When someone dies, certified death certificates are required to handle many matters – closing bank or credit accounts, transferring titles, claiming insurance or Social Security benefits, and settling the estate. In fact, federal guidance notes that “you’ll need… certified copies of death certificate for most agencies and programs” usa.gov. These certificates are official government documents signed by a registrar, and they are often required by banks, courts, insurance companies and government programs.
It is very important to use official state or federal government sources when ordering a death certificate. Scammers and private services sometimes advertise to help, but they often charge high extra fees or never deliver the record. Consumer experts (such as the Better Business Bureau) advise going only through official channels. For example, the BBB warns: “Go through official channels. In the United States, visit the official government website [for vital records]” and cautions that third-party sites “may charge customers high fees” and can be scams says this report. Official state vital records offices (often part of a health department or registrar) charge only the set copy fee (usually under $25) and no hidden service fee. Always look for a “.gov” website and be cautious of any site asking for unusual payment methods or extra processing fees.
Official State Websites For Certified Death Certificates
Below is an alphabetical list of U.S. states, each with the official government website for ordering certified death certificates. All links go directly to the state’s health or vital records office (.gov or .edu). Use these links, not commercial sites.
Alabama
Visit the Alabama Department of Public Health - Vital Records page for death certificates (https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/vitalrecords/death-certificates.html).
Alaska
The Alaska Division of Public Health handles certificates. You can request a certified death certificate through Alaska Health - Vital Records (https://health.alaska.gov/en/services/vital-records-orders/).
Arizona
The Arizona Department of Health Services - Bureau of Vital Records issues certificates (see the "Death Certificates" section) (https://azdhs.gov/licensing/vital-records/index.php).
Arkansas
The Arkansas Department of Health - Vital Records office issues death certificates (https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/certificates-records/order-death-records/).
California
The California Department of Public Health - Vital Records issues certified death certificates (https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/pages/vital-records.aspx).
Colorado
The Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment - Vital Records Division has an "Order certificate now" page for death certificates (https://cdphe.colorado.gov/order-certificate-now).
Connecticut
The Connecticut Dept. of Public Health - Death Certificates page explains how to obtain certified copies (https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Vital-Records/Death-Certificates).
Delaware
The Delaware Division of Public Health - Office of Vital Statistics provides instructions for ordering death certificates (https://dhss.delaware.gov/dph/ss/vitalstats/).
Florida
The Florida Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics site has death certificate request information (https://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/certificates/death/index.html).
Georgia
The Georgia Department of Public Health - Vital Records site provides forms and ordering details (https://dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords).
Hawaii
The Hawaii Department of Health - Vital Records page has information about death certificates (https://health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords/death-certificates/).
Idaho
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare - Vital Records and Health Statistics page explains how to request death certificates (https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/birth-marriage-death-records/about-death-stillbirth-and-miscarriage-records).
Illinois
The Illinois Department of Public Health - Division of Vital Records provides death certificate ordering information (https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/birth-death-other-records/death-records/obtain-death-certificate.html).
Indiana
The Indiana State Department of Health - Vital Records page explains how to obtain death certificates (https://www.in.gov/health/vital-records).
Iowa
The Iowa Department of Public Health - Division of Vital Records has instructions for obtaining certified death certificates (https://hhs.iowa.gov/family-community/vital-records).
Kansas
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment - Vital Statistics Section provides information on death certificates (https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1193/Death-Certificate).
Kentucky
Visit the Kentucky Vital Statistics site for death certificate ordering information (https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/vsb/Pages/death-certificates.aspx).
Louisiana
The Louisiana Department of Health - Vital Records Registry provides information about ordering death certificates (https://ldh.la.gov/vital-records/request-a-birth-or-death-certificate).
Maine
The Maine Office of Data, Research and Vital Statistics page explains how to order death certificates (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/population-health/vital-records).
Maryland
The Maryland Department of Health - Division of Vital Records provides birth, death, marriage, and divorce records (https://health.maryland.gov/vsa/Pages/death.aspx).
Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics page includes information on obtaining a death certificate (https://www.mass.gov/orgs/registry-of-vital-records-and-statistics).
Michigan
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services - Vital Records page has death records ordering information (https://www.michigan.gov/vitalrecords).
Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Vital Records provides information on death certificates (https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords).
Mississippi
The Mississippi State Department of Health - Vital Records site covers birth and death certificate information (https://www.msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/31,0,109,809.html).
Missouri
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Bureau of Vital Records explains how to order death certificates (https://health.mo.gov/data/vitalrecords).
Montana
The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services - Vital Records page provides death record ordering information (https://dphhs.mt.gov/vitalrecords/BirthDeathCertificates).
Nebraska
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services - Vital Records page has the official death certificate application (https://nevitalrecords-dhhs.ne.gov/).
Nevada
The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Vital Records provides information on death certificates (https://www.dpbh.nv.gov/programs/birth-death-marriage-divorce-records/birth-death-vital-records-forms/).
New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Division of Vital Records Administration handles death certificates (https://www.sos.nh.gov/vital-records-0/purchasing-correcting-vital-records/request-certificates).
New Jersey
The New Jersey Department of Health - Office of Vital Statistics and Registry provides death certificate ordering information (https://www.state.nj.us/health/vital).
New Mexico
The New Mexico Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics explains how to request birth or death certificates (https://www.nmhealth.org/about/erd/bvrhs/vrp/death/).
New York
The New York State Department of Health - Vital Records page includes death certificate instructions (https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records). For New York City, see NYC Dept. of Health - Death Certificates (https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/services/birth-death-records-death.page).
North Carolina
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services - State Center for Health Statistics is the official ordering site (https://vitalrecords.nc.gov/order.htm).
North Dakota
The North Dakota Department of Health - Division of Vital Records page provides death certificate forms and information (https://www.hhs.nd.gov/vital/death).
Ohio
The Ohio Department of Health - Vital Statistics site is the official source for death certificates (https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/vital-statistics/how-to-order-certificates).
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma State Department of Health - Center for Health Statistics provides information on death certificates (https://oklahoma.gov/health/services/birth-and-death-certificates.html).
Oregon
The Oregon Health Authority - Center for Health Statistics is the official death certificate site (https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/birthdeathcertificates/pages/index.aspx).
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Health - Division of Vital Records provides death certificate request information (https://www.pa.gov/agencies/health/programs/vital-records/death-certificates).
Rhode Island
The Rhode Island Department of Health - Death Certificates page explains how to get certified copies (https://health.ri.gov/vital-records).
South Carolina
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control - Vital Records site has official death certificate information (https://dph.sc.gov/public/vital-records/death-certificates).
South Dakota
The South Dakota Department of Health - Vital Records page provides death certificate ordering instructions (https://doh.sd.gov/licensing-and-records/vital-records/).
Tennessee
The Tennessee Department of Health - Office of Vital Records has the official death certificate information (https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/vital-records.html).
Texas
The Texas Department of State Health Services - Vital Statistics Unit site is the official source for death certificates (https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics).
Utah
The Utah Department of Health - Office of Vital Records and Statistics provides ordering information for death certificates (https://vitalrecords.utah.gov), corresponding to health.utah.gov/vitalrecords.
Vermont
The Vermont Department of Health - Vital Records page is the official certificate site (https://secure.vermont.gov/VSARA/vitalrecords/).
Virginia
The Virginia Department of Health - Division of Vital Records provides information about death certificates (https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records).
Washington
The Washington State Department of Health - Vital Records page includes a "Death Certificates" section (https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/vital-records/ordering-vital-record/death-record).
West Virginia
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources - Vital Registration Office provides information about ordering death certificates (https://dhhr.wv.gov/HSC/VR/CR/Pages/default.aspx).
Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Vital Records Office includes a "Death Certificates" section (https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/vitalrecords).
Wyoming
The Wyoming Department of Health - Office of Vital Records is the official death certificate page (https://health.wyo.gov/vital-record/officialdeathcertificate/).
Each link above goes to an official state or state-affiliated website. By ordering through these government sites (or their authorized state portals), families can safely obtain certified death certificates with no surprises. Always ignore unsolicited links or ads – use the official site for the person’s state of death.
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