Yakima County Birth Records
Yakima County birth records are available through the Yakima Health District, which primarily uses VitalChek for online ordering, and through the Washington State Department of Health for full state records from 1907 forward. The Yakima County Auditor Recording Division also holds pre-1907 records and older county documents. This page covers how to request a birth certificate, who qualifies, what special record types are available, and how to find older historical records.
Yakima County Overview
Yakima Health District - Birth and Death Certificates
The Yakima Health District handles birth and death certificate requests for Yakima County. The district office is at 1210 Ahtanum Ridge Drive in Union Gap, WA 98903. Unlike some county health offices, the Yakima Health District routes most individual requests through VitalChek online ordering rather than walk-in counter service for birth certificates. This is practical for most people because VitalChek is available 24 hours a day and ships certificates directly to your address.
For online ordering, go to VitalChek - Yakima Health District or call 1-866-687-1464. VitalChek processes most orders in 3 to 7 business days. Phone orders are also available at the same number and carry similar fees. Online and phone orders include the $25 base fee plus an $8.50 service fee and a $7.00 shipping fee.
Funeral home requests for death certificates go through a different channel. Funeral homes should email YHDVitalRecords@co.yakima.wa.us with the required W-9 form attached. This process is separate from individual requests and handles the volume of funeral home orders efficiently.
| Office | Yakima Health District |
|---|---|
| Address | 1210 Ahtanum Ridge Drive, Union Gap, WA 98903 |
| VitalChek Phone | 866-687-1464 |
| VitalChek Online | VitalChek - Yakima Health District |
| County Page | yakimacounty.us - Birth and Death Certificates |
| Funeral Homes | YHDVitalRecords@co.yakima.wa.us (with W-9 form) |
| Fee | $25 per certified copy |
The Yakima County birth and death certificates page provides an overview of services and links to the VitalChek ordering portal.
The Yakima County health district page links to the VitalChek ordering portal and provides key contact information for certificate requests.
Note: Washington is a closed-record state since January 1, 2021 under RCW 70.58A.530. Certified copies are limited to qualified applicants. Informational copies are available to the public but cannot be used for official purposes.
Who Can Request a Yakima County Birth Certificate
Certified birth certificates in Washington are restricted to qualified applicants under RCW 70.58A.530. The rules that apply at the Yakima Health District are the same as in every other Washington county. Qualified applicants include the subject of the record (if 18 or older), their spouse or domestic partner, a parent or stepparent, a child or stepchild, a sibling, a grandparent or great-grandparent, a grandchild or great-grandchild, a legal guardian, a legal representative, an authorized representative, and government agencies or courts.
Anyone outside this group can request a noncertified informational copy. These are printed with a watermark and are not valid for legal, identity, or government purposes. For genealogy, they work fine. For a passport or driver's license application, only a certified copy is accepted.
When ordering through VitalChek, you will complete an online identity verification process. VitalChek uses this to confirm your eligibility before processing your order. If you cannot complete identity verification online, you may need to contact the health district directly or order through the state DOH by mail instead.
Bring a valid government-issued photo ID for any in-person or direct office requests. If requesting for a family member, include documentation of the relationship. The fee is $25 per copy and nonrefundable whether or not the record is found.
Special Records: Stillbirth and Pre-Adoption
The Yakima Health District issues several specialized record types beyond standard birth certificates. Stillbirth Certificates became available as of October 1, 2022. Families who experienced a fetal loss at 20 weeks gestation or later can request a Fetal Death Certificate. These serve different purposes: the Fetal Death Certificate is the official medical record, while the Stillbirth Certificate is a separate commemorative document available to parents by request.
Pre-adoption birth records require a different process. Requests for pre-adoption records go through the Washington State Department of Health rather than the Yakima Health District. Call the state DOH at 360-236-4300 and press option 3 for the pre-adoption records unit. Staff can explain what records are available and what documentation is needed for that type of request.
Name changes on birth certificates follow two different procedures depending on the age at the time of the name change request. For children under one year of age, a name change is handled through an Affidavit for Correction. For individuals over one year of age, a Court Ordered Name Change is required. The health district can provide forms and instructions for correction requests; court-ordered changes require a separate legal process before the record can be updated.
The Uniform Parentage Act, effective January 1, 2019, governs how parentage is established in Washington. This law affects how names appear on birth certificates when parentage is contested or was never formally established. If you have questions about how the Uniform Parentage Act applies to a specific record, contact the health district or consult an attorney familiar with Washington family law.
VitalChek's Yakima Health District page is the primary online channel for ordering birth certificates, with 24/7 availability and direct shipping.
Note: Stillbirth Certificate requests began October 1, 2022. If you are seeking a stillbirth certificate for a loss that occurred before that date, contact the health district to confirm what records exist and whether a certificate can be issued retroactively.
State DOH and Additional Ordering Options
In addition to VitalChek, you can order Yakima County birth certificates directly through the Washington State Department of Health. The state DOH holds all Washington birth records from 1907 forward and accepts mail and in-person appointment requests. Mail requests go to PO Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507 and take approximately 8 to 10 weeks to process.
Phone: 360-236-4300. Email: ContactCHS@doh.wa.gov. The state physical office at 111 Israel Road SE, Tumwater, WA 98501 is open by appointment only. Call ahead before traveling to the state office.
For Yakima County birth records locally held prior to July 1, 1907, contact the Yakima County Auditor Recording Division. Pre-1907 records cost $1 per copy for standard copies or $3 per certified copy at the auditor's office. This is cheaper than current vital records fees and covers records from the county's early recording history.
The Washington State DOH is the central repository for all Washington birth records and provides a backup ordering option for those who cannot use VitalChek or the local health district.
Historical Yakima County Birth Records
Yakima County has historical birth records going back to the territorial era. Birth Returns for Yakima County from 1891 to 1907 are available at the Washington State Library on microform. The Washington State Digital Archives also holds digitized Yakima County birth records from this period, accessible online for free.
State-held records from the Yakima Health District go back to 1921 locally, with full Washington birth records from 1907 available through the state DOH or VitalChek. For births recorded between 1907 and 1921 that are not in the local district's system, the state DOH is the right place to look. The state has maintained the complete statewide registry since 1907 regardless of which local office originally recorded the birth.
Pre-1907 records at the county auditor cost $1 per copy or $3 for a certified copy, significantly less than modern certificate fees. The county auditor Recording Division handles these older documents. Contact the auditor's office in Yakima for more information on what specific records are available and how to request them.
The Washington Secretary of State genealogy resources page lists holdings by county and can help you identify what survives from Yakima County's early period. The Eastern Regional Archives at (509) 235-7508 also holds older records for the eastern Washington region.
Washington's genealogy resources page lists what records survive from Yakima County's early period and how to access them through regional archives and the Digital Archives.
Note: Pre-1907 Yakima County birth records at the auditor's office are priced at $1 per copy, compared to $25 for modern vital records certificates. If you only need an uncertified copy for research, this is a much lower-cost option for that older period.
Washington Birth Records Law
Yakima County birth records fall under RCW Chapter 70.58A, Washington's vital records statute. This law sets the rules for how births are registered, maintained, and accessed across all 39 counties. The Yakima Health District operates under this law as an agent of the state DOH.
Under RCW 70.58A.540, certain records have nondisclosure protections that limit access. This typically applies to adoptions or safety-sensitive cases. The Washington DOH certificates FAQ covers what to do when a record is protected or cannot be found.
RCW Chapter 70.58A governs birth record registration and access in all Washington counties, including Yakima.
Cities in Yakima County
Yakima County includes the city of Yakima, which meets the population threshold for a dedicated birth records page.
Nearby Counties
Counties neighboring Yakima County have their own vital records offices and pages if you need birth records from adjacent areas.