make copies of your ID, include proof of eligibility, and send everything with a check or money order to the office at 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104, Everett, WA 98201. Add $2 for postage and handling. Processing times for mail orders vary.

Online ordering is available through the VitalChek system, accessible through the health department website. VitalChek processes most orders in 3 to 7 business days and accepts major credit cards. Phone orders are also available at 1-866-687-1464. Both online and phone orders carry service and shipping fees in addition to the $25 base rate.

You can also use the Snohomish County public records portal for other county records, though birth certificates go specifically through the health department.

The county's public records portal handles a range of document requests, while birth certificates are managed specifically by the health department.

Historical Snohomish County Birth Records

Snohomish County has an extensive collection of historical birth records predating state registration. The county auditor held birth records from 1891 to 1907. A separate Birth Register for the city of Everett covers 1881 to 1911. Delayed birth records covering 1871 to 1921 are also available for people whose births were never formally recorded at the time they occurred.

These historical records are held by the Northwest Regional Archives and are also accessible through the Washington State Digital Archives at no charge. The Digital Archives allows you to search by name, date range, and county, and offers phonetic search to handle spelling variations common in older records. This is the best starting point for genealogy research on Snohomish County births before 1907.

The Snohomish County Recording Division at 3000 Rockefeller Avenue, Everett, WA 98201 (phone 425-388-5004) holds older recorded documents. This office is separate from the health department and handles property, marriage, and historical vital records. If you are looking for pre-1907 birth records, start with the Digital Archives online and then contact the Recording Division or Northwest Regional Archives for physical access to records not yet digitized.

The Digital Archives holds Snohomish County birth records from 1891 through the early twentieth century, including delayed registrations filed decades after the actual birth.

Washington State Law and Birth Record Access

Birth records in Washington fall under RCW Chapter 70.58A, the state's vital records law. This chapter governs everything from how births are registered to who can receive certified copies. The Snohomish County Health Department issues records as an agent of the state DOH and follows all state rules.

Under RCW 70.58A.540, certain birth records are subject to nondisclosure protections. This statute sets limits on which records can be released and under what circumstances. It is part of Washington's closed-record framework adopted in 2021. Anyone who believes a nondisclosure order applies to their record should contact the state DOH directly.

The Washington DOH certificates FAQ answers common questions about the difference between certified and informational copies, what each can be used for, and how to handle situations where a record cannot be found. This is a helpful reference before you begin the request process.

The Washington State DOH oversees all vital records in the state, including those issued locally by the Snohomish County Health Department.

Cities in Snohomish County

Snohomish County includes several cities and communities. The following cities meet the population threshold and have dedicated birth records pages. Note that Bothell spans both Snohomish and King counties; most of the city falls within Snohomish County.

Nearby Counties

Counties neighboring Snohomish County have their own local health offices and records pages if you need birth records from adjacent areas.