What happens after a death at home in Washington, in order, and who to call at each step.
1. Call 911
If the death was unexpected, or no one was with the person, call 911. If the person was in hospice care, call the hospice first. Hospice staff will help with the next steps, the Kittitas County Coroner1 says.
Do not move the person, and leave the room as it is, unless responders tell you otherwise (Kittitas County Coroner1). In a death the coroner or medical examiner looks into, Washington law says no one else may move the person (RCW 68.50.0502).
The dispatcher asks where you are first. Give the full address, with any apartment number (CRESA, a Clark County 911 center). They will also ask what happened, the number you are calling from and your name (NORCOM 911). Stay on the line and answer the questions. Help is often already on the way while you talk, says Washington State 911.
Who to call: 911. If the person was in hospice care, the hospice first.
2. Police come to the home
Police or other responders may come to the home (Kittitas County Coroner1). The police and the medical examiner usually work together, but they are separate offices (Snohomish County Medical Examiner3).
At the home, they may take photos, collect items and ask the family what happened (King County Medical Examiner).
Who to call: No call needed. Officers come through the 911 call.
3. The coroner or medical examiner
In Washington, the county coroner or medical examiner is in charge after a sudden death, a death with no clear cause, or when someone is found dead (RCW 68.50.010). Some counties have a coroner and some have a medical examiner. Both find out the cause of death (Snohomish County Medical Examiner3, Thurston County Coroner).
An investigator talks with the family and looks at the person's health and medical history. They may also talk with the person's doctors and read medical records (Snohomish County Medical Examiner3, Clark County Medical Examiner).
It helps to pick one family member as the contact, and give the office that person's phone number. The person who died may be taken to the office for an exam, usually the next morning. Not every exam is an autopsy. Final results can take several months (King County Medical Examiner).
Who to call: Your county's coroner or medical examiner, if you need to reach them.
4. Choose a funeral home
The family chooses the funeral home. The coroner or medical examiner won't choose or recommend one (Chelan County Coroner, Snohomish County Medical Examiner3). King County asks families to choose one within 3 days (King County Medical Examiner).
Washington law says who decides. The person's own signed wishes come first. Then a spouse or registered domestic partner, then most of the adult children, then the parents, then most of the brothers and sisters (RCW 68.50.160).
The funeral home helps with moving the person, burial or cremation, and death certificates (Kittitas County Coroner1). Federal rules let you buy only what you want and get prices by phone, and the funeral home must give you a price list to keep (Federal Trade Commission). Embalming is not required in Washington (Department of Licensing).
Who to call: The funeral home you choose. You can check its license with the Department of Licensing license lookup.
5. The home is released, and cleanup is up to the family or owner
The medical examiner takes only the things that are on the person. Everything else stays in the home (Snohomish County Medical Examiner3).
In Snohomish County, the medical examiner's office gives families a list of private cleanup companies. If the home is a rental, tell the landlord or property manager.
Who to call: Us, to reach a local cleanup company: send a request or call (360) 519-2552. We are a free referral service.
6. Call your insurance company
Call your insurance agent or company. Go over your policy with them and ask what it covers. You can ask whether something is covered without filing a claim. Ask what they need from you, and keep copies of everything (Office of the Insurance Commissioner4).
Don't throw things away before you talk to the insurer. If something is unsafe to handle, ask them what to do (Office of the Insurance Commissioner). More in our guide: Does homeowners insurance pay for cleanup after a death?
Who to call: Your insurance agent or company. For help with a claim, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner4 can help.
7. Cleanup, then repairs
If the home needs repairs after the cleanup, hire a contractor who is registered with the state. Get at least 3 written bids and a written contract (Department of Labor & Industries). With an insurance claim, you can choose your own contractor (Office of the Insurance Commissioner4). See Repairs after cleanup.
Who to call: A registered contractor. Check one with Verify a Contractor from Labor & Industries.
8. Belongings and the estate
If the person left a will, follow it. Whoever has the will should give it to the court or the executor within 30 days. Probate is not always needed, but it often is when there is a house or land. A small estate can often use a simpler form, a Small Estate Affidavit (Washington Law Help). That form works only after 40 days, and not for a house or land (RCW 11.62.010).
Order several certified death certificates. Banks, insurance and Social Security often each want one (Kittitas County Coroner1). There is a fee for each copy (Department of Health5).
If the person rented and lived alone, the landlord must send a notice. The family can pay rent ahead, up to 60 days after the death, to have time to move things out. Personal papers and photos may not be sold or thrown away (RCW 59.18.595).
An estate-sale company or a junk removal company can help clear out the home.
Who to call: Washington Law Help for free information on small estates. For death certificates, your funeral home or the Department of Health5.
9. Grief support
Grief support: 988 (call or text, free, any time)
We read every source on October 31, 2026. If a source didn't say it, this page doesn't say it.