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Medical examiner records requests (autopsy and investigator reports)

  • An autopsy report is the medical finding (cause and manner of death)

  • An investigator report is the field report (investigator's finding at the scene)

How to order autopsy and investigator reports

  1. To obtain an autopsy and/or investigator report, you must be a family member of the deceased (RCW 68.50.105)

  2. Complete the records request form (600 Kb) and email it along with a COPY OF YOUR LEGAL PHOTO IDENTIFICATION to admin.meo@kingcounty.gov

  3. A representative will contact you at the phone number provided to process payment and/or obtain any further needed information.
    • Preferred method of payment is by debit/credit card which will be processed over the phone. Receipt will be mailed with records.
    • E-check is also available
    • There is a 2.5% fee added to all credit card transactions, and a $1 fee for electronic checks
    • The King County Medical Examiner's Office at 908 Jefferson Street in Seattle has suspended in-person service until further notice. Please call us at 206-731-3232 Ext. 4 for any questions.
    • You may also mail your request via USPS to the address below, and a representative will call for processing once received:

      King County Medical Examiner's Office
      325 9th Avenue, Box 359792
      Seattle, WA 98104-2499

How to order archived autopsy and investigator reports (before 1995)

The Medical Examiner's Office keeps archived records of cases dating back to the late 1800's. The exact case materials will vary depending on the year the decedent died, and the type of case being investigated. Due to lack of storage on-site, archived Medical Examiner records are stored in a secured location.

To request a copy of an archived Medical Examiner case:

  1. Complete the archived records request form (427 Kb).
  2. Email completed form and a photocopy of the decedent's death certificate to admin.meo@kingcounty.gov or mail to:

    King County Medical Examiner's Office
    325 9th Avenue, Box 359792
    Seattle, WA 98104-2499

After Medical Examiner staff have verified the type of records in their possession, a member of the administrative team will contact the requestor to discuss and obtain the required payments. Please Do Not send payment with the request as some cases may not obtain all the records being requested.

It takes approximately 7-10 business days to locate and retrieve any potential records retained by KCMEO. To help expedite this process, please include a photo copy of the decedent's death certificate for reference.

Third party requests

If you are a third party, such as an insurance company or attorney, your completed records request form must be accompanied by an authorization from the legal next of kin or personal representative. A release for patient medical records (RCW 70.02) may not be substituted for the request.

Email all three documents to admin.meo@kingcounty.gov or mail to:

King County Medical Examiner's Office
325 9th Avenue, Box 359792
Seattle, WA 98104-2499

For Third-Party Requests, do not send payments with your request. An invoice will be generated once the request has been processed.

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