Search Multnomah County Death Records

Multnomah County death records are managed by the county vital records office in Portland. As Oregon's most populated county, Multnomah County processes a large volume of death certificate requests each year. You can order copies by mail, in person, or online. The vital records staff in Portland handle these requests during regular business hours. People search for Multnomah County death records for estate work, legal filings, insurance claims, and family history research. Records held locally connect to a broad network of state and regional archives.

Multnomah County Vital Records Office

The Multnomah County Vital Records office is at 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Suite 175, Portland, OR 97214. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can reach them by phone at (503) 988-3745 or by fax at (503) 988-4041. Email inquiries go to vitals@multco.us.

In-person and mail requests are both accepted. Cash, check, money order, and credit cards work for in-person visits. Mail orders should go to Multnomah County Vital Records, PO Box 2716, Portland, OR 97272. Include a check or money order for $25.00 per copy along with a filled-out request form and a copy of your photo ID. Mail orders take about three to five business days to process. Walk-in requests are often completed the same day. Online ordering is also an option for recent Multnomah County death records, which sets this county apart from many smaller Oregon counties.

The Multnomah County Vital Records website has forms, instructions, and details about available services.

Note: Multnomah County accepts credit card payments for in-person death certificate orders, which not all Oregon counties offer.

How to Order Multnomah County Death Certificates

You have three main ways to get a death certificate from Multnomah County. Each method costs $25 per copy at the base level.

Visit the office in person at 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland. Fill out the form. Show your ID. Pay the fee. Staff will search their files and hand you the record. This is the fastest route. For mail orders, send your request to PO Box 2716, Portland, OR 97272 with a check or money order, your completed form, and a copy of your ID. You can also use VitalChek to place an order online. VitalChek adds a service fee. Credit cards are accepted through their site. All online orders route through the state office.

Under ORS 432.380, death records in Multnomah County are restricted for 50 years after the date of death. Only eligible people can get certified copies during that time. After 50 years, these records become open to the public.

Multnomah County Death Record Resources

The Multnomah County official website provides links to county departments, services, and contact details for residents seeking vital records.

This site is the best starting point for anyone looking to connect with Multnomah County offices about death certificates and other vital documents.

Historical death records from Multnomah County are also preserved at the state level. The Oregon State Archives Multnomah County page lists record types and date ranges held in state collections.

State archives hold records that go back to the 1800s for Multnomah County. Portland death records from 1862 to 1902 are available through these archives. This collection pre-dates statewide registration, making it a rare source for early death records in the Portland area.

Genealogy Resources for Multnomah County

The Genealogical Forum of Oregon is a major resource for death record research in Multnomah County. Located at 2505 SE 11th Avenue, Suite B-18, Portland, the GFO is the largest genealogical library in the Pacific Northwest. They hold over 60,000 items, including obituary indexes, cemetery records, and death certificate copies. Their research fees start at just $5, making it an affordable option for family history work tied to Multnomah County.

The GFO staff can help you trace death records, find burial sites, and locate obituaries from Portland newspapers. Their collection covers Multnomah County and much of the surrounding region. Call them at (503) 963-1932 to ask about their holdings.

Who Can Get Multnomah County Death Records

Oregon law limits who can order a certified death certificate. This rule applies across all counties, including Multnomah County. Under ORS 432, only certain people have the right to request a certified copy within 50 years of the death.

The list of eligible requesters includes:

• Spouse or registered domestic partner
• Parent or grandparent of the deceased
• Child or grandchild of the deceased
• Sibling of the deceased
• Legal or authorized representative
• Government agencies acting in official roles
• Funeral service practitioners named on the record

If you are not on this list, an eligible person can sign a notarized release form that allows you to act on their behalf. Multnomah County vital records staff can walk you through the steps when you call or visit their Portland office.

Note: After 50 years from the date of death, Multnomah County death records become public and anyone may request a copy.

Portland Area Death Record History

Multnomah County has a rich history of vital records that stretches back further than most Oregon counties. Portland death records from 1862 to 1902 are held at the Oregon State Archives. These records pre-date the state's formal vital records system, which began in 1903. For researchers tracing early Portland families, these files are an important source.

The Oregon Historical Society in Portland also holds manuscripts, photographs, cemetery records, and funeral home records. Their address is 1200 SW Park Avenue, Portland, OR 97205. You can call them at (503) 222-1741. The Multnomah County Poor Farm Admissions Records from 1900 to 1962 are available at the Oregon State Archives as well. These records sometimes list deaths that occurred at the facility.

Cemetery Records in Multnomah County

Cemetery records are a strong companion to official death records. Multnomah County has many cemeteries with burial records that date back to the mid-1800s. Metro Portland manages 14 historic cemeteries in the area. These include Lone Fir Cemetery, River View Cemetery, and Greenwood Hills Cemetery. Their online database covers burial records from the 1840s to the present.

Lincoln Memorial Park and Gresham Pioneer Cemetery also hold records tied to Multnomah County deaths. Cemetery records are separate from official death certificates, but they often provide dates, family connections, and burial details that support death record research in the Portland area.

Note: Metro's online cemetery database lets you search burial records from home before visiting Multnomah County offices.

Multnomah County Death Certificate Contents

Death certificates from Multnomah County come in short and long forms. The short form lists the name of the deceased, date of death, place of death, date of birth, parents' names, spouse name, and Social Security number. It does not include cause of death. Short form records are on file from 1978 forward.

The long form has all of those details plus cause of death, manner of death, time of death, the certifying physician, funeral home, and how the remains were handled. Long form records go back to 1903 in Oregon. Legal cases, insurance claims, and probate matters that need cause of death facts require the long form from Multnomah County. Both versions cost $25.00 each. Under Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 333, detailed guidelines govern how these records are created, stored, and released.

Nearby Counties

Multnomah County borders Clackamas County, Washington County, Columbia County, and Clark County in Washington state. Death records are filed in the county where the death occurred, not where the person lived. If the death took place outside Multnomah County, contact the county where it happened to get the record.