Search Washington County Death Index
Washington County death records are maintained as part of the Arkansas Death Index, which began with statewide registration on February 1, 1914. The county seat is Fayetteville, and the county has a rich set of local archives that go back much further than state registration for some record types. This page covers where to search the Washington County Death Index, how to request a death certificate, and what historical resources exist for researchers and family members tracing a death in this county.
Washington County at a Glance
Washington County Health Units for Death Records
Washington County has two health units that accept death certificate applications. The main unit in Fayetteville is at 3270 Wimberly Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72703. Phone: (479) 521-8181. The Springdale location is at 2012 S. Thompson Street, Springdale, AR 72764. Phone: (479) 751-8080. Both units can help you complete an application and forward it to the Arkansas Department of Health for processing. The certificate is mailed back to you after the state office processes the request.
Health unit staff can answer questions about what documentation you need and whether your request qualifies under Arkansas access rules. You will need a valid photo ID for any request. The units do not store certificates on-site; all copies come from the Division of Vital Records in Little Rock. This local option is especially helpful for residents who want in-person assistance filling out the paperwork.
Requesting Washington County Death Certificates from the State
The Arkansas Department of Health, Division of Vital Records holds all death certificates for Washington County. The state office is at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. Phone: (501) 661-2174 or toll-free (800) 637-9314. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Walk-in service is available, but arrive by 3:00 PM for same-day processing.
Online ordering goes through VitalChek, the state-authorized online partner. VitalChek adds a $5.00 processing fee and a $1.85 identity verification fee. The first certificate copy is $10.00, and each additional copy of the same record in the same order is $8.00. Mail requests go to the same Little Rock address. Include a completed application, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order made out to Arkansas Department of Health. Non-relatives requesting records older than 50 years must submit by mail rather than online or by phone.
Under Arkansas Statute 20-18-305, death records less than 50 years old are restricted to immediate family, legal representatives, and approved researchers. Records 50 years or older are open to the public. A photo ID is required for all requests. The $10.00 search fee applies even if no record is found.
VitalChek processes online death certificate orders for all Arkansas counties, including Washington County. Orders are fulfilled by the Arkansas Department of Health and mailed to your address.
Washington County Clerk and Archives
The Washington County Clerk is at 280 North College Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701. Phone: (479) 444-1711. This office maintains marriage licenses from the 1860s to present, probate records, assumed name certificates, and notary commissions. While the Clerk does not hold death certificates, these records are often used alongside death index searches to confirm family relationships, establish next of kin, or resolve estate matters.
The Washington County Archives holds historical records that go well beyond what is available online. Marriage records through 1941 are available online through the Archives. The collection also includes incorporation records from 1829 to 1993, military pension records from 1866 to 1930, naturalization records from 1829 to 1934, and livestock and brand records from 1871 to 1969. These materials can help researchers trace family history in Washington County across multiple generations. Court records span 1833 to 1889 for the Judgment Docket and 1835 to 1878 for County Court records.
Probate records are available through the Archives for wills from 1829 to 1916 as a browsable index, and full probate records from 1829 to 1931. These are especially useful when the death certificate itself is restricted under the 50-year rule, since probate filings often confirm dates of death and family relationships from another direction.
Fayetteville Public Library Genealogy Collection
The Fayetteville Public Library at 401 West Mountain Street, Fayetteville, AR 72701 holds one of the best genealogy collections in northwest Arkansas. The library's Genealogy Desk can be reached at (479) 856-7253 or by email at genealogy@faylib.org. Librarians provide remote research assistance for patrons who cannot visit in person, though fees may apply for extended help.
The Grace Keith Genealogy Collection has over 14,000 print resources plus microfilm, microfiche, maps, and a digital image archive. Coverage spans all states, with a strong Arkansas focus. The collection is especially good for states that early Washington County settlers came from, including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Maryland. These are useful if you are working backward through a family line that moved to Arkansas from one of those states.
In-library resources include Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com with over 4,000 papers going back to the early 1700s, and African American family history databases. The library also holds the Washington County Marriage Records index from 1845 to 1941, Washington County Archives Land Records from 1834 to 1991, historical newspapers on microfilm, and school district records. Census records, vital records, military files, immigration records, and church registers round out a collection that is hard to beat for Washington County death research.
The Fayetteville Public Library's Grace Keith Genealogy Collection includes more than 14,000 resources for Arkansas and surrounding states, making it the strongest local research library for Washington County death records and family history.
Historical and Online Death Index Resources
FamilySearch provides free access to several key Washington County record sets. Death records from the state index are available from 1914 onward. Marriage records go back to 1845. Court records on FamilySearch include Chancery Court records from 1839 to 1877 and Chancery Records from 1877 to 1951. Land records from 1834 and probate records from 1828 give researchers deep access to county history.
The Arkansas Digital Archives has a searchable death records index covering 1935 to 1961. This free tool lets you search by name, county, date, or certificate number. Finding an entry there gives you the certificate number you need to request the actual document from the Department of Health.
The Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock maintains the death index for 1914 through 1949, which is an alphabetical listing that gives name, date, and county. The Archives also has the In Remembrance Database for 1819 to 1920, which draws from church records, cemetery transcriptions, and newspaper obituaries. That database is particularly useful for Washington County deaths before state registration started. The Arkansas Genealogical Society publishes guides and record transcriptions that supplement official databases and can help when a record is hard to locate.
Note: FamilySearch lists Washington County death record dates starting in 1914 with limited compliance until the 1920s, so some early records may be missing from the index even if the person died in Arkansas.
Death Registration Laws in Washington County
The same state laws govern death records across all Arkansas counties. Under Arkansas Code § 20-18-601, every death must be reported and a certificate filed within 10 days. The attending physician has 3 business days to complete the medical portion. Electronic registration is now standard for all new filings in the state.
The State Registrar's authority under § 20-18-203 allows for matching birth and death records to prevent fraud, which helps keep the Arkansas Death Index accurate over time. Under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act at § 25-19-101, most government records are open to citizens. Written requests get a response within 3 days. Standard copy fees run $0.25 per page. For death-related documents that fall outside the vital records statutes, such as coroner reports or burial permits, Washington County offices can process FOIA requests for documents that are not otherwise restricted.
Cities in Washington County
Washington County includes two qualifying cities with their own local resources for death record searches.
Nearby Arkansas Counties
Washington County borders several other counties, each with local offices for death record research.